What he said.
I can hit the valve without a STA. However, we've noticed that students can hit the valve easier when it has a STA. Moreover, they seem to prefer the more positive alignment of the tank.
I've tried it and it is easier.
Halcyon Back Plate w/ Wings
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What he said.
I can hit the valve without a STA. However, we've noticed that students can hit the valve easier when it has a STA. Moreover, they seem to prefer the more positive alignment of the tank.
I've tried it and it is easier.
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You want to make sure your wing has enough lift to float your rig if you take it off. Figure how much weight you carry in the coldest conditions i.e. thickest wetsuit. If that starts getting close to 27 you should go with the 36. If you are a warm water diver only, the 27 will probably be plenty.
James
to count the negative buoyancy of the BP+STA system in the "how much weight do you carry" computation, along with the MAXIMUM negative buoyancy of the tank(s) (full of gas.)
For example, I dive a SS BP + STA (-8), and use 2lbs of lead with a single HP steel (-1 empty.) This is with a 3 mil wetsuit and fairly heavy (5 mil) booties. This makes me neutral with an empty tank at the surface.
FULL, that tank is -7.5 (assuming a HP120.) So my minimum lift requirement is 17.5lbs. I must assume that at depth my exposure suit may have zero buoyancy (it won't, but you won't go wrong that way!)
Now if I try to dive dry, I use the same SS BP+STA, same tank, but now I need 16lbs of lead. Virtually all of that is required due to the suit. So now I need 31.5lbs of lift at a minimum. The 36lb pioneer is ok - but just barely. This assumes that I flood the drysuit at depth and it has zero buoyancy.
The Halcyon wings larger than 27lbs have expanding panels at the BOTTOM, which affects some divers (myself included) trim adversely. The Oxycheq wings do not have these panels; I have found no trim difference between their 30 and 45lb lift wings, making the 45 fantastic for me as I can dive it both dry and wet.
For example, I dive a SS BP + STA (-8), and use 2lbs of lead with a single HP steel (-1 empty.) This is with a 3 mil wetsuit and fairly heavy (5 mil) booties. This makes me neutral with an empty tank at the surface.
FULL, that tank is -7.5 (assuming a HP120.) So my minimum lift requirement is 17.5lbs. I must assume that at depth my exposure suit may have zero buoyancy (it won't, but you won't go wrong that way!)
Now if I try to dive dry, I use the same SS BP+STA, same tank, but now I need 16lbs of lead. Virtually all of that is required due to the suit. So now I need 31.5lbs of lift at a minimum. The 36lb pioneer is ok - but just barely. This assumes that I flood the drysuit at depth and it has zero buoyancy.
The Halcyon wings larger than 27lbs have expanding panels at the BOTTOM, which affects some divers (myself included) trim adversely. The Oxycheq wings do not have these panels; I have found no trim difference between their 30 and 45lb lift wings, making the 45 fantastic for me as I can dive it both dry and wet.
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Thanks for makeing that more clear. I was assuming he is currently in a stab jacket so using his current weight should cover the BP/STA and probably a few extra pounds. I should definatly have mentioned the tank weight though.
James
It is the 36# pinoneer that has the gussets (panels) not the 27#.
Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the oxycheq wing have the same sort of gusset design? The difference being that they expand beside the tank on the inside of the wing as opposed to the outside?
The 45 lb Oxycheq wing has the gusset all along the inside next to the tank. The idea is that when inflated, the Halcyon wing gets bigger at the bottom than normal, whereas the Oxycheq gets bigger all around the center, thus affecting trim less.
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