GoDiva(Offline)

Hi all,

Still thinking of ways to try for a tec pass on fundies at the end of May (if they have made it official by then, the course is supposed to take place in the new format though, so not sure about what pass you can get).
Up till now I have done only single tank diving (well, and 2 half-dives with a borrowed double set to give it a shot). This mainly due to transport-problems (do not own a car, and have been taking equipment on public transport a lot recently. Having to transport my own tanks (on top of all the rest) would just be too much, and might upset people on the trains, buses and underground. I arrange to be picked up at a station near the dive site or on buddy's route there, and I borrow spare tanks or stage bottles from buddies.)

Somebody has offered to lend me a double 7 set for the fundies. The next question is: which wing can I use?

I have been told that there is no "ideal" wing for D7s. Most dive an Explorer 40 (which is actually to big, and wraps around the tanks). Some have now got an Evolve, which is still to big but wraps slightly less. Disadvantage is that, as the Evolve is longer than the tanks you need to be very carefull putting everything down on the ground, that you do not trap it under the tanks and damage it.
The advantage of these wings is that I can use them when I move up to D12s (which I am definately anticipating, as this would bring my airsupply up to the same level as most of my buddies).

The person who lent me the wing said that a GUE instructor had suggested trying an Eclipse 30 with a D7 set. Has anybody tried this? It should provide (more than) enough buoyancy, as a D7 is not much heavier than a single 15, but does this setup allow the wing to inflate enough?
My next question then: how does a Pioneer compare to an Eclipse, especially in shape. Ik own a Pioneer 36. Is it much narrower than an Eclipse, or might it also be sufficient for a D7?

Most people around here use Halcyon wings. I can't recall having seen another brand "in action", so I have no idea of what these have on offer.

Clare Gledhill(Offline)

Hi.

I used to dive twin 7s and an Agir 38 lb wing was pretty good with them.

Please note the used to bit though - twins 7s are not really any good for gas management so you can't use them for Tech 1. If you can mange 12s at all then do it. The Agir will do for 12s too though if you have to change up later on.

I swore that I would not be able to manage a bigger set - as Kerslake gleefully reminded me when I borrowed his twin 18s last week

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Ziggi(Offline)

I got a 50 lbs eplorer wing and and a 36 lbs pioneer, and for the recreational dives I'm going to use a twin 7, and I'm still thinking about the wing: just use the good old explorer or the buy a 40 lbs explore...

I think I choose for the first option, since I also use a proteus 6 lamp.

Little Pete(Offline)

I would suggest the Agir 38lb as Clare did. I would also suggest trying out 12s if you can as they have a lot more versatility to them and not much difference, especially in water.

Rich Walker(Offline)

Exactly. And if the tech pass if what you're actually after, then doing the course in 7's does seem to be "not within the spririt" of the thing. If you want to tech dive, then do it in 12's.

Rich

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GoDiva(Offline)

I do not think "managing" a D12 is a problem. Once I get round to buying my own tanks I think I will be going for this (it is not much more expensive, it provides more than enough gas for the dives I will planning to do for the next couple of years, everybody I speak to says it is a nice, stable and balanced rig,...).

I will not be tech diving right away, I am aware I will be needing more experience before doing any "crazy diving". I do want to be a good dive buddy though. I want to perfect my basic diving skills with the buoyancy, mobility and "safety techniques" taught in the fundies.

I do want to aim for a tec pas (even if I am reasonably sure that I will not manage it straight away), because I want to have the option to go on to tech diving later, once I own all the necessary equipment and gained enough experience. Even though this will definately not be the case before the end of 2007.

As a student I just can not pay for all my equipment at once. Lcukily I am finally going to start earning money from September onwards (if everything goes according to schedule of course). This means that at the moment I have to set my priorities. The fundamentals course is a step towards safety, and therefore has a higher priority. Single club tanks or stages/single tanks borrowed from buddy's provide enough are for the dives I tend to do.
The lack of details and "rumours" about the new fundies are the reason I am looking at doing them in doubles. I do not want to end up doing the whole course twice (or certainly having to pay for it twice), just because I do not have the right set.

When somebody who heard of my dilemma offered to lend me her spare set, a D7 which she hardly uses anymore, this seemed a good solution. This way I had the double set (allowing me to do full valve drills on the course), without depriving anybody of equipment over a bank holiday weekend, when they might want to use it themselves.

I hope this might explain my question and my reason for considering diving D7's on the fundies course.