Very interested in BP/w. Confused/help

[Tom Schirm]

OK, thanks for the info so far. So the heavier denier doesn't appear to be an issue.

I am not disputing anyones thoughts on this, since I have no experience with wings, and probably the fewest dives in general. That being said, the 30 lbs wing seems like it might be marginal. My reasoning being (possibly flawed), the Bare d6 is standard neoprene 6mm thick, so has 12 to 18 lbs (?) positive buoyancy that I have to offset, and I have been carrying 24 to 40 lbs lead depending on undergarments (I was probably overweighted at 40#s, in cold weather in Puget sound (ocean) in January 1 1/2 years ago). My instructor has the same drysuit as mine, and I think he said the most lead he carries was 36#s. However he has a diving specific undergarment, whereas I use hunting fleece or wool in layers due to being budget limited.
I realize going from the back inflate dimension i3 with padding and such which I assume is several pouond positively buoyant, to the BP/W which will be negatively buoyant will reduce the amount of lead needed. I just don''t want to buy what may be marginal and need to buy again. However, I know going over 30 #'s limits the choices as well.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

How often are you in Seattle?

 

[Tom Schirm]

Not very often, especially with the virus. A good friend of mine lives up north of you on Camano Island, and I try to get over a few times a year to visit, but he doesn't want visitors right now with Covid.

I live in Dayton over near Walla Walla.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Not very often, especially with the virus. A good friend of mine lives up north of you on Camano Island, and I try to get over a few times a year to visit, but he doesn't want visitors right now with Covid.

I live in Dayton over near Walla Walla.

Yeah, I was going to suggest swinging by and from a good distance, I'd show you my Deep 6 BP/W and how to make appropriate adjustments. You could have taken it for a dip in Lake Washington (I live near OO Denny Park).

I'm not even diving these days with Covid19.

 

[Tom Schirm]

Thanks for the offer. That would be great, maybe if this passes soon.

My son and I have gone a couple times in Lake Couer D'Alene and once in the Columbia River in the last month and a half, but did it on the days I am furloughed (due to Covid cost savings for the state) to avoid people.

 

[Streydog]

I am only a warm water diver but went to a BPW set up for similar reason you stated, easy to travel with. I bought a basic AL plate, harness and a 20lb wing. To travel with, if you take it apart it packs better but overall it takes the same amount of space as my BC did and weighs about the same. A SS plate would be too heavy for me in warm fresh water or using a steel 120 in SW. I can't help you with wing size but 20 lb works fine for me with steel 120 and no lead. What you might think about doing is setting up a BPW for your local diving with a steel plate and continue to use your current BC for tropical diving. I would not spend too much on the plate or harness, personally I don't see a benefit to the fancier ones.

 

[rjack321]

OK, thanks for the info so far. So the heavier denier doesn't appear to be an issue.

I am not disputing anyones thoughts on this, since I have no experience with wings, and probably the fewest dives in general. That being said, the 30 lbs wing seems like it might be marginal. My reasoning being (possibly flawed), the Bare d6 is standard neoprene 6mm thick, so has 12 to 18 lbs (?) positive buoyancy that I have to offset, and I have been carrying 24 to 40 lbs lead depending on undergarments (I was probably overweighted at 40#s, in cold weather in Puget sound (ocean) in January 1 1/2 years ago). My instructor has the same drysuit as mine, and I think he said the most lead he carries was 36#s. However he has a diving specific undergarment, whereas I use hunting fleece or wool in layers due to being budget limited.
I realize going from the back inflate dimension i3 with padding and such which I assume is several pouond positively buoyant, to the BP/W which will be negatively buoyant will reduce the amount of lead needed. I just don''t want to buy what may be marginal and need to buy again. However, I know going over 30 #'s limits the choices as well.

You only have to offset the weight of the gas in your tank (5lbs for a steel 72 up to 8lbs for a hp130 roughly) and the compression of your neoprene in the 0 to 110ft depth range (as you aren't going to be diving 140ft on a single tank anyway). That ends up being maybe 10-15lbs at depth

#30lbs is enough to cover both and not have big flappy bits. You definitely don't want anymore than 40

 

[lowwall]

You only have to offset the weight of the gas in your tank (5lbs for a steel 72 up to 8lbs for a hp130 roughly) and the compression of your neoprene in the 0 to 110ft depth range (as you aren't going to be diving 140ft on a single tank anyway). That ends up being maybe 10-15lbs at depth

#30lbs is enough to cover both and not have big flappy bits. You definitely don't want anymore than 40

Exactly this.

An alternative to the DGX kit would be to get everything from Piranha, the plate and harness are here: More Options! & Now Black Hardware! Hogarthian Harness (Dir) for Backplates and a HOG or Manta wing from this page: Wings Piranha Dive Shop | . The price will be about the same, but you can customize it a bit. They'll talk you through the options if you call and even put it all together for you.

 

[Dubious]

hat being said, the 30 lbs wing seems like it might be marginal.

I got confused with this as well. I kept thinking of the negative weight of everything attached to the BCD/weight belt but failed to take into account the buoyancy of the exposure suit. As @rjack321 noted, the lift actually needed is for offsetting the weight of air in your tanks and the exposure suit at depth. That's it. Think about when you are diving. As you get deeper you need to keep adding air. As you ascend you deflate your BCD.

Let me see if I can explain this a little bit differently.

Without thinking about the loss of buoyancy of your suit while it compresses nor the fluctuation in the buoyancy of your tank when empty, let's assume it truly takes you 40 pounds of additional lead to get you underwater on our exhale. You may think that a 30-pound wing wouldn't keep you afloat, but a full wing would keep you 30 pounds positive (more or less) on the surface. Now while the wing will keep you above water it will of course not float without you in it if all of your lead was integrated into the bcd.

I am not sure if I am making sense, but hopefully, it helps. For my wife and I, we wanted enough wing to float our entire kit?. Why, well because that is what our shop told us to do. Is it needed? nope. Since my OW training, I have never had to just float my BCD without me in it.

 

[rjack321]

I am not sure if I am making sense, but hopefully, it helps. For my wife and I, we wanted enough wing to float our entire kit?. Why, well because that is what our shop told us to do. Is it needed? nope. Since my OW training, I have never had to just float my BCD without me in it.

If you dive with me you need a wing big enough to float your tanks and any integrated lead because on my RIB you have to ditch your gear in the water before you can climb back aboard. Its easy to take off a weightbelt and throw it over the tube. Then ditch the BP/W and tank. Then swim in and haul the tank in behind you.