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Finless
03-04-2007, 11:12 AM
I don't know if it's me but, despite all the D rings, I can never find the right place to put everything I want to take diving ............ and how does the stuff move so far when in the water ........... are there under water pixies that delight in confusing me?

I do make my own diving life a bit complicated by using a FFM with a two way gas switch (so I can move to an accelerated deco gas).

By the time I've attached a knife, a pair of shears, a line cutter, a computer, a back up dive timer, an emergency 'run time' slate in case of failure, a main light, a backup light, a camera, maybe my metal detector, a real and DSMB, backup reel and DSMB and my lucky gonk ...... well, I am the proverbial Christmas Tree Diver! :)

It's a good job my OMS 100lb wing has plenty of lift when I'm on the surface!!!

Bedause of the clutter I rarely take a camera (English Channel conditions mean it's a waste of time 50% of the time) and metal detectors tend to overload on metal wrecks ..............

Sigh ........ perhaps I'll go back to single cylinder shore diving!

rubber chicken
03-04-2007, 11:43 AM
Well, I've got a wing with a backplate pocket that holds my DSMB securely out of the way, ( a small rubber chicken hangs from the DSMB strap, hence my internet name). Tusa knife on the LP hose, Torch sits through a 45 deg D ring on my weightbelt,( for clipping to a line before removing when climbing back into a RIB), and everything else goes into a pocket.
Mind you, i don't dive with a metal detector,(yet). How big is it ?, Couldn't you put some sort of clip arrangment on your cylinder bands, like the ones some people use for flags ?


Alternatively, Jump into water then craftily clip it all to your buddy.:D

Finless
03-04-2007, 01:18 PM
Alternatively, Jump into water then craftily clip it all to your buddy.:D

Tricky ......... we usually go our seperate ways.

The set up of the OMS IQ harness and comfort pad precludes attaching anything direct to the plate. The harness does have a few small D rings but I've never used them.

The only thing I am truly happy with (regards to access and not getting in the way) is mt primary reel and DSMB which is cliipped to the D ring on my cylinder twinning bands.

WarmWaterdiver
03-04-2007, 01:32 PM
reels/spools clipped on the rear crotch D ring, backup torches clipped on the shoulder harnesses, secured at the bottom with rubber bands,primary torch should be a canister since you dive in low vis and that is attached on the right side to your waist band and torch light is directed with a goodman handle, SMB tucked in the pocket between the plate and your back, knife on waist band in front between crotch strap and left side D ring, backup knife on waist band in front, right side of crotch strap, computer/SPG on left hip Dring, backup bottom timer on right forearm, slates, tables, shears, etc in x pocket. Carrying all that stuff, you should have a pocket on each leg or a wagon, not sure which.
and I asking this because I really dont know but do you truly need a 100 lb wing? that could lift a boat.
Whew, do you have a checklist for all that? Sounds like you need a 7 page checklist. Buddies are told, arrive early, we are doing an equipment check and that takes approximately 2 hours. (just kidding)

Finless
03-04-2007, 02:53 PM
reels/spools clipped on the rear crotch D ring, backup torches clipped on the shoulder harnesses, secured at the bottom with rubber bands,primary torch should be a canister since you dive in low vis and that is attached on the right side to your waist band and torch light is directed with a goodman handle, SMB tucked in the pocket between the plate and your back, knife on waist band in front between crotch strap and left side D ring, backup knife on waist band in front, right side of crotch strap, computer/SPG on left hip Dring, backup bottom timer on right forearm, slates, tables, shears, etc in x pocket. Carrying all that stuff, you should have a pocket on each leg or a wagon, not sure which.
and I asking this because I really dont know but do you truly need a 100 lb wing? that could lift a boat.
Whew, do you have a checklist for all that? Sounds like you need a 7 page checklist. Buddies are told, arrive early, we are doing an equipment check and that takes approximately 2 hours. (just kidding)

Erm ............ I attach the torch on the end of the harness I pull to tighten the shoulder straps ......... it's a UKD8 with a pistol grip.

All the knives/shears/net cutter are in 'waist band pouch' attached via a lanyards to a double ended piston clip to the zipper - when I open the pouch they pull out and dangle there. In addition I have a pair of ... 'surgical scissors(?)' strapped to my forearm and already attached to my wrist via a lanyard.

TBH, (first post exageration and joking aside) the only thing I am unhappy with is the method of attaching one bail out reg to my body - I have one on each post and one is necklaced so that if I have to bail out of my FFM I know where one reg is. I would prefer to attach itto my side near the hip but any surface free flow makes it hard to immediately locate there.

100lb wing - no I don't NEED that much lift, indeed I use my dry suit for buoyancy control BUT in the choppy English Channel it is nice to be lifted that bit further out of the water. Also, should I not get picked up by the cover boat (we drift off the wreck once the current starts running and come up on DSMBs) it is nice to know I have got a huge wing. For comfort I could get out of it and lie on it ......... possibly even sit on it.

Zero
03-05-2007, 05:05 AM
Why not plug your bail-out into the FFM? Can it handle a second reg? Just put a flow stop of some sort on it so its shut off when not needed. It could also be run through the gas block for full deco redundancy as well.
Just an idea.

Matt

Finless
03-05-2007, 10:59 AM
Why not plug your bail-out into the FFM? Can it handle a second reg? Just put a flow stop of some sort on it so its shut off when not needed. It could also be run through the gas block for full deco redundancy as well.
Just an idea.

Matt
It is an option ......... indeed there are two spare ports on the mask for a 2nd reg and for comms. Currently the reg port is used for a surface breathing valve - i.e. unscrew it a bit and I don't breath off my cylinders.

TBH I never liked the option as it looked cumbersome and clumsy ......... it is something I may inestigate if ever there is a small enough reg ............

At the moment I have two first stages connected to my gas switch (one has a QR hose). If I am using an accelerated deco gas I drop one first stage from my twins onto the deco bottle (back mounted) and use an independant (not connected to the gas switch in any way) first stage on one post of the twin set.

I have one reg and one SPG on EVERY post ............... it looks a bit complicated but I've got it pretty much sorted now!

seasnake
03-05-2007, 12:33 PM
Do you have a pic of yourself in full regalia? It must be quite a sight.

P.S. Your wing doesn't happen to have SS Titanic written along the side of it, does it? just kidding ... :)

Finless
03-05-2007, 01:38 PM
Do you have a pic of yourself in full regalia? It must be quite a sight.

P.S. Your wing doesn't happen to have SS Titanic written along the side of it, does it? just kidding ... :)

Erm ............. no mention of the Titanic BUT it does look a bit ............ hosey!! :)

The following pictures are of me, in my early days with the mask:-
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/finless.bryan/YouKnowYouWantOne

http://picasaweb.google.com/finless.bryan/ScapaFlow2002

The last pictures are just for anyone who wonders whether we ever get nice weather for diving in England:-
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/finless.bryan/TheAsh18thJune2005

These are from last year and I put them on the web for people visiting Eastbourne to have an idea of how good a place it is to dive from:-
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/finless.bryan/DivingFromEastbourne


I've been wondering since I joined, what country is this forum based in? You are all human and from planet Earth aren't you? There have been many scares on some UK fora about aliens running round in their human skin suits and ........................

When I say "many scares" I mean about 6 ............ and I think I started them all? :)