The latest technical diving regulator the Phoenix

[Luis H]

It was the band clamp on the regulator that I noticed you had sideways??


N

Oh, that is what you were talking about.

Actually I have been moving the regulator clamp so that the joint sits normally below the exhaust horn (near the left shoulder). It seems to hide is a bit and I don’t really like it in the bottom because the regulator doesn’t sit well when I set on a flat surface like a table.

Normally I really like the way it looks on the side near the exhaust.

It this case I did move it to the right (below the intake horn) mostly because it was hitting the inflator elbow. I don’t care if it scratched it, but I was afraid something may get caught. In that side it seems to be away from everything and seems to work fine.

 

[captain]

I have an original USD doubles bands from the 60's and the straps are nylon and don't slip at all.

 

[Gilldiver]

For many years I dove an original Dive Rite wing, now called the "classic wing" on twin 72's, 80's and Genesis 100's, using old style steel bands that had the extra curved piece in the front that married up with the curve in the old USD and DACOR plastic hard packs. I punched a hold in the central fabric and then reinforced the hole with a brass grommet so that the holes in the BC matched up with the spacing on the plastic backpack.

Put a few D-rings on the shoulder, one on the left hip, and a crotch strap and you have a fully compliant "Tech rig." But, one with the handle at the top to help move it all around.

I wonder if Vic could make me up a set of SS bands with the attachment curve?

You do loose a bit in clearance, maybe an inch, but I never really wanted to go into areas of a wreck that were that tight anyway.

 

[Luis H]

I wonder if Vic could make me up a set of SS bands with the attachment curve?

You do loose a bit in clearance, maybe an inch, but I never really wanted to go into areas of a wreck that were that tight anyway.

If Vic can not make them for you, PeanutKing may be able to have them made.
I have also seen those style of bands for sale on eBay from time to time or maybe someone at VDH may have an extra pair.


To me the big difference is not the clearance lost but the tanks weight further away from my back when you are walking with the tanks. I also like the feel of the empty space in the middle.

 

[Gilldiver]

Just about all of my diving is from a boat and since my 3rd back opperation I use a hand truck to get the tanks from the car to the boat whenever I can. So, I just don't do all that much walking with them. But, I understand just what you mean,

Pete

 

[Gilldiver]

Also, modern back plates use an 11 inch bolt spacing. The USD plastic pack used a spacing of 6.75 inches.

 

[Luis H]

I wonder if Vic could make me up a set of SS bands with the attachment curve?

You do loose a bit in clearance, maybe an inch, but I never really wanted to go into areas of a wreck that were that tight anyway.

I think there is one of those packs for sell in this link:
Vintage Double Hose :: View topic - For Sale

 

[Nemrod]

Also, modern back plates use an 11 inch bolt spacing. The USD plastic pack used a spacing of 6.75 inches.

If you are planning on using a modern wing with one of the old plastic plates it may not work. I have tried several versions and different plates as well. The problem in addition to the center spacing being different there is also that:

1) Modern wings are set up to use two cam bands and the old plates were intended for one.

2) The center section of many of the new, sleek wing designs are more narrow than the "groove" in the plates which causes the tank to pinch the wing.

3) Many modern wings have built in roll control that causes the tank to sit high and gap when used with a plastic plate.

4) You could try a STA but custom building/cutting a STA (shorter and different hole spacing) still has the issue of how to attach the STA to the blow molded and usually hollow plastic plate.

I am not saying it cannot be done but it might require some clever thinking.

N

 

[Luis H]

This weekend we did 4 dives as part of the advanced Nitrox class. We dove single Nitrox tanks that we rented from an LDS. I don’t have any O2 clean cylinders.

For this diving I used my #1 Phoenix with a vintage style backpack modified to accept a wing style BC. The back pack/ wing combination worked well, but I will make some minor adjustments before I use it again. See some of rig pictures below. I added the second tank band before diving it.

For two of the four dives we carried AL80 stage bottles. My stage bottle regulator is a modified Conshelf first stage with a Scubapro balanced adjustable second stage.

The water temperature was about 51F and the air temp was also in the 50’s.

Today it was very windy with some rough seas. Inside the cove were we put in it was not bad, but outside where we shot some lift bags/ SMB it was pretty rough. When we surfaced to retrieve our buoys, it was an interesting surprise…and we didn’t have our surf board.


The first two pictures were from yesterday. Yesterday it was a beautiful day with very little wind and no wave action…today it didn’t looked like that.

 

[Jimmer]

Hi Luis. Very cool rigs, I like them a lot. Just out of curiosity, how deep are you planning on taking these rigs with your advanced nitrox/deco procedures class?

Jim