New in N. Cal! - Question about BC

[daveg1]

Chavodel8en

The amount of weight you are wearing is not unusual for a new diver in a 2 piece 7mm suit. You will find as you dive more you will be able to drop some weight.

As for a BC most any good BC that is not a travel BC should have above 30 #'s of lift and will do the job fine. Also if you are looking at a weight intrgrated BC, if it is rated for 30 #'s of weight it has at least that much lift.

You may also want to consider trying a 1 piece 7mm suit. You will most likely find it just as warm, but you will need less weight. I have used both 2 piece & 1 piece 7mm suits here in the north east and I find them to be about the same as far as warmth goes. I have used my 1 piece 7mm in the 40 deg range (most of the summer on the east coast) for over an hr and not been cold.

As for the type of BC, having used several brands in both jacket & back inflate styles. I would recomend you try each before you buy one. Personaly I find the back inflate more comfortable. The only ones I have personal experiance with and can recomend are, the Scuba Pro Knight Hawk, US divers Malibu, and the seaquest balance. I have used all of them in cold water (down to 29 deg salt water) with no problems.

I am sure you will enjoy diving in CA, Having grown up just down the road from you in Pleasanton. I have not had the chance to get back to do any diving, but plan to some time.

 

[RichLockyer]

Spectre once bubbled...
Not following you Rich. I can't think of any time I've ever gotten in the water without my weight on, nor had to put my weight on while in the water;

Small boat. Rig gear, tie it to a line, drop it in. Jump in, put gear on, go dive. Repeat to exit, except THIS time, pull the WI pockets and toss them over the rail since it's much easier to pull in the rig w/o it's weights.

With a weight-integrated BC, it is a pain to insert the weights into the pockets while you are wearing the BC. The option is to drop the BC in the water with the weights already inserted.

Unfortunately, this means that for a diver who needs 30 pounds of ballast (max capacity for most WI BCDs), adding that HP120 brings his rig in at over 40 pounds negative once you add in the regs, lights, etc... Even an AL80 puts the rig close to 35 pounds negative.
Sounds dangerous, but remember that once the diver is IN the rig, he's now (hopefully) only negative by the amount of air in his tank, and the 18 pound batwing would work just fine.

That's another advantage to FredT's heavy stainless plate. I put on my weight belt while still on the boat and drop the rig over. The wing has more than enough lift to float the rig, and since I'm 12 pounds "light", I can roll in wearing my drysuit and belt without worrying about sinking.

Even when I dove a stab jacket I split my weight between the BC and a belt.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...


ad hominem.

your rig sounds like a quite good rig, NEWreck.

unfortunately you dont see a rig like that every day.

if ever.

Get over yourself. There was no ad hominem attack. It is my considered opinion that you are a danger to yourself and others. You must remember that some of the people on this Board are relatively new. Wouldn't you feel bad if someone died because they followed your advice?

You have a real thing against attorneys. What's the matter, someone suing you over your advice or teaching methods?

Just remember, people like to bash attorneys right up until the point that they need one. Then we're your favorite person in the world.

As for the rig, thanks. I like it. However, its not uncommon at all amoungst more experienced divers. If you keep diving long enough I'm sure you'll start seeing them around.

For example, my regular shop buddies all dive the same types of rig. The only substantive differences are that a couple of the smaller guys use LP95's and one giant uses LP120's.

The fact remains that huge lift bladders are not only inappropriate, they are counterproductive because they decrease streamling, increase effort and provide no benefit. There is no need for them.

 

[RichLockyer]

cornfed once bubbled...
Karl, how much colder is it out there then in where on the east coast? Somewhere like New England where Soggy dives.

Catalina, 26(ish) miles from Los Angeles....
Surface temps range from a high of 70 or so to 60... maybe a touch lower.
Temp at 100ft is a pretty constant 50-55. I've seen it at 60 at 100, but the thermocline is RIGHT there and at 105 you're dropping 5-10 degrees.

Never been in water colder than 50 except my DIR-F class in Lake Folsom.

I wear my wetsuit for tropical diving, and my TLS350 here. Haven't touched my 5mil in two years, BUT, the Scubamax 5mm fullsuit combined with the 5mm hooded vest did a good job of keeping me warm for my (then) 30 minute exposures.

Now we're doing 2-hour lobster hunts.

 

[Soggy]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...
ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem ad hominem

 

[cnidae]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...


For a little guy like you, maybe.

Plus, you are the best diver I have ever met. And a far cry from a beginner. So I will stick to my guns on the 45 lb issue for beginners in wetsuits on the West Coast Best Coast north of Point Concepcion.

And even in your case, your blonde diving buddy, the new one, how much weight does she wear with her wetsuit? Add her weight to your weight, and ask yourself, could you lift her off the bottom, if her B/C failed?

Then I would just have to swim over and help you out, again. Like when I carried her tanks back to the car, because you wouldnt.

Put her in a drysuit last weekend. Little? I almost weigh 200lbs. I could lift her off the bottom no problem and probably you at the same time, well if your weight watchers venture has kicked in yet, lol. Hey if we go diving and you lose your wing I won't even try to take you up I'll just tie my bag to your feet, hehe.

 

[cornfed]

If you look at Karl's profile you'll see that he was banned. You're welcome to continue replying to him be he finally has a legitimate excuse for not answering!

 

[Northeastwrecks]

cornfed once bubbled...
If you look at Karl's profile you'll see that he was banned. You're welcome to continue replying to him be he finally has a legitimate excuse for not answering!

Finally!!!

 

[cornfed]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...


Finally!!!

Don't start just celebrating just yet. He changed names once already and we have a couple hours before the "west coast best coast" gets up.