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Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 4:47 pm
by EberWolf
I took my Kraken to a dive pool yesterday to get a feel for it and make any adjustments. My main issue was the can hitting the back of my head while in the horizontal position. After I got home I adjusted the shoulder and crotch straps.

Today I took it on a dive to the Al Boom wreck here in Bahrain. While standing on the boat and floating upright underwater the can is in between my shoulder blades. I can move my head back and look up without hitting anything. When I go horizontal I can only lift my head 15 to 20 Deg. before it hits the can. I did notice my crotch strap was a bit looser than when I started the dive. The same with the waist strap. At 20 meters down I was able to tighten another 3 to 4 inches. The crotch strap however is a pain to adjust on land let alone in the water.

Is there any way to add a buckle to the crotch strap to snug it down on the fly?

I'm diving with a VDH 35#wing and a 3.5 LBS stainless Freedom Plate with tank wedge. A rash guard and a 1MM wet suit. The 1MM will most likely disappear in the next month or so. Summer is almost here.

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Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:42 pm
by luis
I use a 1 inch crotch strap webbing with fasttech a buckle that I always re-adjust underwater.



You also want to make sure you have the minimum amount of air in your BC.

Make sure you are not over-weighted. If you are over-weighted, you need extra air in the BC to compensate. The extra air tends to move your kit up. This is particularly problematic if you use a separate weight belt, for the weights.

If you have any air in you BC at the end of the dive it means you are carrying too much weight.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:43 am
by EberWolf
I'll try lowering my weight on my next dive. My weights are in integrated dump pouches. I have some 1" webbing. I'll get a buckle and try that out.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:43 am
by luis
The weight belt is a classic vintage gear and it works, but it is not ideal if you are using a tank mounted BC, like a wing.

The dump weight pouches work much better to directly attach the weight to the same tank assembly that the wing is mounted. The next step is where do you locate the weights in the kit. I use a couple of weight pouches on the side of the tank top strap.

I have also found a small weight pouches that mount low in my shoulder straps work better for me, than the lower waist strap pouches.

With a 3 mm wet-suit in the Caribbean I am using about 8 pounds total (4 blocks of 2 pounds each), but even that weight seems to work better when I spread it high on my tank kit.

Note: I am using an aluminum Argonaut back plate and the typical rental cylinder in the Caribbean is an aluminum 80.


Good luck and have fun.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:06 pm
by EberWolf
In the Maldives last month I needed 17.5 lbs with a skin suit to get me down. At the end of the dive I needed an extra 4.5 lbs to do a safety stop with no air in my BC.

Here in Bahrain the water is much saltier. Based on my weight and the dive master suggestions I dove with 23.5 lbs of weight.
8 lbs in each dump pocket on my belt, a small pocket on either side of the tank on the upper hand with 2 lbs in each. The stainless plate was the rest (3.5 lbs).

I'm going to tweak my weight and come up with an "on the fly" adjustable crotch strap.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:16 am
by rhwestfall
With a little tinkering to mount it, I use the Zeagle Split Saddle crotch strap. It has QR buckles with cinch capability that allows me to adjust/tighten it up when needed.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2020 7:04 pm
by Nemrod
Most likely your kit is still incorrectly rigged. You should continue to adjust the shoulder straps and the crotch strap to lower the entire rig further. If it is centered between your shoulders standing, good, but it really should be lower IMO. Lower such that when horizontal in the water the regulator is centered. Standing on the boat it may seem right but it is not.

There are various buckles available for nylon webbing and quick clips as well. As others have mentioned, adding some of your weight/ballast load to the cambands and/or some weight integration may assist your efforts by preventing the wing from attempting to float or gap from your body.

James

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 12:15 am
by EberWolf
I was able to get dives 3 and 4 last Friday while maintaining social distancing. I adjusted my crotch strap (2") to an uncomfortable setting on the boat. In the water it helped but was still had a little movement of the wing. I won't be able to leave the strap that tight. I'm not planning on anymore kids but still...

