Bungeed OMS

[resqsqurt]

Sorry if I posted a thread that has been discussed multiple times already. I tried to do a search to find what I needed first but couldn't find anything. I tried "OMS," "bungeed OMS," and something else too but nothing came up.

I looked at the previous threads, and they were helpful, but please add anything else you feel is helpful.

My apologies if some of my questions have already been discussed...

 

[Laser]

OK, first, thanks for your replies. The reason I posted in the DIR forum is because I figured that if I wanted it done right with the highest regard to safety, you guys would be the ones to go to.

Second, Rich, I don't know how to PM. My email is jhinshaw1@triad.rr.com if you could contact me there that would be great.

As as general rule, we dive dry with singles but would like the option of diving with doubles. Diving with a single and a pony becomes an option as well if we're doing black water with a tender. I don't think that falls under DIR but I'm not sure. I'm not trying to put in a troll here, and please don't pummel me too bad for not doing something DIR right now. I'm trying to learn to do it right. But we aren't always able to follow the DIR rules (the ones I think I understand anyway) because we do some PSD work in black water for searches and evidence recovery. I definitely would like some more education on DIR, but I just haven't gotten that far yet.

Being a firefighter and being accustomed to wearing SCBA has helped tremendously in diving and has made it much easier, but diving is still a different animal...any additional information you can provide will be helpful...Just so you know, about half of my dives have been in black water for searches, training, and evidence recovery. That's what I'll be faced with for a least a percentage of my diving. I wanted you to know where my concern about profile and such comes from. There's no telling what we'll run into down there! The bars off a bike with no front wheel almost got my head in
January!

Since it appears that the bungeed OMS is a bad idea, the other option I/we were looking at is the Dive Rite Rec Wing with a Hammerhead backplate or Tranpac. What is your opinion on that? Someone mentioned the appearance of the OMS underwater, but, unfortunately, I've not gotten to see it. Do you guys have any recommendations for smaller divers?

Thanks again for all of your responses. Just please don't bash me too much, I'm trying to learn and get new information, not start a battle...

Thanks!

Sounds like you would benifit greatly from DIRF class. Much attention is given to gear choices/fit etc. as well as a whole bunch of other good stuff.

 

[jonnythan]

What kind of tanks do you use?

Look at something single-tank specific, like the Halcyon Eclipse or Oxycheq single tank wing.

 

[resqsqurt]

AL 80s and 100s

Would like to use a STA for singles but still have the capability to dive with doubles.

 

[JeffG]

AL 80s and 100s

Would like to use a STA for singles but still have the capability to dive with doubles.

If you are trying to save money by using the same wing for both single and double tanks setups. Don't bother. Stay away from Tech. If you can't afford two wings, you can't afford technical diving.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Pony bottles are also not DIR. To learn more, go directly to the source;
http://gue.com/equipment/jj-hogarth.shtml

 

[resqsqurt]

Good point on the tech diving and just getting two wings. Do you have two completely separate BP/W set-ups or do you just change out your wing? Inquiring minds want to know...

I know ponies are not DIR, but they are pretty much standard for PSD. That's where we'll be using them. We ABSOLUTELY believe in having an equally-equipped buddy right beside you who knows everything about your set-up (our's are identical) when we are doing any other type of diving; however, in complete black water with a line tender, having a buddy can kill you (I'm sure you knew that already). Lines get tangled too quickly and easily. We ALWAYS have a second diver, fully equipped except for the reg (which is about 4 inches from his/her mouth,) and a 90% diver who is also in the water. Since we cannot have a buddy beside us to serve as our emergency air supply, the pony must suffice. However, we are still learning, so if anyone has any other thoughts on that or experiences to share, please do so. Thanks again.

 

[JeffG]

Good point on the tech diving and just getting two wings. Do you have two completely separate BP/W set-ups or do you just change out your wing? Inquiring minds want to know...

1 steel plate. 1 Al Plate. 3 Wings - 2 for doubles and 1 for singles.

2 sets of doubles. Al 80's and 130's

I swap wings/plates/tanks depending on what it is I'm doing.

I know ponies are not DIR, but they are pretty much standard for PSD. That's where we'll be using them. We ABSOLUTELY believe in having an equally-equipped buddy right beside you who knows everything about your set-up (our's are identical) when we are doing any other type of diving; however, in complete black water with a line tender, having a buddy can kill you (I'm sure you knew that already). Lines get tangled too quickly and easily. We ALWAYS have a second diver, fully equipped except for the reg (which is about 4 inches from his/her mouth,) and a 90% diver who is also in the water. Since we cannot have a buddy beside us to serve as our emergency air supply, the pony must suffice. However, we are still learning, so if anyone has any other thoughts on that or experiences to share, please do so. Thanks again.

Think about rigging your pony as a "stage".

 

[ghrousseau]

For what it's worth:

I have the OMS 45 lb wing. It came with the bungies and I dove with them for some time with a SS Diverite backplate and a STA with a Faber LP95 tank. I never had a problem orally inflating the wings. I began adopting DIR so I removed the bungies. The 45lb wing works good for me with a single tank, and it has enough lift for small doubles. I think it is a good quality wing, and you can order them from OMS with bungees or without from the factory.

Dive rite makes some good wings as well like the Rec Wing , but you may have to change the pull dump on the inflator hose to be DIR. There are several others like Halcyon, Oxychec, ect. Take your time and see if you can find a shop that has several brands so you can compare. Each will have +/-'s. Some wings are also rated for use with doubles only so you need to be aware so you don't get the taco effect. As some others have posted they usually have a smaller wing for singles and a larger lift wing 60lb for doubles and stage bottles.

Good luck.

 

[headhunter]

I believe I remember reading somewhere in a GUE book or on their website or some other official communication that not everything they teach is not always applicable to commercial or Public Safety Diving.

I'm simply recalling that, but I could be incorrect. Maybe someone could confirm or deny that for me.

It does make sense though, since conditions could be completely different than what we might experience in either rec or tech diving.

I think I remember talking to a commercial diver in Wisconsin that was diving in something that would actually eat away his drysuit or the seals in a little over an hour. I believe he was scraping the inside of some sort of tank full of chemicals or pretroleum products and that it was more economical to pay for multiple new dry suits than to drain the tank to clean it.

That would certainly qualify as "something different". :11:

Christian