Frustration...

[Mark Vlahos]

Erik,

It is unfortunate that your dive buddies do not understand your gear configuration. Those of us who have made the same choice that you have, to dive a hogarthian rig, feel that it is a better way to do things. Hopefully with time they will see the light and get their own plate and wing.

You already know that you are not very likely to strangle on the long hose, but the first time you need to donate in a low or out of air situation the others may notice how easy it is. The lesson is theirs to learn.

Good luck with the fix on your wing.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Michael Schlink]

Erik would you mind telling us HOW you poked a hole in your wing??

 

[Erik Il Rosso]

Erik would you mind telling us HOW you poked a hole in your wing??

I do not how it all happened, really...

I received the wing from Germany and I did not test it for leaks/holes one month ago...

Last week I went to Skarm El Sheik for the first test...

After returning I inflated the wing ans stored it, 2 days later I discovered that the wing where partially deflated...

Using a bucket full of water I discovered a very small pin hole...

I was ultra-cautions in using my new gear but you know, "The Force", the phase of the moon, Mars, even Jupiter...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[waynne fowler]

After studying the matter for a while I decided to move from a traditional BCD to a BP/W and also started using an "Hogarthian" set up using a long hose...

I am what is commonly known as a "Rec Diver", not interested in going deeper than 40 metres but I am also someone who wants to obtain maximum performance while in the water...

You can't even imagine what has happened from day 1 of my new set up...

1) People telling me the I will end up stangled underwater by my long hose...
2) People telling me that one day or another my power inflator (Halcyon) will stop working correctly...
3) Now that my Pioneer is punctuated everybody is telling me that it was sure right from the beginning that I would have had such problems...

Believe me, it seems like I have got serious disease when all I wanted from my new gear is a better way to stay underwater and not to look like a "Tek Diver" as people are telling me...

I try to explain that I choose such configuration "Cum Grano Salis", as the latins used to say, but it looks like I am a black sheep...

I am already sad for my new wing being punctuated after only ten dives and these people are only making things worse...

By the way, the first ten dives with the new rig were absolutely fantastic...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

Don't be mad at them.. Feel sorry that they just don't understand and will not be as comfortable as you are. They may look and think they are but I seriously doubt that they can even understand what they are missing.

don't try to repair your wing if it is leaking at one of the points where there are multiple pieces of fabric coming together. That is a mfg. issue.. as much as I love my pioneer wings I've had 4 fail on me.. Halcyon is a great company to deal with and they have tried to fix this issue.. I've had all of mine replaced without question. I finally just moved to the eclipse wing.. it's more expensive but less hassle having to replace it once or twice a year.

You've made some good choices, stick with it have faith in them. Your friends will come around, or they won't... either way you'll be happy in your equipment choices.

Waynne Fowler

 

[Erik Il Rosso]

Sad day today, this is the answer from the shop where my wing was bought...

QUOTE

i talked to our supplier today. Based on the information you gave us they
refuse it be a gurantee case. It is used and especially as you write you did
some dives with it. We cannot control what happened during the dives and
after and how you stored the Wing before and after. We cannot replace the
Wing.

Every Wing which leaves our Shop is checked, inspected and inflated to make
sure it leaves us in perfect condition. That happened to your wing too and
everything was fine when the Wing left our facilities.

If it is leaking small quantity during a dive there should not be a problem
of using it. If you know where the leackage is i recommend to seal it with
Aquasure.

UNQUOTE

This wing costed me a small fortune, 10 dives and now it is puncuted, the fabric looks new and shiny, the hole is really a pinhole, very very small...

I am pretty sure I can repair it with aquaseal but I have to admit the the idea to dive with a rapaired wing doesn't appeal to me very much...

I am really thinking to throw it in the dustbin and buy a brand new Eclipse from an Halcyon authorized Italian re-seller...

Am I parnaoid ?

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[Hank49]

Erik, I had the same thing happen to my Pioneer 27. I really like it and it functions well except that I found two tiny pinholes in mine also. Not really pin holes....actually smaller...tiny tiny holes that take about 2 days to deflate the wing. I never noticed it at first but I had never seen it under water until I submerged it washing it while it was inflated. I was very careful with it and never put it in a bag with anything sharp. I think there may be a problem in the technique of how they spray the rubber liner in the wing on. It may be a little thin or miss some tiny spots. But again, I don't care as it doesn't affect my diving with it at all. But for the $$.....
But as for your frustration, I've never had anyone say anything to me. But I usually dive alone...unless my kids are here.

 

[Erik Il Rosso]

Erik, I had the same thing happen to my Pioneer 27. I really like it and it functions well except that I found two tiny pinholes in mine also. Not really pin holes....actually smaller...tiny tiny holes that take about 2 days to deflate the wing. I never noticed it at first but I had never seen it under water until I submerged it washing it while it was inflated. I was very careful with it and never put it in a bag with anything sharp. I think there may be a problem in the technique of how they spray the rubber liner in the wing on. It may be a little thin or miss some tiny spots.

Exactly the same thing happened to me, 2 days to deflate the wing, noticed while I was washing it...

I do not know if I had better repair it or not...

Can someone tell me how to use Aquasure in a case like mine ???

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[Michael Schlink]

If your comfortable working with your equipment, remove the inflator and or dump valve. If possible go through either hole and put a dab of Aquaseal on the hole, from the inside. Make sure that you don't get aquaseal where you don't want it. If you can't reach the spot from the inside then you'll need to put a small dab on the outside. Don't despair and don't throw the wing away, yet. You aren't the first to get a hole in your BC

 

[Nemrod]

I feel for you and agree that something so Tech oriented and expensive should last more than ten dives. I have a Dacor Seachute from around 74 that has twin bags and covered with cordura and is still fully functional. I have a Seatec cordura covered wing that is still fully functional after twenty two years. I am glad this thread came along because I was saving my allowance for a new wing and I now know not to buy one of those.
I do not really expect the BP/wing to ever upset the standard BC type but I do expect that divers expecting more performance and versatility, tech or not, will in time switch to one.
I do not think the long hose needed for anything short of cave or wreck penetration and I have gone to the various sites often discussed in these forums and I think a 40 inch under the arm is actually the OW set up. I could be wrong, I am a beginner at the Hog set up myself but I am not going to the long hose, I am running a 40 inch hose per those vsrious websites and I am pleased with how it routes and the streamlining it provides not to mention the ease of deployment.
I hope you get your rig repaired, I agree, it sounds like a manufacturing defect, poor quality. If they will not exchange it (Plan A) then I think the Aquaseal repair to the interior surface sounds like a good Plan B. Good luck with it. N

 

[BigJetDriver]

I empathize. I have heard the, "You're going to strangle yourself on that hose," and recently, "If I catch you wrapping a seven foot hose around your neck, I'll throttle you with it."

As I am sure you know, the length came from cavers who might have to swim in-line behind someone in restricted spaces. In open water, it can be just as handy to give yourself some space if you wind up donating it. In any case, it is Hogarthian if you dive using that same config for every type of dive. Very simple.

As for the person who made that last statement, I hope he is not someone you care about. My response to a statement like that is not printable here, and I would keep a "weather eye" on anyone who talks like that!