Turning my back on the wing

[Noel Johnson]

I'm actually considering going back to my trusty old Seac sub pro 2000 BCD, The wing I built is great in the water but it just seems too limiting if I'm diving anywhere other than a hard boat. I have great difficulty in putting my own fins on whilst wearing it as it's just so bloody heavy with a 15 and a pony, it nigh on impossible to move around and kit up on a r(h)ib and Stoney is a friggin nightmare. The straps cut into my shoulders, my lovely comfy weight harness interferes with the wing harness whilst sea diving (the 2 sets of canvas webbing slip and slide over each other) and I'm feeling a bit disappointed in the whole thing - I've tried it constantly for a year and don't seem to be getting anywhere.

Am I regressing? I think I've gotten it all set up okay and there isn't too much adjustment required anymore in the harness. Would it be better with a twinset? Is there anything else I'm missing?

Cheers all,

Noel

[Simon A]

Noel.
do you have the pony clamped next to the 15 l cylinder ?
I did try it this way but I just couldn't lift it all comfortably. I've swapped to stage rigging the pony, it makes the kit about 5 KG lighter to put on, and I can just clip it on before I jump in (BTW this is with a SeacSub pro 2000 BCD!). Total cost for the bits to stagerig the Pony was £11.
I'm up at Stoney the last weekend in April doing a course, let me know if you want to have a play with the stage slung pony.
Simon A

[MATTBIN]

Noel
sounds like time for twins?

I liked my 12 & pony & wing but decided on twins instead of a 15/pony combo. If we can get together you are more than welcome to sling my twin 10's over your shoulder.

Matt

[Noel Johnson]

Hi Simon,

The pony is clamped to the side of the cylinder using a Portland type 2 clamp (mmmm, shiny) when I had this on the pro 2000 I found it to be realy nice and comfortable - lifting it all wasn't a problem and it didn't try to turn me over in the water.

Last weekend in April sounds good to me. I'll let you know a bit nearer the time though as I'm off to South Africa at the start of that month - without the dive gear as there just won't be enough time to get it all in...

Cheers mate,

Noel

[Noel Johnson]

Thanks for the offer Matt, I think I may just take you up on that - I've never tried a twin set.

When are you next up here? I'm 45 minutes from Stoney.

Cheers mate,

Noel

[Narked@50]

Seac pro 2000 BCD, lovely. Use one all the time with 12L or 15L and pony side slung, never had a problem. They are semi-wing type anyway so you do get a bit of the benafit of both and not all the heartace of either. It's a good compromise.

James  

[Dominic]

Well, my observations:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I have great difficulty in putting my own fins on whilst wearing it as it's just so bloody heavy

Why is the wing heavier than the jacket? If anything, it should be lighter, since there's less of it..

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]The straps cut into my shoulders

Your harness is probably not set up right for you - the weight should rest on your waist with a wing. It's not like a jacket - it doesn't rely on the straps being tight to stay in place. They certainly shouldn't be cutting into you.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]my lovely comfy weight harness interferes with the wing harness whilst sea diving

That's exactly why I decide against getting myself a weight harness. Why use two harnesses at once? I have lead threaded onto my waist strap, in the backplate channel, and between the cylinders of my twinset.

I would say you need to put more slack in the shoulder straps, integrate your lead with your wing & harness & ditch the weight harness.

A 15+pony rig is the same weight as twin 10s - I was very glad to sell mine to replace it with the much lighter twin 7 rig. Failing that, consider side-slinging the pony since you'll then be able to fully kit up before adding the weight of a redundant cylinder.

If you could describe your wing & harness arrangement in more detail, we might be able to give more accurate feedback - but that's what occurs to me off the top of my head

[Snash]

Noel

Congrats on reversing the trend - soon you may like to think about giving up the BC and moving back to join us dinoasaurs who are still using ABLJs  

Simon

[parahandy]

Noel
That's the first one i've heard going back the other way!

Sounds like you "may" have tried a few kit configurations with the wing. I dive with a 15 and 3l pony and a semi wing( Oceanic Shute). Everyone i've spoken to having purchased one is pretty convinced the wing and backplate are more comfortable than a standard bcd. Not having tried the latter the jury's out for me. Have to say my current set ups adequate for the diving i'm doing at the moment.

[Mark Chase]

You could get some comfort pads for the sholder straps

You could even get the CD sprts harnis which is just like a BCD set up except it conects to the wing back plate

Ditch the weight harnes and put the lead on the waste band of the wing or get weight pouches that fit on the wing.

Twin 10s would sound like the way to go for you the balance of the rig is much nicer than a 15 and pony. Mind you if weight is an issue then twin 7s are very nice and excelent for rib dives. Once you go twin set you can put all the weight on the wing using V weights

That said if you dont like it you dont like it. Nothing wrong with a Jacket BCD I only got rid of my one because it wouldent lift the twin set

ATB

Mark Chase