Wing question

[BlueDolphin]

I have been diving a Pioneer 27lb. wing with 7mm wetsuit single tank. With my AL BP, and 3 lb. STA, I wear 20lbs ditchable on a belt. Sometimes a little less weight on the belt if I dive my steel tank.

I am getting a drysuit and want to get a wing with a bit more boyancy.

I was going to get the Pioneer 36lb. wing (actually picked one up already on Ebay, but it has a leak - seller has agreed to take it back), but lam looking now at the Eclipse for being more rugged.

The Eclipse only comes in a 30lb. or 40lb.. The 30lb., just does not seem to be much more of jump from the Pioneer 27lb., and the Eclipse 40lb., seems like way too much lift for a single tank.

Currently I dive both an HP120 or AL80. With the drysuit I am going to use my S/S heavy BP (custom 9lb BP), with an STA (3 lbs), and likely the HP120.

What are your thoughts? Should I consider the Eclipse 30lb wing for its durability, or the Pioneer 36lb., for its lift size?

Thanks for your input.

 

[jonnythan]

Why do you want a bigger wing?

 

[bedmund]

It may depend on what kind of drysuit you're getting. If it's neoprene, it will have positive bouyancy at the surface. Trilam or one of the shell suits won't, although your undergarment will be a bit positive.

I'm not sure I would write off the 40# wing. I dive dry with a shell suit and my wing for singles is 45# and it's fine.

-Bill

 

[BlueDolphin]

Jonnythan, I was thinking to go with a little more boyancy. I know I can use the drysuit if needed for additional boyancy, but it looks like many go with a little bit more than the 27lb. wing when diving a dry shellsuit.

I won't go the 40lb., with a single. I really like the streamline of the smaller wing.

 

[jonnythan]

Many people go with dual 100 lb bungeed wings for steel 95's too, it doesn't mean you need all that air

Why specifically do you think the Pioneer 27 will be unsuitable?

 

[OE2X]

I think Uncle Pug uses a 27 Pioneer for his singles dives with a PST104 (130). It barely floats his rig on the surface when we are getting into the boat. Friends have the 40# and it doesn't appear to be to big.

 

[BlueDolphin]

I am setting up a seperate rig for the drysuit. I can continue to dive the 27lb with my drysuit, as I have two of them. But have read that many use a little more lift when diving dry.

I am going to do more beach diving and was thinking of moving up to a little larger wing for the swims, rougher water, etc..

 

[BlueDolphin]

Hmmmmmmmm sounds like I might be ok with the Eclipse 30. I may try the Pioneer 27lb. for a bit to see how things go.

 

[JeffG]

I think Uncle Pug uses a 27 Pioneer for his singles dives with a PST104 (130). It barely floats his rig on the surface when we are getting into the boat. Friends have the 40# and it doesn't appear to be to big.

Edit....Never mind

 

[jonnythan]

I'm not saying the 27 lb is better than the 30 or even the 40... I'm trying to get you to look past the "more is better, but too much is bad, so I'll pick some arbitrary point in the middle and go with it" mentality

Your wing needs to have enough lift to float your rig by itself at the surface. If you're diving a single tank with a trilam drysuit, the only air you will have in the wing is to compensate for the weight of the gas in the tank, and the air lost in the event of a total drysuit failure.

Try to figure out how much lift you *need* or *should have* or read the experiences of those diving drysuits with single tanks with the 27, 30, 36, and 40 lb wing. FWIW, I dive the Pioneer 36 with a drysuit and single tanks and it's a fair bit more lift than I need. The only time the wing is ever more than half inflated is when I get in the water.