new Sidemount diver trying to do drills with us at BHB....Problems beyond belief!

[JahJahwarrior]

Call it the blue heron bridge benchmark...

Include something on the merits of short or long hoses, guages out front or bungeed to valves, no lift or limited lift with stages, worm gear vs cam bands, carabiner vs suicide clip vs. boltsnap, inflator on top or bottom, dump on left, right or both, door handles or rings, light on waist or butt, rings vs straight bungee, and whether to walk out of water with the tanks on. Then have a competition to see which rig fits best, I recommend the sandwich restriction at jug hole and the EOL at dogwood.

Could be fun!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't get all the snippiness and you can be sure that I don't want to.

Me neither ... if it's gonna into some sort of competition I'll just stay home and go diving. I do this for fun ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Dive-aholic]

Hi Jax,
Apparently she was wearing a Razor. Now she is indicating the problem was that that the cam bands had slid up which allowed the tanks to hang down way too far.
I will send her the video, and hope that it helps.
Thanks

If the cam bands slid anywhere then they weren't put on the tanks tight enough. That point aside, the position of the cam bands on the tanks has little to do with how low the tanks hang, but rather with the trim of the diver. The likely reason the tanks are hanging so low is because she has the clips positioned in the wrong place. The position of the clips will depend on where she has positioned the d-rings on her Razor. If she has the d-rings at her flanks, she needs to position the clips around 4 o'clock for the right side and 8 o'clock for the left side when looking down at the cylinders as they would be on the body. If the d-rings are at her sides the clips need to be closer to 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock. The positioning will depend on location of d-rings. My guess is her d-rings are closer to her front and the clips are at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock. She probably also has the bungees that are supposed to hold her tank valves up too long.

She does also need to build her muscle memory and awareness in the new rig. While most new sidemount divers will have issues with knowing which reg they're breathing off of, there are ways to overcome this rather quickly. Are you positive she took a sidemount class? I find it hard to believe that even a zero to hero sidemount instructor would get things that screwed up.

Cam bands are not the recommend means to secure the lower bolt snap on SM tanks for use with the Razor. Worm drive hose clamps are a better choice.

Why are worm clamps "better"? Cam bands and worm clamps do the same job. The only difference is cam bands are more easily adjusted under water than worm clamps are. I use both, dependent on the cylinders I'm diving. They both serve their purpose. And neither one is better or worse whether in the Nomad, the Armadillo, or the Razor.

 

[The Chairman]

Why are worm clamps "better"?

I actually abandoned worm clamps after an errant loose end (which was held down) broke loose and cut a bit in the outer cover of my drysuit. I don't like 'em.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I actually abandoned worm clamps after an errant loose end (which was held down) broke loose and cut a bit in the outer cover of my drysuit. I don't like 'em.

That can be an issue. I cut the worm clamp length down have clear flexible tubing out of the plumbing section of Lowes that I position over the end for that very reason.

 

[The Chairman]

That can be an issue. I cut the worm clamp length down have clear flexible tubing out of the plumbing section of Lowes that I position over the end for that very reason.

something impacted the clamp and the impact cut the tubing. I was glad that I had filed the end smooth or it would have done more than abraded my dry suit.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Why are worm clamps "better"? Cam bands and worm clamps do the same job. The only difference is cam bands are more easily adjusted under water than worm clamps are. I use both, dependent on the cylinders I'm diving. They both serve their purpose. And neither one is better or worse whether in the Nomad, the Armadillo, or the Razor.

While I recognize that it is likely futile to answer a question that you have already asked and answered I'll take one stab at it.


Worm drive clamps are more secure than cambands, offer less of snag risk, won't open accidentally, and do not offer the temptation of adding ballast (block weight) to the cylinders.

While I do agree with the reasons listed above, they did not originate with me, but reflect the opinion of Steve Bogaerts.

Properly applied the risk of damage or injury from worm drive clamps is quite low, I cover the "worm" with a piece of webbing sewn into a tube, and I cover the band with tubular webbing. No free ends anywhere.

Tobin

 

[randytay]

You do know I am friends with an awful lot of GUE people....Are you sure you wouldn't just enjoy throwing me a hornet's nest and watching me try to catch it ?

For the purpose of education, I'm sure the hornets won't sting... Hard

 

[danvolker]

Me neither ... if it's gonna into some sort of competition I'll just stay home and go diving. I do this for fun ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Absolutely no competition..This needs to be fun, and should show issues you guys are thinking about.

 

[Dive-aholic]

While I recognize that it is likely futile to answer a question that you have already asked and answered I'll take one stab at it.


Worm drive clamps are more secure than cambands, offer less of snag risk, won't open accidentally, and do not offer the temptation of adding ballast (block weight) to the cylinders.

While I do agree with the reasons listed above, they did not originate with me, but reflect the opinion of Steve Bogaerts.

Properly applied the risk of damage or injury from worm drive clamps is quite low, I cover the "worm" with a piece of webbing sewn into a tube, and I cover the band with tubular webbing. No free ends anywhere.

Tobin

Interesting.

I've never had my cam bands slip so I don't see how worm clamps are more secure.

I've never had my cam bands snag.

I've never had my cam bands open accidentally.

I don't have ballast on my cylinders (but I do dive steel cylinders so they don't need it).

I have seen worm clamps break but have never seen a cam band break.

Also, properly applied cam bands work quite well and do not present any of the problems you have listed.

I've already said this, but I will repeat it here. I don't have anything against worm clamps. I use them on some of my cylinders. But I also think cam bands have a usefulness. They both have their places. Neither is best in all situations.