KeithM
Registered
This thread may not be of interest to many people but in case anyone else has had problems with the weight pockets of the Oceanic Islander BCD here goes!
The weight pockets for the Oceanic Islander BCD are clearly not designed for the 3lb weights which are the norm in Australia (and also Fiji!). Two 3lb weights will fit in each pocket but not neatly and they make the pocket a little too large to comfortably fit in the pockets in the BCD. Inserting or removing the weights becomes difficult.
I have previoulsy cast some weights so that they fit nicely and all has been well until I went to Fiji. I obviously couldn't take my custom weights on the flights so I used the weights at the dive shop which were the same 3lb size used in Australia. Getting back on the dive boat I had to take out my weights and in the struggle lost hold of one of the pockets and it sunk.
I used a weight belt for the rest of my dives in Fiji (I would have anyway with the struggle to get the pockets out - hardly ideal if I had needed to ditch weights!).
I have now made some straps out of 40mm webbing which hold two 3lb weights together nice and tightly. Held in this way the weights slide easily in and out of the BCD pocket. The straps have some velcro in the same place as the original weight pocket handles and have stainless steel D rings as handles. The following is a picture of one of the straps.
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=72712&cat=2342
The materials cost hardly anything so I have made a couple of spares to go in my dive bag.
Fabrication instructions - Cut a 55cm length of 40mm webbing and quickly melt the end in a flame to prevent fraying. Fold over a 10cm length at one end and sew to form a loop. Fold 2.5cm over the D-ring at the onter end and sew. Sew on a 12cm length of the course side of velcro up against the D-ring.
The weight pockets for the Oceanic Islander BCD are clearly not designed for the 3lb weights which are the norm in Australia (and also Fiji!). Two 3lb weights will fit in each pocket but not neatly and they make the pocket a little too large to comfortably fit in the pockets in the BCD. Inserting or removing the weights becomes difficult.
I have previoulsy cast some weights so that they fit nicely and all has been well until I went to Fiji. I obviously couldn't take my custom weights on the flights so I used the weights at the dive shop which were the same 3lb size used in Australia. Getting back on the dive boat I had to take out my weights and in the struggle lost hold of one of the pockets and it sunk.
I used a weight belt for the rest of my dives in Fiji (I would have anyway with the struggle to get the pockets out - hardly ideal if I had needed to ditch weights!).
I have now made some straps out of 40mm webbing which hold two 3lb weights together nice and tightly. Held in this way the weights slide easily in and out of the BCD pocket. The straps have some velcro in the same place as the original weight pocket handles and have stainless steel D rings as handles. The following is a picture of one of the straps.
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=72712&cat=2342
The materials cost hardly anything so I have made a couple of spares to go in my dive bag.
Fabrication instructions - Cut a 55cm length of 40mm webbing and quickly melt the end in a flame to prevent fraying. Fold over a 10cm length at one end and sew to form a loop. Fold 2.5cm over the D-ring at the onter end and sew. Sew on a 12cm length of the course side of velcro up against the D-ring.
