DIR weightbelt use question...

[mweitz]

No diving an unbalanced rig.

No steel doubles with a wetsuit.

 

[Charlie99]

No diving an unbalanced rig.

Define unbalanced, please.

 

[mweitz]

One you can't swim up with an empty wing and no way to inflate it.

 

[kidspot]

One you can't swim up with an empty wing and no way to inflate it.

Which is generally accepted to be steel doubles, but even a singles rig could be unbalanced weight wise for a small person already negative wearing a ss plate with a heavy single steel tank ... or a naturally bouyant person could have a balanced rig wearing some steel doubles (like 72's)

This is one thing I really like about DIR, it's based on solid principles which work together (thus the holistic aspect of it), not simply a list of rules and regulations. Some things will always be a poor choice in principle for a DIR diver (like solo diving) other things are geared more toward the dive and diver/team in question (like the type of doubles and exposure protection)

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though...

Aloha, Tim

btw Mark, not disagreeing with you at all - just expanding on your very correct explanation a bit - hope you don't mind

 

[Charlie99]

Which is generally accepted to be steel doubles, but even a singles rig could be unbalanced weight wise for a small person already negative wearing a ss plate with a heavy single steel tank ... or a naturally bouyant person could have a balanced rig wearing some steel doubles (like 72's)

You seem to be mixing together mweitz's definition of "unbalanced", and the concept of "overweighted". I seeing being overweighted as always being suboptimal, or not doing-it-right (no caps); where overweighted is defined as being signficantly (more than a couple of pounds) negatively buoyant near the surface with near empty tanks. This means that you will always have to have air in your wing, unecessarily adding drag.

If you reflect on it for a moment, you will see that how much wetsuit you wear actually has as much or more impact on "unbalanced" than whether the tank is steel or aluminum. Unless a steel backplate or negatively buoyant steel tank makes you overweighted, steel or aluminum doesn't matter.

If you have tons of weightsuit and/or too many pounds of gas, then you can be "unbalanced", even if not overweighted, even using buoyant aluminum tanks.

Comments and corrections welcomed.

 

[mweitz]

I totally agree Charlie. You can see that I posted something similiar in my first post, last paragraph.

Overweighted would be more weight then you need to hold your 10' stop with 300 to 400 PSI in your tanks.

But what do I know, I'm a newb

Mark

 

[Tom Yerian]

Tim, What kind of buckle did you have on the weight belt? The Halcyon and Scuba Pro buckles close really streamline. I used a dive rite one time and the end of the latch kinda stuck up, In that case I can see how it could get caught on the crotch strap. Also, did you take the time to tighten it up a bit at depth when the suit compressed?

The system that Mark is talking about is also very cool! I'm not sure what the instructors take is on using the waist belt for lead but I've seen a buch of people use it. Funny I was just going to buy one today to offset my light. For me, the Argon rig isn't enough.

-Chris

Cinch wt belt firmly, where buckel locks closed, 1 inch on each of buckel. In middle of wt belt burn 2 starter holes , one on each side of buckel on mid line of belt.Stamp through starter holes 2 brass grommets, one on each hole. Now take 2 4" double end dog clips with 2 large slide rings. Slip slide rings through holes on belt.Hang dog clips from rings. To use, clip dogclips together. You now have a fail safe wt belt!If your buckel opens, breaks or what ever, all you have to do is quickly spread your legs and you can catch your belt before it falls off. If you need to ditch,unbuckel, and with legs held together it will fall straight off your feet. I have dove this confg. over 10 years and never had a failure in ditching, also it saved losing belt on several occasions. And if you dont need to use it , just unclip dog clips and stow them!....Capt Tom....tyerian@charter.net

 

[kidspot]

OK - it took me a few days re-reading your post ... but I finally got it - my brain must really be on the "fritz" lately - too many short nights and long days I guess... another one coming up tonight too - oh well

Thanks for the correction Charlie & Mark both ...

Aloha, Tim

You seem to be mixing together mweitz's definition of "unbalanced", and the concept of "overweighted". I seeing being overweighted as always being suboptimal, or not doing-it-right (no caps); where overweighted is defined as being signficantly (more than a couple of pounds) negatively buoyant near the surface with near empty tanks. This means that you will always have to have air in your wing, unecessarily adding drag.

If you reflect on it for a moment, you will see that how much wetsuit you wear actually has as much or more impact on "unbalanced" than whether the tank is steel or aluminum. Unless a steel backplate or negatively buoyant steel tank makes you overweighted, steel or aluminum doesn't matter.

If you have tons of weightsuit and/or too many pounds of gas, then you can be "unbalanced", even if not overweighted, even using buoyant aluminum tanks.

Comments and corrections welcomed.

 

[hilk]

one question.. i have oms aluminium backplate and harness.. plan to get one oxycheq 30Ilb single tank wing/bladder..... is it fit?????

 

[TheYellowSubmarine]

One you can't swim up with an empty wing and no way to inflate it.

OK, so I i dive in a wetsuit with a steel tank that would still be DIR if I can swim it up?