My journey into tech

[Marie13]

@-JD-

Didn’t realize you were commenting on the trip next year. Gotcha! I’d probably buy HP100s new. Getting them used is nearly as difficult as LP50s. When they’re available they’re snapped up very quickly.

Hah! about the new Fusion on order.

 

[-JD-]

@Marie13
I really like the HD galvanized tanks. Some of mine must be 20+ years old and are still in good shape. In January I picked up a couple of brand new "triple coated" Faber HP100s, that haven't even been wet yet, but there is minor chipping of the finish at the shoulder from being mildly bumped around on my shelves ...
New HD galvanized tanks are out there, but are literally twice the cost of what I paid for my PSTs (net with fresh Hydro/VIP/tumble/O2/Valve rebuilds).

 

[MichaelMc]

My SM rig is meant for steels. I’m just not going to deal with aluminums and trying to get them to trim out. Renting LP50s not an option. I’m not concerned about fill costs. I am concerned about getting decent fills with LP tanks. Local folks have told me they have issues getting good fills outside of our shop. The quarries have no issue filling my HP tanks to service pressure.

Definitely good reasons for you to use HP tanks.

The LP50s are sweet even if filled below spec and seem to hang down on my XDeep. Though I have not drained them, and they might get a tad floaty, They are tail light if removed, but I have not sensed it as an issue when tucked in. A reason I want to play with AL40s to get a better feel of that difference.

 

[rjack321]

Thank you for the info but those fins can’t get any lighter and she’s still in a head up position.

Cut her some slack, she's learning and her trim isn't wildly off.
The picture a few posts ago Going tech in the future - what skills do I need to have down cold? has the tanks hanging kind of low and with longish leashes.

I would shorten the neck bungies, shorten the tail leashes, and move the tail clips up the tank about 1-2" and the neckbungies down (towards the butt) to shift the whole tank south (towards the feet) about 1-2" to get the valves/regs up and behind the armpit. The feet aren't too heavy, her back isn't flat yet and I'm guessing its partly due to the head down, back hunched posture. Not an equipment issue.

 

[Marie13]

I’m coming along nicely with my goal of Great Lakes wreck diving. About 45 GL wreck dives this season, the vast majority being off my local boat. The charter op just took over a Milwaukee-based boat so that expands my options for next season even more. The unlimited pass has gone from $1500/year to $2500/year, but I consider that well worth the $$. I’m frugal all winter and pretty much just work and then work out with once a month pool dives to keep the rust off. Then I’m a diving fool from early April to late October (quarry opening and closing) and the boat as much as possible depending on weather. Trying to get out on the new Milwaukee boat this weekend, but it will depend on the weather.

New Milwaukee boat gets me access to deeper wrecks (130ft - Milwaukee Carferry).

 

[EireDiver606]

Cut her some slack, she's learning and her trim isn't wildly off.
The picture a few posts ago Going tech in the future - what skills do I need to have down cold? has the tanks hanging kind of low and with longish leashes.

I would shorten the neck bungies, shorten the tail leashes, and move the tail clips up the tank about 1-2" and the neckbungies down (towards the butt) to shift the whole tank south (towards the feet) about 1-2" to get the valves/regs up and behind the armpit. The feet aren't too heavy, her back isn't flat yet and I'm guessing its partly due to the head down, back hunched posture. Not an equipment issue.

I didn’t mean any offense. If @Marie13 was offended, Im sure she would say so.

Constructive criticism.

 

[Marie13]

I love SM in the water, but gearing up is extremely frustrating. Bungees - ARGGH! I apparently lack the hand strength to deal with them. I had repetitive stress injuries a while back (all the typing I’ve done for years). Hands no longer hurt, but hand strength isn’t there. SM is just a pita on the boat, too.

So I’m going to double up one of my pairs of HP80s. Other people have posted here they can make divers head heavy. I tend toward foot heavy, so that’s OK. Im essentially saying I’ll do this regardless of my knees/sciatica. My knees have been feeling better as I’ve gotten stronger. I talked briefly with a personal trainer at the gym when I was done on the bike today. We meet next week. The personal trainer will be for strength training.

A SB-er who shall remain nameless offered to send me an unused isolator cross bar (my tanks already have modular valves) and an older model Dive Rite Rec wing he has used with HP100 doubles/drysuit. A friend is selling me the bands used on his wife’s HP80 doubles (she’s since moved on to rebreather), one pair of my tanks came from him. So I’m into doubles for only $40 or so (for the bands). Can’t beat being given gear! . Will just have to tweak SM regs a bit. Shop has 4 hour pool sessions once a month from Dec to March, so I’ll work with the doubles in the pool and go from there. Dec pool session I just going to work on frog and a few other things before starting with the doubles.

I can do this! All I do winters is work and workout.

 

[rongoodman]

Squats are your friends.

 

[Marie13]

Squats are your friends.

With bad knees?

 

[rongoodman]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "bad knees". You might want to take a look at https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Str...preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch.