Dual bladder wing?

[Red Sea Shadow]

What of it?

Agencies often advocate all kinds of baffoonary, take a look at the PADI drysuit course. They teach the DS to be used as primary buoyancy. Agencies have deep air programs and solo diver classes, two things that are know to cause problems time and time again, yet they still exist as actual courses.

If an agency says "oh, its cool to use double wings or a lift bag as you backup if a wing fails," but that practice doesn't hold up to scrutiny, then ya, ignore that stuff. Just because someone says its ok doesn't mean it really is.

As an instructor, I'll abide to my agency standards during the courses I run. Whenever I feel some standards are worthless, I'll communicate that to my agency. And finally if I'm totally pissed off, I'll consider crossing over to another agency that suits me better.

Just ignoring the stuff is not the most appropriate course of action, IMHO.

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

So was diving double tanks in the cave at the intro level in NACD cave courses not too long ago...would you suggest following THAT standard?

As a diver or as an instructor?

 

[ucfdiver]

As a diver or as an instructor?

Either, but especially not as a diver!

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Either, but especially not as a diver!

As an instructor, if I'm not happy with the course standards I shouldn't be teaching it. Just ignoring the standards and teaching whatever I like isn't a brilliant idea, IMHO.

As a diver I do whatever I feel suitable for the specific dive I'm about to do.

 

[PfcAJ]

But rolling with something just because standards allow it doesn't mean its smart. Standards say a double bladder wing is ok. So? Its still dumb and should be ignored.

Standards say 130' is fine too. Back on the boat with 500psi. Snorkle on every dive. Standards don't always mean best, or even well though out.

 

[PfcAJ]

Deleted

 

[scubafanatic]

Is this really REQUIRED? I will not be very deep >150fsw or very cold +60° Worst case assuming 2x steel 100s 20# 2 regulators, bands and manifold ~7# 3mm wetsuit -6# (or 6mm @ 12#) so a total of about 21# (no weight belt). I know that I can easily swim up 17# probably more but have not tried yet. worst case is about 27# with total wetsuit compression.
so assuming I jump off the back of a boat and my primary bladder pops or the dump valve disintegrates on impact, I would need to stop my decent relatively quickly or take a trip to the bottom. Seems to me if put about 4-6# permanent positive buoyancy on my kit that I could just swim up in the event of a total wing failure. and then deploy an SMB or lift bag at the surface? Is this sort of plan sufficient? I could of course just go to the bottom complete my dive and then be neutral for the swim up. an alternate plan might be to put my singles wing (32#) in tandem and orally inflate in an emergency. means additional drag and an additional hose.
would tech instructors permit me to dive this configuration? (assuming I could demonstrate the ability to swim up my kit with 0 air in the wing?) and also had neutral buoyancy at the safety stop?

...why would you 'just go to the bottom and complete your dive'? if you're too negative, you could just push that little 2nd-stage purge button thingy, vent some gas from your tanks, which would make you more 'positive' lift wise by lightening your tanks.

 

[PfcAJ]

...why would you 'just go to the bottom and complete your dive'? if you're too negative, you could just push that little 2nd-stage purge button thingy, vent some gas from your tanks, which would make you more 'positive' lift wise by lightening your tanks.

Or take the right gear/ use the right tanks and NOT deplete your gas supply, which you really need?

 

[scubafanatic]

Or take the right gear/ use the right tanks and NOT deplete your gas supply, which you really need?

...of course, this course of action wasn't meant as emergency plan A ... or B.....or even C...more like plan M or something......if you're running out of ideas of gear/weight to ditch in a crisis, ditching some gas IS a way to ditch weight, just sayin'.

 

[ucfdiver]

...of course, this course of action wasn't meant as emergency plan A ... or B.....or even C...more like plan M or something......if you're running out of ideas of gear/weight to ditch in a crisis, ditching some gas IS a way to ditch weight, just sayin'.

We plan for 1-2 major failures. Plan M isn't even worth considering, if you're beyond A and B, there's a real good chance you're dead on a tech dive.