Question Poseidon Besea W100 bladder replacement

[DeepBlueDog]

Hello,

I’ve have a Poseidon Besea W100 with a 12L steel twinset. Had this wing for 15 years. I haven’t used it for 18 month and was setting it up. Inflated it and left it to sit as a test. Good thing I did because in 10 min the bladder leaked along the seam. So I wrote to Poseidon asking to buy a new badder. But alas they no longer make the W100 bladders. They now have the One Wing 50 and say that the badder from that wing will not fit into the W100. Although Poseidon say that the One Wing 50 is not rated for a 12L twinset I think there is plenty of lift in the wing. But I really don’t want to drop €400 on a brand new wing when all I need is a new bladder. I have seen a youtube video of a guy in South Africa who made a new bladder for the W100 by gluing PVC sheets but I don’t feel brave enough to trust that.

So my question to the members here. Would anyone know if there is somewhere to get a new W100 bladder or if they have any experience of fitting a bladder from another manufacturer. And in that same vain does anyone have experience of using a One Wing 50 bladder, which seems to be the same as Besea W50, even have the same part number, bladder, into the W100 shroud.

In essence I’m seeking advise how to keep using my perfectly good Besea W100. Apart from making my own bladder.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[Tricky_Mc1r]

I am also curious about this 12L twin issue (when using the W50 variant) because I have been made aware alot of people do/have dived 12L twins... Even the person who I got mine (Beasea W50) from did as shown in the photos.

When doing a lift calculation the math seems to work. Are Poseidon just being very cautious as historically bladders used to be far over sized for lift?

Maybe they just didn't get it certified for 12L twin at the time and haven't put it through testing again for a new cert.

It's and old design now the Beasea range and been replaced by the One harness and wing but notably the W50 survived essentially and was just renamed. The bladders, hoses dump valves etc are all the name including the part numbers.

 

[Tricky_Mc1r]

Look

 

[DeepBlueDog]

I had a response from Poseidon, seems it’s an issue of certification for W50. The lift from W50 is just on the margin of enough for a twin 12L but if you have a thicker undersuit so need more lead or are carrying extra gear it may no be enough. Particularly if you go solo diving and have an extreme emergency like say a drysuit flood it would be nice to have extra lift. Alos the spacing between the arms is barely enough for a twin 12L so the wing doesn't fully inflate. Having said that I have been using W50 with twin 12L and a thin undersuit. But if I go into the cold or go solo or take a lot of heavy gear with me I switch to a larger wing with a twin bladder for redundancy.

 

[Tricky_Mc1r]

So I have been in contact with a few distributors, retailers and importers globally.

I'm fortunate enough to live in the UK but have previously lived in Switzerland, France and Canada. I also have friends/ family in the USA and Canada plus Australia.

It seems that my clear bladder is the original shaped version and so not the same shape as the later W50 that shares the same bladder with the current one wing.

One source told me they stopped carrying the replacement bladder I needed 5 years ago. But have been useful in sourcing other parts.

So what this means is the need to pony up the money for a new One wing. But thankfully the Beasea Harness is still useful.

My final request to anyone would be to ask if we know who actually manufactures the bladders for OMS, Halcyon, Hollis etc?

Maybe I could get one made and speck the more generic OPV dump valves rather than Poseidon's Preparatory threaded Dump valves.

 

[Tracy]

So I have been in contact with a few distributors, retailers and importers globally.

I'm fortunate enough to live in the UK but have previously lived in Switzerland, France and Canada. I also have friends/ family in the USA and Canada plus Australia.

It seems that my clear bladder is the original shaped version and so not the same shape as the later W50 that shares the same bladder with the current one wing.

One source told me they stopped carrying the replacement bladder I needed 5 years ago. But have been useful in sourcing other parts.

So what this means is the need to pony up the money for a new One wing. But thankfully the Beasea Harness is still useful.

My final request to anyone would be to ask if we know who actually manufactures the bladders for OMS, Halcyon, Hollis etc?

Maybe I could get one made and speck the more generic OPV dump valves rather than Poseidon's Preparatory threaded Dump valves.

Why would you buy another Poseidon wing when they use proprietary bits and pieces? I would just buy a standard wing that can be repaired easily later. Plus it will likely be cheaper.
As for who makes the bladders,
I would guess Halcyon makes their own, but I don't know that. They outsourced their wings for awhile and they fell apart. I think they went back to making them in house. Dive Rite makes their own. I don't know about OMS. Hollis doesn't really make anything, so whoever makes their wing likely makes the bladder to fit it.

 

[Tricky_Mc1r]

Why would you buy another Poseidon wing when they use proprietary bits and pieces? I would just buy a standard wing that can be repaired easily later. Plus it will likely be cheaper.
As for who makes the bladders,
I would guess Halcyon makes their own, but I don't know that. They outsourced their wings for awhile and they fell apart. I think they went back to making them in house. Dive Rite makes their own. I don't know about OMS. Hollis doesn't really make anything, so whoever makes their wing likely makes the bladder to fit it.

Essentially I have standard black plate wing setup but I would like to keep my Poseidon Beasea W50.

If I can find a manufacturer that can make a bladder that would perfect.

 

[happy-diver]