I am going to switch from a stab jacket to a single tank hog rig. I have a steel back plate, Steel 100cf tank, 19cf pony, 7mm WS. I'm 5'9" and weight 197lbs. All my diving is here in Socals cold water.
What size wing would you recommend? How much lift do I need?
Thanks guys
You need enough wing capacity to:
1) Float your rig at the surface without you in it, with a full tank,
2) Compensate for the maximum change in buoyancy of your exposure suit. Your suit cannot loose more buoyancy than it starts with.
***This is only an example, your numbers might vary a bit.***
How buoyant is your wetsuit? Roll it up and throw it in the pool and add lead until it sinks. Most 7mm suits on people of normal stature range from ~18 lbs to 24 lbs. It can vary depending on the rubber used, the cut of the suit, and the age of th suit.
I'll assume your suit is +20
What "steel 100cf"? If we assume a HP PST E7-100, then your tank is -1 empty and about -9 full.
A SS plate and harness is about -6, a reg is about -2 and your tank full is -9. That's -17 with a full tank and -9 with an empty tank. If your suit is actually +20 you need another 10-11 lbs in a belt.
If my assumptions are correct you could use a 26-30 lbs wing.
I have not included the 19 cuft pony, as I would recommend rethinking the value of a pony bottle.
Tobin
