Will a Custom Divers TDB get me higher out of the water?

Padowan

I've been feeling that I sit a little low in the water on the surface, when loaded up with bailout and tools etc. Am planning on fitting my old trusty Custom Divers TDB (single bladder) wing in an attempt to gain some more surface lift. I'm not overweighted, I've been all over that trying to determine if that's the case - although on the bottom I need air in the wing to remain comfortable, I can't leave the surface or hold a comfy 6m stop if I take any off - I put this down to suit compression in my 5mm Neo suit.

I think that part of the problem I have at the moment is that where I have my suit inflate bottle and torch canister mounted these restrict the full inflation of the original 22kg AP wing that I've had on the unit since I bought it. My thoughts are that with the TDB being wider, it will be less affected by the bottle and battery, and it's shape should allow more of the fat part of the wing to be in the water providing bouyancy on the surface.

I've heard that the top part of the wing needs to be restricted to prevent it pulling on the hoses on full inflation, this shouldn't be a problem and I don't think it will restrict the gas from from side to side the amount that I intend to restrict it.

Anyone fitted a TDB to a YBOD - and can I expect the results that I think I will get?

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Pierre Farrugia

Looking foward to this thread as I intend to go this way soon too!

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Pierre Farrugia

My wife told me " If you don't quit diving I'm going to leave you"
My reply " God, I'll miss you"

www.atlam.org www.divemed.com

colinicky

Simon
I tried it on my KT frame with the TDB .It definitely lifted me further out the water .I put the top hole of the wing onto the bottom of the 2 holes on my back plate & mounted the frame t the normal position of the back plate .I tied the eyelets together on the top of the wing & it still allows enough air migration . I always liked the TDB on OC .Have removed it at present due to another project which the bigger wing gets in the way of .Plus the fact I cvan't dive at the mo puts things on hold
HTH

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Colin

I trust my rebreather completely ,
I just don't trust the user

onwards & downwards

Mark Chase

Totaly f/ed off that i sold my TDB to an F/in lorry driving caravaning type person and cant answer this question

Wish i hadent as the standard AP valves product (22kg) is rubbish.

ATB

Mark Chase

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See my "Doing It Chasey" video where I'm locked into a padded room, naked, with two ball bearings and within an Hour, I manage to lose one and break the other!!!

Kevin Juergensen 16/11/08
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colinicky

Hang on a mo
firstly that lorry driving type retired from driving last January
secondly that type "gave" yes FOC you the harness back !
thirdly if you ask nicely then given my current problems then I might lend you your old wing so you can try it in place of the 22kg wing & if you like it I have a twin bladder version that I would part with .
Let me know & I can bring it up when I pick up the VR3 m8

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Colin

I trust my rebreather completely ,
I just don't trust the user

onwards & downwards

divetheworld

I use the stupidly expensive VBS wing. It does work very nicely indeed but is slightly shorter than my last wing. I dropped it down a hole and always sit quite high now. High enough for force 4 comfort.

Point to note;
It works fantastic as a source of bouyancy at the surface and streamlines superbly underwater. The zip up compartments make it very versatile but.... Ina wetsuit it is a pain in the ass because the aircell causes my trim to be head up. A 4lb weight on the top edge of the frame more or less makes it OK, but I dont need lead abroad. Bugger.

Brent

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Mark Chase

Nice one M8



I wondered if you'd catch this thread

ATB

Mark Chase

__________________
See my "Doing It Chasey" video where I'm locked into a padded room, naked, with two ball bearings and within an Hour, I manage to lose one and break the other!!!

Kevin Juergensen 16/11/08
[/quote]

Barrie Law

Hi Folks,

I use a 40 kg lift single bladder Divesystem Kevlar wing that would be comparible in lift to the Custom Divers TDB if memory serves me that also has a 40 kg bladder?

I find the 22kg AP wing leaves the water around my chin and in lumpy seas it's now you see me, now you don't!!

The 40 kg wing lift's me way out of the water and allows me to come off the loop and inflate the counterlungs whilst keeping an O/C reg at the ready.

Regards

Padowan

Just fitted the TDB this evening. It's snug, and I need to work out exactly what to do with the inflator, but it certainly seems a lot wider and larger. Will post how it doves, when I get a chance to get in the water. The doving that I had planned got canned at the last minute.

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James

I used to suffer from being too low in the water using the AP wing, but since I bought my newer unit, I've gone back to intergrated weights & removed the crotch straps. I find if I loosen my shoulder straps a bit & then fully inflate my wing, I float at a reasonable level, which I can cope with. Still not as nice as my old OMS 100lb / rib that I used on the twinset!

I do use my "suicide" bottle to inflate the wing on the surface, saving having to use any dil gas (gotta save that helium). I hope people are using offboard gas to inflate the massive VBS wings & not blowing all that nice helium away from your dil!!