Using Old BCD?

[Marek K]

My wife is probably going to get back into scuba this summer, after a 14-year break -- with a refresher course, naturally.

We (OK, I -- until she sees the credit card bill) have been spending a lot of money equipping the rest of the family, to include regulators and BCs. So we need to save money and salvage whatever old equipment is still usable for now.

What we do have is her old SeaQuest (I think) "Open Water" stabilization jacket, circa 1987 or so. It's not a conventional jacket... that is, it was when we bought it. It's got a plastic backpack inside the jacket, with a 2" webbing harness providing the main support for the tank. You remember those? Had to have the buckle opening in the opposite direction from the weight belt buckle. The zipped-in air bladder goes over the shoulders, and down into two lobes on the front sides. One tiny pocket, and not much stock provision for clipping anything on -- I'll have to add some d-rings.

We'd like to use this jacket at least this year, in order to save on the 5 Euro daily rental of a BC. Comments?

Specifically, I understand the potential trim issues with a design like this...

But my main concern is safety. We've inflated the BC, and the bladder is holding air just fine. Other than using the deflate button, the only way to dump air is to pull down on the inflator hose. There's an over-pressure valve (no dump pull) at the bottom rear. Rubber/neoprene valve seals seem in good shape.

Worth taking in to a shop for a look-over? Are they likely to do anything other than saying "Yup, it holds air and everything works"... and trying to sell us a new one?

Oh... the 2" nylon straps look like they're in good shape, but they're really really stiff... will just working them a bit soften them up?

--Marek

 

[The Kraken]

Check out the Triple-L B/C's. The pricing on them may just give you an alternative.
I've never seen one, but the reports here on the board have been pretty positive.

 

[Rick Murchison]

That's old???
My Techni-Pro's older than that, and it's in my "new" equipment pile.
----
Seriously, though, if it worked ok for diving in '87 and it'll hold air and all the valves work, it'll work the same way now. The decision is therefore not whether the BC is as "ok" as it ever was, but rather what's ok for your bride. (hint - you can probably make some points by getting her *something* brand new)
Rick

 

[The Kraken]

Wise counsel, Rick! Wise counsel indeed !!!!

 

[Marek K]

That's old???
My Techni-Pro's older than that, and it's in my "new" equipment pile.

Good to hear that, Rick.

(hint - you can probably make some points by getting her *something* brand new)
Rick

As Kraken says, that is wise counsel. Or would be, in general. In this case, she has absolutely no love for "new stuff." And definitely a critical eye for how high the credit card bill is.

Thing is, before going all-out in buying her stuff that's not absolutely necessary, we've got another hurdle to overcome. She always got horribly sea-sick. I mean, boat crews off of North Carolina would tell her they never saw anyone that shade of green. You know that joke about the second stage of sea-sickness, beyond fearing you'll die? When you wish you would die? They once threw her overboard with just her wetsuit and BC (this one, in fact), tied to a line, while the rest of us dived (doesn't sound very romantic on my part, does it?)... she was praying for some sharks to come along and finish her off. she literally had to crawl back onto the dock. (Scop patches did help after that, but made her feel weird.)

So I need to get her loving scuba again, and not just associating it with nausea and throwing up. Hence Red Sea this summer... beautiful reefs... warm water... shore dives... short 15-minute boat rides... before we invest further.

I'm going to get her a new wetsuit, because she doesn't have one (not within six time zones of here, anyway). But she'd kill me if a new BC showed up.

Check out the Triple-L B/C's. The pricing on them may just give you an alternative.
I've never seen one, but the reports here on the board have been pretty positive.

As a matter of fact, we've got new Triple-L BCs for me, my son, and daughter.

Hmmm... on the other hand... A couple days ago, I tried my son's BC on my wife to see whether it would fit... it did. Amazing thing was, she didn't say a word like, "You're not trying this on me just so you can order me one, ARE YOU?" I'm going to have to think about this...

--Marek

 

[Walter]

I agree with Rick. Except for the double bladder, I don't see anything wrong with it. It sounds better than most BCs on the market today.

 

[Marek K]

I agree with Rick. Except for the double bladder, I don't see anything wrong with it. It sounds better than most BCs on the market today.

I assume you like the back-pack and straps part.

You mean the zip-out separate bladder as being a problem? Why? Seems like that would be an advantage, other than additional weight...

--Marek

 

[DivingCRNA]

Except I am getting a new BC, the wife needed one too, but she wanted the same old BC, but newer because she didn't want to or feel the need to learn a new "system". So I did what she wanted. I am putting together BP/W for me

Don

 

[Tom Winters]

Old is ok...usually. I'm old and I should have been thrown out years ago. As long as it holds air, it's fine. If the webbing is too stiff, get some lawn chair vinyl webbing in the appropriate diameter and swap it out. It's nice and soft and conforms well. That's the solid webbing - not the woven stuff.

 

[Marek K]

If the webbing is too stiff, get some lawn chair vinyl webbing in the appropriate diameter and swap it out. It's nice and soft and conforms well. That's the solid webbing - not the woven stuff.

I just ordered some 2" webbing from Strapworks.com, to replace the straps... wife says the old ones really are too stiff and uncomfortable. My question now is, what's the webbing made from in scuba applications?

My initial choice would have been heavy-duty nylon; but the web site warns that nylon stretches in water, and shouldn't be used where it will become wet. Well, we all know what happens to tank straps... but we also know how to compensate for that -- plus this webbing is going to be used to hold the backpack and the jacket on, not the tank...

They also offer 2" heavy-duty polypropylene. Any advantages or disadvantages in using that?

Just to be sure, I ordered both nylon and polypro -- it's cheap enough. But I need to figure out which kind to put on.

--Marek