I've started looking at seat harness ideas. I have some 1" webbing that I can attach to the bottom of my back plate. Then run the 2 straps between my legs to the front. I just need to be able to attach it to the front of my harness. It also needs to be able to be pull tightened as I dive so I can keep it snug as I go deeper.

Any ideas?

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 12:04 pm
by Nemrod
I am sure you will work it out, seems you are getting some progress. But, if in the water, when horizontal, the crotch strap seems tight, then that indicates the shoulder straps are pulling it so or the rig itself is lifting and pulling. What back plate are you sing?

I had to cut lower slots in my plate. I also leave the shoulder straps very loose. I cinch the waist strap but not the crotch or shoulders. Maybe you plate is too short or you need to lower the waist strap slots? Lowering your waist strap slots will raise the plate, loosening the shoulder straps and give more reach/distance between them to accommodate you. But, you will need to further lower the tank and possibly the cam bands.

My plates, keep in mind I am not a big guy, a skosh over 5-10 and shrinking, but look how big my shoulder strap loops are and my lowered waist band slots on the VDH plate. I never notice the crotch strap. But I am weight integrated also:

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Maybe you need a bigger plate or further increase the shoulder strap loops. Let me put it another way, if in the water and horizontal and your crotch strap is so tight as to be uncomfortable, something is not right. The something is what is yet to be discovered. You should not need to do a Y (parachute style) crotch. It should not be tight to begin with. Your plate seems to have a happy home it wants to reside in, thus pulling the crotch too tight as you try to force/pull it lower, so maybe it is as simple as lowering your cam bands and tank further on the plate and relaxing the crotch strap?

James

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 4:16 pm
by EberWolf
I'm using a stainless Freedom Plate and wedge,
A basic HOG/EDGE 2" harness http://edge-gear.com/index.php/hog-hoga ... c-red.html
and a VDH wing.

I haven't trimmed the harness yet so there's still plenty of room to make adjustments. What I run into is on the surface my natural check valve (belly) holds the belt down. When I dive it compresses and the belt slides up even after I tighten it. If I hook my thumbs into the weight pocket D rings I can hold it down in place. It will go to where it needs to I just need to keep it there.

I'm very close on my trim being correct. I think one or 2 more dives and I should be good on that.
Do you think a chest strap attached to the backplate might help out?

Thanks

Jim

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 4:19 pm
by EberWolf
Here's a few shots from my last 2 dives to give you an idea of how things are fitting on me.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 5:16 pm
by simonbeans
A sternum strap is a good idea. Photos are good, but don’t show your back to see when the reg lies. I think you might be over thinking your “fit”. Put your gear on, snug it up, and enjoy the dive.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:35 pm
by crimediver
I also use a Freedom plate with a VDH 18 lb wing. I try to use steel 72 tanks and it trims out pretty well and I get by without any weights as I am just diving in swim trunks. Use the minimal weight to be neutral at the surface. I also make sure my top cam band is just below the shoulder of the tank. I also readjust my crotch strap once I get under and start swimming along.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:50 pm
by EberWolf
crimediver wrote: I also use a Freedom plate with a VDH 18 lb wing. I try to use steel 72 tanks and it trims out pretty well and I get by without any weights as I am just diving in swim trunks. Use the minimal weight to be neutral at the surface. I also make sure my top cam band is just below the shoulder of the tank. I also readjust my crotch strap once I get under and start swimming along.
My crotch strap is adjustable, but not in the water. Can you post a picture of what you use? I'm almost balanced trimwise. Just need to tweak my weights a bit.

As for the sternum strap. If I try it out should I run it from the shoulder straps across or run it through the top tank band slots and around my chest. I'm trying to minimize harness movement.

Re: Advice needed after first Kraken dive

Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 4:01 pm
by simonbeans
Most crouch straps are not adjustable underwater. Sort of trial and error. As for sternum strap, attach to shoulder straps as it helps hold the shoulders straps in position.