Overwhelmed by BCD choices. Looking for recommendations for my work

[Eric Sedletzky]

The underwater recreational diving world and the underwater working diver world are two entirely different things.

 

[MidOH]

This isn't a safe thing to do, a BC of any type isn't a lift-bag. Using a BC as a lift-bag is dangerous. As a matter of fact, I know this for a fact from experience.

Do NOT ATTACH ANY TOOLS TO YOU or to your BC, NEVER!!!​

BP/W isn't the most appropriate BC for this type of use.

[Laughs in US Marine Corp]

 

[happy-diver]

The great thing about lift bags is you can move them around at whatever depth you want
thus avoiding the surface until you're ready

Yeah Backpack and wing or no wing how compact is that

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[admikar]

1100+ for BCD?! That will get abused?
You must be joking?
For modularity, nothing beats BPW.
I can get one single and one twin tank setup for that price (plate, harness, d-rings and wing)

Editted to add: I forgot to put steel plate, which is same price, so full price is 1.024,90 euros. Which at current rate is $1.116,00.

.

 

[johndiver999]

I think I would choose a BP/W. I would absolutely NOT get a basic harness. I would want something with a cross chest strap and possibly some type of comfort harness. There are several options, but you are going to be doing a ton of work with arms, not normal recreational diving and straps digging into the arm pit is very uncomfortable after a while.

Also, I would opt for a high volume wing, something over 40 lbs of lift. If you are working under a hull, it sometimes is pretty beneficial to be pinned underneath the hull, held there in a stable position by excess buoyancy.

For coldwater, I would opt for a stainless steel plate, this type of weight distribution should be more comfortable.

The scuba prob classic jacket is also very nice and comfortable and stable, but it does not adjust for different size suits and you may have to add a crotch strap to provide sufficient stability.

 

[tomasaur]

Do you need pockets?

Not all the time, but I've often found them handy for putting in a little extra weight if I've added another layer for the cold and I'm especially buoyant.

 

[tomasaur]

Back Plate & Wing for sure.
If you’re hanging upside down a lot you might consider the aluminum version.
You also might consider using an Oxycheq Extreme wing since you’ll be rubbing around on the bottoms of boats, around pilings, sometimes the blades of props with sharp barnacles, etc. you never know what you might run or rub into. I know because I’ve done that type of work and it’s high contact.
You can also use a light set of doubles if you want on a BP/W. Set it up with independent doubles either separate or manifold with a isolation valve, you can run tools off one tank and breathe off the other one.
I just had to clean the bottom of a 70’ sail boat that had been sitting for years untouched. Took me damn near all day. Time and materials. It was so bad it had oysters and scallops growing off the bottom! Zincs were long gone, prop was a mess.
On that I didn’t use a bc just tanks on a back pack. Weighted light so I could float up to the bottom of the boat and work upside down. The keel was about 6” from the mud. Fun days!
It payed good

Oh man, so much boat cleaning in the past. I think I've finally hung up my brush and scraper.

 

[tomasaur]

The OP mentioned "we're pretty busy changing zincs, scrubbing bottoms, moving large supports during ship hauls, etc. " I have not clue what any of this means as im not boat expert but I am assuming the OP is attached basic hand tools, and moving manageable weights around. I don't think it would be very practical to be swimming around with a lift bag constantly trying to adjust the gas in it so its naturally buoyant to carry some tools around while the OP works on boats. Obviously I'm not saying go clip an anvil to your self. I am talking tools and moving things around with in reason

Also what is the difference between attached some tools to your D-rings over attaching heavy steel tanks with heavy regs? Also don't forget some of use are diving super heave rebreathers, My JJ is pushing 35kg fully kitted plus the 4-5 bailout tanks clipped to me, plus the 3-4 on board tanks, plus the 7-9 first stages. So yes I'm using my wing as a lift bag essentially.

That is what a wing was designed for was to compensate your buoyancy

I wasn't real clear above about what kinds of tools I'd be using... 95% of the time it's no tools at all, maybe a hammer or scraper. Mostly I'll have a dive light, possibly a small camera if we need documentation for something, a folding ruler, that's it. Things that might fit in a big pocket. Nothing heavier than a hammer, and no air tools. Moving supports means shoving jack stands around underwater to position them under the boat.