Jim, Chuck:

Does anyone know which part of a Wings/BC unit tends to fail more often?

Can anyone provide statistics?  (Perhaps some shop owner that has seen 
just about everything).

Then we would know what kind of thing to prepare for.

I've had no recent problems with the gear, but many years ago my first 
BC (Horse-collar) had bladder problems, and having changed the bladder, 
it developped overpressure/dump valve problems.  Tired of repairing it, 
 I just bought another (stronger) horse-collar BC.  This one also 
required a bladder change, but is now perfectly operational, though I 
no longer use it now.  With a Jacket type BC which I seldom use now, 
and with Wings which is what I use most, I've yet to have problems, 
they have never needed any repairs.

Either gear is stronger now, or I give it less abuse than before.

Conrad Daubanton

----------
De: Jim Cobb
Para: "Tech Diver"; "CHK BOONE"
Asunto: Re: OMS wings problems
Fecha: Martes 17 de Marzo de 1998 20:42

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Subject: Re: OMS wings problems
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 13:31:07 -0500
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From: Jim Cobb <cobber@ci*.co*>
To: "CHK BOONE" <CHKBOONE@ao*.co*>, "Tech Diver" <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
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Chuck-

Using the DS as primary is done by lots of divers. I don't think its a
bright idea, certainly not comfortable, but to each his/her own. Using
your wings as primary is the ideal, if you have to use your DS, you deal
with it.

To be frank, the odds of properly maintained wings failing on you is very
small. Does the chance of this happening justify the convolution of dual
inflators and hoses? Many of the best divers in the world say "no" and I
tend to agree with them.

In many critical backup systems there is a "get home" strategy and this
includes parachutes, brakes, engines (like a twin engined airplane),
pumps, to name a few off the top of my head.

The idea being that the primary system is extremely unlikely to fail, but
just in case a secondary "get home" system is available.

Now if the bladders in wings were popping like zits on an adolescent's
face, well maybe you have something with dual bladder wings.

But even then I would argue that it makes more sense to design a reliable
primary rather than having identical redundant systems to make up for
some design deficiency wether real, or as in this case, imagined.

  Jim

Sender: CHK BOONE  Date: 3/17/98 11:01 AM

>Jim,
>
>   A dive does not end when you decide to leave the bottom; it ends when
>you're back on the boat or on land, and never can you assume that it will
>end exactly when and how you plan.  So back up systems need to be as
>reliable and user friendly as primary systems where feasible.
>   This may not be a critical matter to the recreational no deco diver with
>nothing to look forward to but a slow ascent to safety but it may matter a
>lot to the cave diver a couple of thousand feet back with the return trip
>and
>deco to look forward to as well as to the wreck penetration diver.
>
>
>   No, you did not say that the dry suit should be used as primary buoyancy.
>
>Why not?
>
>
>Chuck Boone


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