Wing Trim

[Bougle]

Heres the thing. I recently bought my first wing, also my first BCD of any sort, from Phil. Its a DIrZone Artic Cub and I'm absolutely delighted with it. On its first outing in the med I was using a dumpy 12l ali, a 5mm wetsuit and 6kg of lead on the belt. I reckon I was overweight by about 2kg, better than the 15kg elsewhere , and after a bit of practise seemed to have pretty damn good trim.

However back in the UK and at my local clubs weekly pool session things were not so rosy. Using my own 12l steel faber, a 3mm shorty and no weight belt I just can't get the trim right. On the surface I'm being pushed forward, and no it's not over-inflated, whilst submerged I'm being pushed head down. I've tried dropping the tank in the bands but though reduced the problem persists and I'm just about at the point where the top band meets the curve on the tank's neck.

I could just use a weight belt but I don't won't to use unnecessary weight as that buggers my air consumption. OK this won't be a problem most of the year here when I'll be using a full suit, dry or wet, with weights but I do plan on doing quite a bit of diving in warm water where I'll be using the same configuration as in the pool.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

[Bougle]

Forty views and no offers?!

Come on. It can't be that daft a question, can it?

OH! OK ....Coat please...

[Clare Gledhill]

OK - a few suggestions - although others will have better ones I'm sure.

Make sure your harness is tight enough so that the set sits high on your back - it's one thing getting the bands in the right place on the tank (which is soudns like you have) but if the set is sitting too low down then you are back where you started.

Leg position - if you are too head tippy underwater try stretching your legs outbehind you - imagine a pendulum - you need to lengthen or weight one bit to raise the other.

Weight - you have to choose between being slightly overweight and comfortable and bang on but uncomfortable - you won't get good air consumption if you are unstable in the water either.

Finally - practice - sounds silly but I was totally convinced I needed a tail weight - every time I dived without one I went head down... yet I dived on a borrowed set without a tail weight on Friday and was fine.

One last thing though - if you are diving this set up abroad you will, I presume, be diving in salt water so will need 2kg or so more anyway - you can then choose where to put this.

HTH

[daz]

Originally Posted by Gledders

yet I dived on a borrowed set without a tail weight on Friday and was fine.

I'll refrain from comment

Daz

[Martin Burnard]

Get somebody to video you. I know of diver who was convinced he was head down ass up, the video shows perfect trim.

So you may be just fine!!

[J.D.]

To stop being pushed forward on the surface I've got a couple of 1kg weights on the top camband either side of the tank. It's only 2kg extra so shouldn't have much of an effect on air consumption (and when you are wearing a thicker suit it'll take some weight off your weightbelt)

[Little Pete]

One point for the surface thing is that you are probably fully inflating the wing.
My Eclipse 30 will push me forwards if it's fully done at the surface (though nothing too bad) but as I'm a drysuit I'll pop some gas in that which balances the forward push.

Maybe just the 3mm shorty couldn't counteract that.

[Bougle]

Thank you all for the advice. It's very much appreciated. In particular thank you to Gledders for reminding I'll need 2kg in the sea anyway- DOH!

So it's back to the pool next week for anyother tryout whilst all my Buddy Commando wearing club mates take the piss.

[divingniknaks]

Hi,

The other thing to remember when transitioning from a jacket to a wing, is on the surface lean back into it, like an armchair. Feels a bit wierd at first, but after a while it's soooooo comfortable.

The others have all given you enough food for thought for now though, let us know how you get on ?

Cheers