The JeDz BC Concept

DIVE NAKED: I looked at various different BC's, I found significant merits in the "Hogartian" concept that cave/technical divers have adopted. Using that as a point of reference I designed what I belive is a perfect set up. It is low profile and low cost. Since there is no size it can fit anyone and be resized as needed. No sewing is required, the component parts can come from any source and you can set this up however you desire and change it around. When you have this on you will look like you are diving naked without a BC.

The entire JeDz BC concept revolves around two major component parts, the Pack and the Wing. Here is a description of both:

The Pack

It is an Normal Scuba Tank Hardpack. To this I did the following:

- Removed all the webbing and replaced it with one continous peice of 2" webbing, pay particular attention to the routing of the webbing, I will make a drawing of how it is done. Where the webbing forms the shoulder strap and enters the bottom of the hard pack I secured it to prevent slippage with one plastic weight retainer on each side. Replace the Plastic buckle with a stainless steel version.

-I added the Stainless steel Weight retainers and the Stainless steel D-Rings on the shoulders and waist band. The left shoulder D-ring also has a loop of bungie cord to retain the Inflator Assy.

-I added the Mask/Utility pocket: Contents are a Small Strobe, a Signal Mirror, a Small Spool with 140' of line, a US Navy MK13 Smoke/Flare, and a Small "Hi-Vis" Surface Marker Buoy.

-I added a Small Nylon Holster that contains: EMT Shears and a small Z-Knife.

-I added a Crotch Strap: It is built from 1 1/4" webbing, I loop it back onto its self forming a 2 1/4" loop on one end securing it with nylon buckle. I pass the waistband through this on the non buckle side so when I unbuckle the waistband it falls away freely, the other end I anchored to the small slot on the bottom of the hardpack using another metal buckle. On the part where it goes into the hard pack I may use velcro to secure it back to itself when I can get an industrial sewing machine.

The Wing

The WING BC: It is secured to the hardpack with two stainless stove bolts, additional security is provided by the Cam Bands and the wing being sandwiched between the tank and the hardpack.

The wing BC can be obtained from various manufacturers, Since this is set up for a diver that uses Aluminum AUL 80 or AUL 100 tanks, the wing can range from 18lbs up to 45lbs of Lift. If you chose a Halcyon Wing the only modification that is necesary is that two 2 inch slots need to be cut into the spine of the wing. Since this is a critical task and can ruin the wing if done incorrectly, please contact the manufacturer to do the modification for you, I am NOT liable if you try this at home and ruin a wing. this being said the main thing is that you want as low of a profile as possible, and you dont want the wing to "Wrap" around the tank.

Here are a few of the different wings and my opinions about them:

Dive Rite /OMS: JR Wing (Pn# 2060) 45 Lb Lift

Older versions were built by Soniform, they have a thin mesh cover , I took two fastex buckles on a length of 1 1/4 elastic webbing routed thru the loop were I route the crotch strap on the hardpack, this slightly folds them inward on the bottom. It is the same way that Scubapro does on its Superhawk and Seaquest on its Black Diamond.

HALCYON

Chose from the PIONEER series Wings: 18 "Batwing" is an original inverted "U" tapered tail wing designed for Single AUL tank diving, the 27, 36 and 45 are circular air cells provide more lift the 36 & 45 have a a side gusset bellows type panel . Chose your wing depending upon what your configuration is. Again I add, DO NOT modify these wings at home. Contact Halcyon.

Assembled Product

Here is a Miserable First Attempt. I bought this almost like you see it, It is a SEATEC Seahorse. The wings wrap all around the tank. You can see where I am going with this concept, slim and trim. Once I complete building Version 2 , I will post pictures of it here. The bottom line cost is $259.41 total to buy all of these components, Not including the items in the pockets or the knives.

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