New BPW setup - worry about lift capacity?

[ams511]

I’ll dive this - and see how things work out in the pool vs. at Breakwater. Then I’ll tweak if need be.

If you are properly weighted you should be able to hold a safety stop with a near empty wing. If you can't hold the stop you are under-weighted. If you need a lot of air in the wing then you are over-weighted. If you have problems descending then kick down until your suit starts to compress (about 10-15 ft), after that you should be fine.

Remember you are more buoyant in salt water, so you will be underweighted if using a pool to determine the proper amount of weight. I know there is a conversion factor but it only gives a rough estimate. If you go the pool route you will need to play with your weight for a few dives until you get it dialed in.

 

[jellycatsdad]

If you are properly weighted you should be able to hold a safety stop with a near empty wing. If you can't hold the stop you are under-weighted. If you need a lot of air in the wing then you are over-weighted. If you have problems descending then kick down until your suit starts to compress (about 10-15 ft), after that you should be fine.

Remember you are more buoyant in salt water, so you will be underweighted if using a pool to determine the proper amount of weight. I know there is a conversion factor but it only gives a rough estimate. If you go the pool route you will need to play with your weight for a few dives until you get it dialed in.

I typically have little problem during my safety stops, I swim around while watching my computer count down and keeping an eye at depth level. The point of my pool dives is to test out this new BC within the buyer’s remorse period.

 

[inquis]

The wing needs to 1) compensate for stuff that changes: wetsuit compression and non-reserve gas weight and 2) float the rig alone should you take it off in-water. #1 requires at least 14 lbs of lift for my Bare Reactive XL 7mm + 80 cf tank. (I've directly measured that suit's surface buoyancy in a pool.) Easily handled by a 27 lb wing, with nearly 100% reserve lift to help my buddy at depth and about 200% on the surface (where the suit is no longer compressed).

#2 is usually the more limiting case. I need 21 lb of ballast (backplate, lead, whatever) to dive that suit+AL80 in salt water. Combined with the 5 lb of non-reserve air, that's a total of 26 lbs to support... somehow. Putting all of that on the rig would work, but a 27 lb wing would be at max capacity. As such, I would put 12 lb on me (because I happen to have a 12 lb weight belt) and 9 lb on the rig. The wing supports 14 lb (ballast+gas) with ease.

In summary, that 27 lb wing would be fine as long as you don't pile all the needed ballast onto it.

 

[johndiver999]

I typically have little problem during my safety stops, I swim around while watching my computer count down and keeping an eye at depth level. The point of my pool dives is to test out this new BC within the buyer’s remorse period.

The real test has to occur in deep water when the suit is fully compressed and the BC would be holding a lot of air - can't simulate that directly in a pool. I remember wearing a much heavier suit than yours in cold water and I would typically dive 15-20 feet and never deeper than like 30-40 feet. The BC was fine.

One day I went down to around 90 feet and I kept adding air to the BC and was still sinking and soon I was surprised by the sound of the the BC farting air out the overpressure relief valve. I think the BC had around 30 lbs of lift.

It was a little disconcerting, because I never experienced that situation before, but it was only a few lbs of negative weight that was easy to overcome by swimming. It just did not give me the warm and fuzzy feeling of being able to press the up button in an emergency.

 

[jellycatsdad]

In summary, that 27 lb wing would be fine as long as you don't pile all the needed ballast onto it.

yea, looks like a weight belt is my hot ticket out until I decide to upgrade the wing to a higher lift one(I’m considering Dive Rite or similar 37-40lb lift) - then I’ll think about weight integration.

 

[jellycatsdad]

The real test has to occur in deep water when the suit is fully compressed and the BC would be holding a lot of air - can't simulate that directly in a pool. I remember wearing a much heavier suit than yours in cold water and I would typically dive 15-20 feet and never deeper than like 30-40 feet. The BC was fine.

One day I went down to around 90 feet and I kept adding air to the BC and was still sinking and soon I was surprised by the sound of the the BC farting air out the overpressure relief valve. I think the BC had around 30 lbs of lift.

It was a little disconcerting, because I never experienced that situation before, but it was only a few lbs of negative weight that was easy to overcome by swimming. It just did not give me the warm and fuzzy feeling of being able to press the up button in an emergency.

I’m diving within the limits of my current certification - 55ft is the deepest I’ve gone to. I’m waiting for my AOW to feel “ready” I can go past that.

 

[inquis]

yea, looks like a weight belt is my hot ticket out until I decide to upgrade the wing to a higher lift one(I’m considering Dive Rite or similar 37-40lb lift) - then I’ll think about weight integration.

A drysuit will likely be a better upgrade.

 

[jellycatsdad]

A drysuit will likely be a better upgrade.

Eventually, putting up with wet for now.

 

[Cio]

yea, looks like a weight belt is my hot ticket out until I decide to upgrade the wing to a higher lift one(I’m considering Dive Rite or similar 37-40lb lift) - then I’ll think about weight integration.

You're too heavy. That wing is more than enough. ditch some lead and don't be afraid to swim down from the surface. Initial descent is always a little harder.

Everything will get easier with less weight and will get harder with an oversized wing.

 

[johndiver999]

I’m diving within the limits of my current certification - 55ft is the deepest I’ve gone to. I’m waiting for my AOW to feel “ready” I can go past that.

That's smart. I'm not encouraging you to necessarily go deep, just that is where a potential issue may arise.
BTW, consider a rubber or (even better) a silicone freedive belt.. Super comfortable and stable.