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Was diving at my favorite puddle o' mud, and found someone's gear sitting on the dock....the backplate was turned around, so instead of the concave end resting on the back, it was the convex end that was. That could not be comfortable! Anyways, is there any earthly reason why someone would actually want to set their gear up like that? Or is it a case of rigging up their gear without the benefit of an experienced diver to point out errors such as that?
"...Anyways, is there any earthly reason why someone would actually want to set their gear up like that? Or is it a case of rigging up their gear without the benefit of an experienced diver to point out errors such as that?"
No, there is no reason to do that. Reversing the plate would make the weight of the tank inherently unstable (rocking from side to side) along the diver's longitudinal axis. (Unless for some reason they had a concave spine and back!)
It was more likely someone messing with whomever left the stuff there! It's difficult to see any diver deliberately using a rig set up that way.
I came out of my cabin on our Indonesia trip and went down to the dock, and found my gear set up that way. I seriously wondered how the staff thought I was going to wear it, since the shoulder straps were therefore on the tank side . . . but I just took it apart and put it together correctly.
They don't see many backplates there. The next divers they saw with them were (two years later) my friend NWGratefulDiver and his traveling companion, and they immediately said to them, "Do you know Lynne?"
everything else was set up...shoulder straps on the correct side, etc, and so forth. It was obvious someone was actually diving in that configuration.
If I see that gear setup again, I'll be sure to gently point out that the diver might find himself much more comfortable if said backplate were turned around the right way
Or, maybe the diver that set it up that way knew exactly what he/she was doing and prefered that configuration. Maybe the diver has a well developed latisimus dorsi and a deep enough grove at the spine that a reversed plate would not cause an issue. The reason for the reversal could be an attempt to get the tank much closer to the body and the reverse V of the plate would hold the tank firmly to the plate so no STA would be needed? You know, to avoid trying to balance the tank on the top of the channel like when the plate is put on the "correct" way.
They used to use no plate at all and the tank would rest directly on the divers back. They didn't seem to have any problems then.
I should have been a lawyer, I could have gotten this guys major plate felony reduced to a minor infraction with a little probation.
We used to make our plates out of aluminum traffic signs. Since we lacked a press brake, they were flat. They worked fine, but the bend is better if you are going to mount a wing between the tank and plate.
Or, maybe the diver that set it up that way knew exactly what he/she was doing and prefered that configuration. Maybe the diver has a well developed latisimus dorsi and a deep enough grove at the spine that a reversed plate would not cause an issue. The reason for the reversal could be an attemp to get the tank much closer to the body and the reverse V of the plate would hold the tank firmly to the plate so no STA would be needed? You know, to avoid trying to balance the tank on the top of the channel like when the plate is put on the "correct" way.
They used to use no plate at all and the tank would rest directly on the divers back. They didn't seem to have any problem then.
I should have been a lawyer, I could have gotten this guys major plate felony reduced to a minor infraction with a little probation.
I remember seeing an vintage rig, just the other day, where the diver had a 72cf with his web straps hose clamped directly on the tank. The shoulder strap on a top clamp and the waist strap on a lower clamp. I thought it strange, but it seemed to be working very well.
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