How do you keep a back inflated B.C. from dunking your face in the water ???

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

mrducks once bubbled...
dive steel tanks.... back mounted wings with a single aluminum tank is wacko.
.

Hmm I've made quite a few dives in a back inflate with aluminium tanks (usually 63s) and have never had a problem. Care to explain this statement. Can you even explain this statement?
 
move more weight to your back, or remove weight from you front... try having 4 lbs on the back 'trim' area of your BC (2+2 on each side)... then move 2+2lbs onto the tank strap part.. close to the outer side to balance you off on the surface... that works for me.

although I don't dive with that much weight... my total is 4lbs..so I just do the 2+2 on the outer tank strap.

It's trial and error... no one can give you the perfect setup except you.
 
in a nutshell guys the darn things float.

the luxfers and kiddes are corks in the water when near empty....catalinas are a bit better.

as a result u have a tank that floats attached to a bladder, which does what all bc bladders do and walla your way out of trim.

to me buoyancy and trim are fundamental parts of this sport and by using steel tanks (which btw has other advantages over al in addition to buoyancy) you can achieve it!

why mess around with a bunch of lead trying to trim a cork...i've seen lead attached to 80's before to achieve this in the past.
get your wallet out and pay the extra $$ 4 steel. i feel u get what u pay 4!

now if u are one of the folks out there that can get by with a cork mounted in wings then go for it...think of the money u r saving.

jmho

ps: things i've found that do not do well in da water:
seadoo's, al 80's, electricity, bayliners and fat bottomed girls. :>:doctor:
 
mrducks once bubbled...
in a nutshell guys the darn things float.

the luxfers and kiddes are corks in the water when near empty....catalinas are a bit better.

as a result u have a tank that floats attached to a bladder, which does what all bc bladders do and walla your way out of trim.


OK. So you're saying that alum tanks are no good with any BC not just for back bouyancy types. I agree that steel is probably nicer but theres alot of alum out there too.
 
yep....just do not like al80's at all!
when i go to cozumel i have to dive the damn things and i fight the monkey every dive.
found that doubling them up with a quick harness using two regs on independant k valves works ok.
since we dive the south point with a small boat only as a rule...no one is around to laugh at my rig.
 
I agree with CaveDiver. Lean back on the winged BCD before you inflate it. Then hit the inflator and voila, you have a floating sofa. Works for me.
 
<<< Ok so you're not a little guy but try trimming off just a bit of the weight. If you're overweighted underwater it's easy to compensate for (but not ideal to do) however at the surface it can be a very big pain in the a$$. >>>

I will do that, but I will have to buy some more lead. I bought lead shot bags at 4 pounds each. I will have to go back to the store and trade two of the 4 pounders for four 2 pounders.

First, I am going to try it in saltwater. I have a feeling that the weight that I have will be just fine in saltwater. It was too much for the fresh water in the pool, though. I need to drop about 4 pounds for fresh water, I think. Being a big guy, I have always been real boyant, even before I gained so much weight.

<<< BTW how did you like the Knghthawk at depth? I've been diving mine for a few months and love it. >>>

The Knighthawk is great at depth. The back inflation holds you perfectly horizontal and it is very comfortable. The only concern I had with it was trying to balance on the surface. Floating on my back was fine.

I have also been impressed with the quality and features of the Knighthawk. It looks like a swiss watch compared to my old double-black. Most of my stuff is Scubapro brand. I just have not seen the same quality in other brands. I don't particularly like my old Seawing fins, though. They were the latest and greatest when I bought them, but they definately do not have the efficiency of some of the newer ones. They flop around and don't do much. I will say that they are easier on the reef than some of the others. They won't cause as much accidental damage.
 
Bruce Sinclair once bubbled...
<<< Ok so you're not a little guy but try trimming off just a bit of the weight. If you're overweighted underwater it's easy to compensate for (but not ideal to do) however at the surface it can be a very big pain in the a$$. >>>

I will do that, but I will have to buy some more lead. I bought lead shot bags at 4 pounds each. I will have to go back to the store and trade two of the 4 pounders for four 2 pounders.

First, I am going to try it in saltwater. I have a feeling that the weight that I have will be just fine in saltwater. It was too much for the fresh water in the pool, though. I need to drop about 4 pounds for fresh water, I think. Being a big guy, I have always been real boyant, even before I gained so much weight.

<<< BTW how did you like the Knghthawk at depth? I've been diving mine for a few months and love it. >>>

The Knighthawk is great at depth. The back inflation holds you perfectly horizontal and it is very comfortable. The only concern I had with it was trying to balance on the surface. Floating on my back was fine.

I have also been impressed with the quality and features of the Knighthawk. It looks like a swiss watch compared to my old double-black. Most of my stuff is Scubapro brand. I just have not seen the same quality in other brands. I don't particularly like my old Seawing fins, though. They were the latest and greatest when I bought them, but they definately do not have the efficiency of some of the newer ones. They flop around and don't do much. I will say that they are easier on the reef than some of the others. They won't cause as much accidental damage.


I love the old Seawings I think they are great fins.

Much easier on the reef? Not too be a jerk but are you hitting the reef? Try and stay 3 or 4 feet above it when you're swimming or hovering ESPECIALLY if you have a large kickspan.
 
I tend to agree. I bumbed into a seasoned diver one morning at point dume , this boy had been around the block, his dive gear and disposition was one of quiet confidence. He didn't brag about any of his accomplishment or even discuss how deep he had been that morning. But when he spoke i listened to him. at This was some 7 yrs ago , when i was new diver.
He basically showed me some tricks like double buckles on my weight belt will help it from coming undone. Also, how useful duct tape can be. But the most useful piece of advice i can give someone on this board , is the same advice this old boy gave me......"discard those aluminum tanks (trim the wieght off your belt) and find your self an OMS 121 or Steel 104. Because Boys and girls .......... You can't breath water!!!!

BC of choice .... "Transpac 1 the original"
 
<<< I love the old Seawings I think they are great fins. >>>

They work great, but the propusion you get is not as efficient as others, especially the newer designs.

<<< Much easier on the reef? Not too be a jerk but are you hitting the reef? Try and stay 3 or 4 feet above it when you're swimming or hovering ESPECIALLY if you have a large kickspan. >>>

Not intentionally, but nobody's perfect. The Seawing is very flexible and I would rather have the tip of that fin touch a reef than some of the other, stiffer designs.
 

Back
Top Bottom