Shadowjack
07-12-2006, 08:32 AM
Sidemount Vs. Backmount is very funny if you think about it. Backmount, everybody is just about the same configuration right out of the box, the only difference is if you have a H, Ox, DR, O…… on the name of the gear you have.
But when you get to Sidemount- to each his own… try and find 2 sidemount rigs that are the same, you can’t . Even Walter and I have different configurations and we’ve been setting ours up together. Just about all of our modifications are suggestions from Brett who has years off diving with it ( he explained why he did his that way and it made sense so we changed ours ) If you think I'm bad with these mods you should see what he's done with his and his one time Kiss Classic RB!
Joe T- “ Jakub should have listened to Brett,huh “ Well he did but he made some mods to make it more versatile ie.. it can also be used for OW single tank diving and I think someone else had some input on the build.
I can go into detail on why we changed things out and the parts we used to replace them but I’ve got a feeling the Moderators here will edit / delete my post if I use names of companies on whats good and bad about them...
I'll leave the dump valve and inflator alone for now and see how it goes as is. Those d-rings on the back though seem odd. Why are they there; what was the intent?
I think they’re there to clip reels, spools off to… kind of defeats the purpose of having your back slick so it doesn’t catch on anything.
And for sewing on the waist strap - you mean in place of the nuts and bolts - that sounds good to me; it's an easy fix.
I’ll try and take some pics of what we did.
Replaced the bungee on BC? With what? I agree totally with replacing tank bungees, and finder, metal connection, and all that. again, it's an easy fix.
The nice thing is that this rig is amenable to upteen gazillion alterations with very little time and money. Jack asked me why I was getting into sidemount and my answer was split between the diving it made possible and the fun of learning something new. I can now add the fun of cutting and pasting! I turned an old Sherwood Outback into a sidemount rig last year, it was a mess and I never dove it in a cave, but it was instructive.
Weights on the shoulder straps I don't like. Adding useless weight goes against the grain. Is there not something useful and heavy that could go there instead? I am heavy enough and would do well to lose some weight rather than add some. So ideally, a bit more positive buoyancy in the right places would be better for me.
We thought the same thing about the weights, you don’t have that much lift to begin with why add lead? Well on our first dive, we did it in a pool, I hooked up 2 2lbs hard weights with a couple of snap bolts. Jumped in with full gear ( including dry suit ) and swam around, not bad at all. Then I grabbed the drop weights and clipped them to the top shoulder D-ring and swam around –wow my trim was right on, Walter did the same and we both have weights on ours now. All I can say it try it…every SM rigs is unique.
The knot in tank bungee to hold and pull is a good idea. And as easy as tying a knot. And how far did you raise the butt pad tank attachments? Did you move them inward (more central, not depth!) or just higher up?
I’ll take pictures, but we raised it up so the attachment points aren’t inside you legs now.
And the cover on the dump cord; was it tubing with the cord run through it and the tubing then held in place by the same places the cord was? Or was a larger cover sewn over it all? Or...?
I'll take pictures of what I've done, I was also talking to Brett about getting some pictures of him with his SM rig and the RB... as well as him diving his RB going thought a sidemount restriction.. ( when I can dive again, I just had Lasik done yesterday. )
More questions?
Eric
But when you get to Sidemount- to each his own… try and find 2 sidemount rigs that are the same, you can’t . Even Walter and I have different configurations and we’ve been setting ours up together. Just about all of our modifications are suggestions from Brett who has years off diving with it ( he explained why he did his that way and it made sense so we changed ours ) If you think I'm bad with these mods you should see what he's done with his and his one time Kiss Classic RB!
Joe T- “ Jakub should have listened to Brett,huh “ Well he did but he made some mods to make it more versatile ie.. it can also be used for OW single tank diving and I think someone else had some input on the build.
I can go into detail on why we changed things out and the parts we used to replace them but I’ve got a feeling the Moderators here will edit / delete my post if I use names of companies on whats good and bad about them...
I'll leave the dump valve and inflator alone for now and see how it goes as is. Those d-rings on the back though seem odd. Why are they there; what was the intent?
I think they’re there to clip reels, spools off to… kind of defeats the purpose of having your back slick so it doesn’t catch on anything.
And for sewing on the waist strap - you mean in place of the nuts and bolts - that sounds good to me; it's an easy fix.
I’ll try and take some pics of what we did.
Replaced the bungee on BC? With what? I agree totally with replacing tank bungees, and finder, metal connection, and all that. again, it's an easy fix.
The nice thing is that this rig is amenable to upteen gazillion alterations with very little time and money. Jack asked me why I was getting into sidemount and my answer was split between the diving it made possible and the fun of learning something new. I can now add the fun of cutting and pasting! I turned an old Sherwood Outback into a sidemount rig last year, it was a mess and I never dove it in a cave, but it was instructive.
Weights on the shoulder straps I don't like. Adding useless weight goes against the grain. Is there not something useful and heavy that could go there instead? I am heavy enough and would do well to lose some weight rather than add some. So ideally, a bit more positive buoyancy in the right places would be better for me.
We thought the same thing about the weights, you don’t have that much lift to begin with why add lead? Well on our first dive, we did it in a pool, I hooked up 2 2lbs hard weights with a couple of snap bolts. Jumped in with full gear ( including dry suit ) and swam around, not bad at all. Then I grabbed the drop weights and clipped them to the top shoulder D-ring and swam around –wow my trim was right on, Walter did the same and we both have weights on ours now. All I can say it try it…every SM rigs is unique.
The knot in tank bungee to hold and pull is a good idea. And as easy as tying a knot. And how far did you raise the butt pad tank attachments? Did you move them inward (more central, not depth!) or just higher up?
I’ll take pictures, but we raised it up so the attachment points aren’t inside you legs now.
And the cover on the dump cord; was it tubing with the cord run through it and the tubing then held in place by the same places the cord was? Or was a larger cover sewn over it all? Or...?
I'll take pictures of what I've done, I was also talking to Brett about getting some pictures of him with his SM rig and the RB... as well as him diving his RB going thought a sidemount restriction.. ( when I can dive again, I just had Lasik done yesterday. )
More questions?
Eric