Dive-Rite BP/W Question

[ScoobyPat]

I am planning on purchasing my first BC very soon and decided for a Dive-Rite SS BP, the standard harness with crotch strap and the Trek wings (eventually the Venture wings). I plan on diving 90% in cold water with a single tank.

I usually use 26lbs weight with a 7mm wetsuit. Since the BP is about 6lbs, I need another 15-18lbs - what do you think is a good setup? I would like to have about 80% non-ditchable attached to the STA or backplate and a few lbs in Clipper pockets on the waist belt of the harness. Can the Dive-Rite trim weights be attached to the backplate?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks ;-)

 

[Wingtip]

ScoobyPat once bubbled...
Can the Dive-Rite trim weights be attached to the backplate?

They can, they attach in the channel like any other channel weight. Which can be found in heavier increments than the standard DR trim weights.

I just got the Koplin heavy STA for my bp and found that having that much weight out back pushed me around pretty good and so am in the process of working it out by moving weight around some. I've lowered the tank and next am going to try a half a channel weight to add weight at the small of my back. I wouldn't commit to where you're going to put the weight until you get it in the water, I've discovered there is some fine-tuning involved to say the least.

FWIW,
Nutz

 

[nyresq]

if your going deep with a 7mm wetsuit, then ditching 4 or 5 pounds may not be enough if you get into trouble. As the suit compresses at depth you'll be very negative. When you're in a dry suit, its not a big deal if your BC craps out. but if you're wet you don't have a backup bouyancy system like a dry diver does. if you have 20 pounds of lead you may not be able to swim it up from deep depths after ditching only 3 pounds of it.
A belt with four 3 lb. soft weights will not be noticed on your hips and the four bags can be spaced nicely around your waist to balance you out and trim your rig. And if "it hits the fan" you can ditch 12 pounds in a hurry or take a few seconds and drop one 3 lb. bag at a time if needed.

Properly weighted you'll be neutral at 10 feet with 500 psi in your tank (or tanks). Now, worst case scenario is your BC fails as soon as you hit the bottom at the start of your dive, with full tanks you'll be another few pounds negative, and at depth your suit will have very little if any bouyancy wich will make you that much more negative. so you may be looking at as much as 15 or 20 lbs negative on the bottom, so ditching 4 pounds would have very little effect on saving your a$$.

12 or 16 pounds is not that much to wear on a belt, its the guys who wear 35 lbs of lead that need other places to put their weight. I have 18 on my belt diving dry and never notice it.

 

[ScubaRon]

nyresq once bubbled...
...Properly weighted you'll be neutral at 10 feet with 500 psi in your tank (or tanks)...

Where do you get this idea from? Properly weighted you need to be neutral at the surface with 500 psi in your tank(s). Otherwise you won't be able to control your buoyancy properly during the last (and most crucial) 10 feet.
ScubaRon