OMS Redundant Wings

[gadget]

Well, as a new poster to this particular forum I hope that the hardcore people will not flame me too much. :boom:

I have had some personal experience that lead me to specifically buy a redundent bladder BCD ( current one is OMS) and I feel it is a very good thing to have this type of redundancy for certain types of dives.( ie deep open water)

A couple of years ago while diving on the wreck of the Forest City in Tobermory I found myself trying to level off at 160 ft and not being able to do so, due to the failure of part of my BC bladder.

The shoulder assembly which leads into the bladder was slightly cross threaded and was spilling air constantly at depth. I added additional air to my drysuit however it was very difficult to keep it in as it kept burping past my neck seal so I continued to sink.

I was diving twin 108's and a stage bottle so I had no weight belt to ditch ( last thing anyone should want to do anyway) and even if I left the stage bottle I was still negative at that depth.

If I had a redundent bladder I could have easily used it to correct the problem and have a much more controlled and safer ascent. As it was I had to climb/swim back up the wreck with my half functional and half full of water BCD with my buddy close at my side. Luckily this was an option, imagine if I had to do a straight ascent to the surface and then do deco mid water. (For those of you who know this site you know it does not have a mooring line).

We ended the dive and finished our deco on a rock shoal near the dive boat and dumped a large quantity of water out of my BC.

Was this problem avoidable - yes (maybe), however a bubble check at the surface at the start of the dive, failed to identify any problems. The actual problem did not begin to present itself until we passed approx 100 ft of depth. (You'll have to pardon my reluctance not to duplicate the situation for scientific purposes).

Summation.

Sh_t happens and I prefer to prepare when possible. I don't cave dive with one light or regulator as I may need back ups to make it back to the entrance. In this case the " entrance was 160 ft up and I had no back-up.

Some of the people posting have said that this type of a system is a gimmick, however It does have it's place in certain applications and I am very happy to have it from here on out on my deep dives.

I will finish with this:


O'Tooles Commentary on Murphy's Law -

Murphy was an optimist.........

 

[VTWarrenG]

gadget,

I fail to see how you were unable to inflate your drysuit enough to make you positive -- it sounds like you were quite overweighted. If you were in proper horizontal trim, your suit should have been able to hold a very sufficient amount of air to counteract the negative buoyancy of your rig. The drysuit IS a redundant bladder.

In addition, I have to ask about your weighting -- did you not have any weight at all on you, other than your steel tanks and stage? Maybe a steel backplate? V-weight?

The real reason you had this problem is NOT because your BC failed -- the real reason, I strongly suspect, is that you were not properly weighted from the start. Diving a balanced rig is exceptionally important. If you're properly weighted, a BC failure will not cause the CF you experienced.

This is a good example of a mistake oft-committed in diving: rather than solving the real problem, throw another bit of gear at it. Later, you might realize the additional bit of gear only adds the potential for additional problems.

- Warren

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by gadget
Well, as a new poster to this particular forum I hope that the hardcore people will not flame me too much. :boom:

The shoulder assembly which leads into the bladder was slightly cross threaded and was spilling air constantly at depth. I added additional air to my drysuit however it was very difficult to keep it in as it kept burping past my neck seal so I continued to sink.

I was diving twin 108's and a stage bottle so I had no weight belt to ditch ( last thing anyone should want to do anyway) and even if I left the stage bottle I was still negative at that depth.
B]

No flame here gadget (and welcome to scubaboard btw)....
I cannot swim my full double LP104s up with zero gas in the suit or wing. Even if I ditched the canister light I couldn't really get them up. And I understand what you are saying about the neck seal burping out the gas added to the suit. A horizontal position is the only way to keep this from happening which will also help control the ascent when using the suit for buoyancy.

Not a pleasant situation to be in... but I think that we should probably practice ascents using only the suit to get a handle on it. Tanks down on gas would make it much easier. Were yours full?

I know what a suit failure is like but have never had the wing fail. To have both go out on a dive would really present a challenge but then I always carry a lift bag.... course if that exploded on ascent then I would really have an interesting time of it.

 

[Lost Yooper]

I agree. Being horizontal is critical to getting any lift out of a drysuit. If you're weighted pretty good, the lifting capacity of the suit and kicking should get you up. I also carry a lift bag as yet another option. Of course, I always dive with a buddy who has a BC, drysuit, and lift bag as well. If I can't get up, then..... .

IMO, there are easier and cheaper ways to avoid having redundant bladders.

Welcome .

Mike

 

[gadget]

Aww the joys of message boards!

Apparently my story, which was meant to be somewhat educational has provided fodder for the anti-dual bladderites.

What the hell, I might as well jump in.

Here is the short version:

Overweighted - NO

Horizontal trim - Very Good

Neoprene neck seal of suit - streched out a bit after three days of hard diving, so air wanted to burp out easily regradless of position. (I'll be damned if I am going to do a feet first ascent)

Lift bag - had it and could have shot it, chose to do climb/swim ascent.

Failure - yes, CF - no ( somone elses words)

"rather than solving the real problem, throw another bit of gear at it. "

This comment certainly has some validity in certain situations, however I will have to disagree in the example I posted. Dual bladders do not get in my way or cause any problems and I would much rather deal with buoyancy with a bladder than a drysuit or lift bag.

The best part of diving is that when all is said and done you can dive the rig you want.

Thanks for the welcomes from some of you and raspberries to those who immediatley went for the attack.

ut:

 

[Joe R.]

I cross threaded my hose once...I'l bet gadget and me will never let that happen again. 'cross me once shame on you..."