Winging the Dolphin...

Dave1w

There is a rather simple Backplate adapter by Ron Micjan
Stainless Backplate Conversion Kit
I have fitted this, but have yet to dive it.

Dave

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This message may contain spelling mistakes as it was generated by an idiot.

Divein

I have used a 10L H valve with the hydrogom shell and a Tec wing in SCR mode. I found that I needed to put some weight at the top of the shell to counterbalance the weight of the 10L.

My avatar shows 2 x 3L and a 5L bailout at the bottom in mCCR mode.

OceanOpportunity

I have a conversion kit very similar to the V4Tec that I'd part with for $75 if of interest.

__________________
Michael Lombardi
Oceans of Opportunity
www.oceanopportunity.com

Elected Director, Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments

MN'07, The Explorers Club

Project Manager, Diving a Dream

OceanOpportunity

sorry guys...try these pics:

The frame mounts on the inner wall of the case, leaving access to the lungs/scrubber. Backplate mounts to bolts. The small bracket next to it can be mounted on the outside of the case with the same bolts and can be used for an external cylinder. $75 or make an offer

__________________
Michael Lombardi
Oceans of Opportunity
www.oceanopportunity.com

Elected Director, Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments

MN'07, The Explorers Club

Project Manager, Diving a Dream

tamorgen

That's pretty cool. Did you make it?

OceanOpportunity

no, i didn't make it, aquired it in my travels. Would be easy enough to make though. Mine is for sale if interested.

__________________
Michael Lombardi
Oceans of Opportunity
www.oceanopportunity.com

Elected Director, Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments

MN'07, The Explorers Club

Project Manager, Diving a Dream

jmurba

Hi,

I've had the same problem

I had done an ugly fiberglass shell to use a dive rite wings.
this wing had 2 problems, the first was that it was too hevy cause I had used polyester resin and not epoxy and too many fibergalss layers.
so there was a back trim difficult to prevent cause there was no space at the top of the shell to put a led bar.

I've dived this ugl shell for about 6 years before I decided I shoud change my system.

I've considered the hydrogom shell despite it's price (justified but expensive for me)

then I decided not to buy the hydrogom because the 9 kilos .

9 kilos behind is ok if the divers is in it's classicle position 45° let's say but not in the orther positions.

there is absolutly no perfect solution but the best trim configuration is reached when the lest is as close as possible from de gravity center and least from the line passing from the center of the divers head to the diver feet (feet joined of course).

in addition I think that in the hydrogom shell the horizontal tank is too far from the diver's bottom and I wanted to keep the horizontal tank.

for those reasons I built an epoxy/fiberglass shel, very ligth with enoug space to put a 3.6 kg lead bar on the top of the shell just behind the diver's scruff and 2 pocket of 2kg lest (small bags) in pockets situated on the divers shoulder's.

the result is better then what I excpected mutch betern there is absolutly no backward trim when I dive horizontaly I stay horitontal with not effort at all, when I am uprigth I stay upright without effort not to get backward.

in addition all my lest is dropable in case of loop drowning unlike the hydrogom solution where one can't drop the shell itself.

here is my shell... the only problem is that it is a very long job you can see it, it looks like a fiberglass kitchen sink as my wife says but it works well

epoxy fiber glass shell

regards

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when will I be able to think about something else then spending hours underwater, when will I be normal ?

http://web.mac.com/jmurba/Site_2/home.html
http://web.mac.com/jmurba/Site_3/home.html

Fulefejs

Have someone converted to backplate, successfully, without using elbows?
I´m going for a rebuild next week and I´m not happy with using elbows... It´s another point of failure and to be honest... They´re very ugly.

Regards
Daniel

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Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler

firemandiver

About the elbows.....I originally wasn't real keen on them either. They do make the unit look a little goofy with the adapters in place, but they work very well and solve the inherent problem of hose length and angle when you wing a Dolphin. When you change to a wing you somehow mess up the angle and height of the unit on your back. I tried several different positions and angles, but never could get it quite right. I finally decided to get the 90's and that seems to work.

Mine were made for me by Martin at Tecme, and the workmanship and fit is superb. I know it's adding two more connections that could leak, but I have never had a problem at all. I've been diving them all summer and have never had a leak.

The only other way that I know of to avoid the use of adapters is to lengthen the hoses. I can't help but think that may have issues as well.

Hope this helps. FD.

DivnSapper

Hello,

I've upgraded my Dolphin with the V4Tec backplate kit & BOV plus all the neccessary elbows and bits from Martin.

I've been extremely pleased with the conversion. I use an OMS wing and really enjoy the unit... it's a little bottom heavy so trim isn't perfect. I'm still tinkering to try and get that aspect addressed... debating on rotating the tanks upright but have yet to try it.

Regardless of which route you choose... Martin & Peter both provide excellent customer service.

Also remember, conversion of the Dolphin is just that... a conversion... so you're not going to get the more engineered solutions of an orginal mCCR.

Ryan