Talk about anything but local dive shops in Arizona

[diversteve]

For the sake of a good discussion, I'd be interested in hearing why you prefer not to sling a tank?
I do know someone who hates to sling a tank cuz she finds it bulky and in the way
Kaz

I think that would be me also. Although I've never done it so I don't know if it would be in the way. I know I wouldn't like the bulk of a tank in front of me. Since I'm right handed, I think I'd sling the tank on my left side also, which would interfere with my gauges as I wear them retracted off my lowest left d-ring..

Maybe this is incorrect, but it also seems that it would be less streamlined having it clipped off in front than on my back.

I also think that I wouldn't like it hanging underneath me when I'm filming as a lot of time I swim looking through the viewfinder on my video housing. I have everything clipped off/retracted as I sometimes get pretty close to the bottom or coral heads etc. without smashing into them while swimming over them. Sometimes I'll even lay on the sand. Which might be harder to do with a tank under me.

What does it do to your l/r balance? Do you compensate for it by removing weight from that side? How do you climb a ladder with it? hand it up first?

Just won the manifold on eBay so if it works, I'll be diving dependent doubles soon.

Now to find stiff bands that will collapse for travel...

 

[KazInAz]

Azcaddman is a photographer as well and has no problem managing the sling bottle so I'll let him answer as far photography goes. He recently did some photography in the caves carrying two stage bottles.

If a bottle is rigged correctly for your body it rides tight against your body and doesnt hang down. There is no slack in it at all. It hangs on the left side clipped to chest D-ring at the top and the bottom is clipped off to the waist D-ring. Our light canister is on the right. The pressure gauge is also clipped to the same D-ring on the right at the waist. It is no problem reaching the pressure guage even with 2 stages there.
I wear a bottom timer and computer on my wrist so that I can see them whenever I want. It is very streamlined. It doesnt change trim issues due to the light canister but you can put a small weight on the opposite side and have done once or twice.
And with the wing you can always shift air to the other side if necessary.

I did find it cumbersome at first....maybe for the first 2-3 dives (drysuit, cold water) but then it just started to feel natural. We dive California on a regular basis and almost always bring a stage bottle with 50% in it for an ascent gas even when we arent planning a deco dive. We do dive doubles on a reg. basis or at very least our new high pressure 149's.
As for getting in and out....we jump in, have someone hand us the bottle and clip it off while in the water. Same with getting out. Unclip and hand up to someone on the boat. We have had times where no one was there to help, just lay the bottle on its side and we bring it in and out by ourselves. In Bonaire, we just floated them along side us till we were chest deep and then clipped them off.

whew, a little long winded.
Kaz

 

[Dive-aholic]

I think that would be me also. Although I've never done it so I don't know if it would be in the way. I know I wouldn't like the bulk of a tank in front of me. Since I'm right handed, I think I'd sling the tank on my left side also, which would interfere with my gauges as I wear them retracted off my lowest left d-ring..

No problems with that set up. It's standard DIR

Maybe this is incorrect, but it also seems that it would be less streamlined having it clipped off in front than on my back.

It's tucked in close

I also think that I wouldn't like it hanging underneath me when I'm filming as a lot of time I swim looking through the viewfinder on my video housing. I have everything clipped off/retracted as I sometimes get pretty close to the bottom or coral heads etc. without smashing into them while swimming over them. Sometimes I'll even lay on the sand. Which might be harder to do with a tank under me.

I think that might be an issue. Kaz speaks of azcadman, but photos in caves is a little different than on reefs. I don't dive stages on reefs, but I think it might make it more difficult to get in close.

What does it do to your l/r balance? Do you compensate for it by removing weight from that side? How do you climb a ladder with it? hand it up first?

You learn to compensate. When I have a stage, I'm in doubles. At first I was a little off balanced, but learned to adjust. As Kaz said, we also carry other stuff on the right to help offset the weight difference.

Just won the manifold on eBay so if it works, I'll be diving dependent doubles soon.

Congratulations!

Now to find stiff bands that will collapse for travel...

Good luck.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Anything ?!?!?!

Well I just got home from SoCal, you can read my trip/dive reports here:

http://www.getbentscuba.com/blog/2006/11/thanksgiving-weekend-dives-90-94.php

-Garrett

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Sounds like David had a great time in Tulum and survived his intro. He spoke very highly of John and Art and Karen... and the rest of the gang. Nice folks! Thanks for helping out a buddy.

 

[mrjimboalaska]

How about your Cold weather, it's due to Al Gores Global Warming Scientists..............

 

[KazInAz]

Sounds like David had a great time in Tulum and survived his intro. He spoke very highly of John and Art and Karen... and the rest of the gang. Nice folks! Thanks for helping out a buddy.

It was our pleasure. We look forward to his continued training....anything we can do to promote the 'dark side'

 

[shark.byte.usa]

A little quiet around the ole' Arizona Forum the last couple days!

 

[scubajcf]

too busy at tent sales

 

[krcollins]

A little quiet around the ole' Arizona Forum the last couple days!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. You guys are boring me.