Cressi Aquapro 5r & Doubles

[CBulla]

I'm posting this forward from another area on SB.. just run with it here and not where the original post was.

I have tried numerous Emails to Cressi asking a simple question about wether or not the 5r can support doubles and to what size. AS of YET I have not heard from them and its been several months.

I simply would like to know if you can safely use doubles on this BC, I am saving the money to get either a DR or OMS B/P wing, but would like to try doubles on this rig first... any thoughts????

 

[NJDiverMark]

So would this work with 2 aluminum 80s? My small has 20lbs of lift.

 

[ZzzKing]

Aluminum 80's with manifold, bands and regs will be about 10-12 lbs negative when full so 20 lbs of lift is probably okay if you're not carrying much else. (I'm assuming that the BC is slightly positive or, at best, neutral at the surface) If you're wearing much more than a 3mm suit you could get into trouble at depth when the BC padding and the neoprene compress.

You'll be the one that has to figure out how to attach doubles to your particular BC. It probably isn't designed for that and if they ever reply back, that is probably what they are going to tell you.

Edited to add: although it may be possible, I probably wouldn't do it.

 

[NJDiverMark]

Is there any special formula for figuring all this out?

Im sure I can figure out the mounting part.

 

[ZzzKing]

There is no special formula other than adding up what the buoyancy of each piece is. In this case:

full AL80 ~ -4lbs x 2 = -8lbs
manifold ~ -2lbs
bands ~ -2lbs
regulator set ~ -2lbs x 2 = -4lbs
Total: -16lbs

So I underestimated earlier. You wouldn't have much buoyancy above what it takes to float your rig at the surface. Some folks I dive with wouldn't have a problem there. I would definitely try it out in a pool with others in attendance before taking it out on a real dive. I would also try to figure out what type of dive I'd need 175 cubic feet of gas for before expending the time to design a BC attachment. A recreational BC may not be an appropriate choice for this type of diving.