Waistcoat of stabilization

The waistcoat of stabilization , also called stab (of English stabilizing jacket ) or inflatable system of stabilization ( SGS ) in the jargon of the plunger , is a inflatable waistcoat having a double principal function:

to adjust the buoyancy of the plunger during the diving according to the depth and in particular to allow him to control its increase towards surface;
to support to it (or them) bottle (S) of diving fixed (S) in the back of the plunger.

The waistcoat of stabilization also comprises other interests for the plunger:

it can be used as support with many accessories (lamp, Tables of decompression, Parachute of stage…);
slightly inflated (what makes it possible to make float the stab unit/bottles), it largely facilitates the equipment or the tear down on the surface.

The inflation of the waistcoat is done using a pipe directly connected to the first stage of the pressure reducer and a button of control of inflation. This pipe is connected to an oral inflator also allowing inflation by the mouth but which is primarily used to purge the waistcoat (opposite operation of inflation). The waistcoat of stabilization is also equipped with high and low purgings allowing a fast deflating, if that were made necessary.

Types of waistcoat

There exist several types of waistcoat of stabilization:

enveloping Waistcoats: the volume of the air is well distributed on all wrapped surface. They present nevertheless a light disadvantage because fast inflation tends to compress the chest, making its port sometimes uncomfortable, in particular for the plunger ones. In addition, their adjustment requires a preliminary fitting in order to check the adaptation to the size of the plunger.
adjustable Waistcoats: called thus because they have straps of adjustable shoulders, they have the large advantage of not having an air pocket passing on the shoulders and the chest. They allow easier equipment and are much more modular. More recent than the enveloping models, they tend from now on to dominate the market of the diving leisure.
Waistcoat with dorsal buoyancy

Volume of air

The volume of air which the waistcoat can contain is variable according to the model of the size, etc It can go from 10 to more than 30 Liter S.

The importance of this volume is left with the appreciation of the plunger and the Types of divings which it will practice. A small volume will be less cumbersome, easier to handle, and more reagent; on the other hand, it will prove perhaps insufficient to go up a team-member (on-ballasted or not), and this, more especially as the depth will be important.

On the other hand, if a large volume of air is important at the time of diving deep (beyond 50 Mètre S and/or with several blocks, the waistcoat is much more cumbersome, and it is not very probable that the plunger fully uses its capacities at the time of divings leisures in the zone from the 20 to 30 meters.

Options and accessories

Inflator

The inflator is the system made up of a spiral tube and an ordering of purging which makes it possible to inflate (or to deflate) the waistcoat. He is in general interdependent of the waistcoat, fixed, generally, on the left shoulder (some are in the pocket left) and connected to the Détendeur by a pipe known as of average pressure .

Its importance is not negligible bus of the flow of the inflator will depend the speed of inflation on the waistcoat and possibly, out of cool water, the possibility of icing of the first stage.

There exists also a system (known as Air 2 ) making it possible to make use of the bleed hole of the inflator like pressure reducer of help.

Fixing of the block

The attachment units are varied enough and in general flexible in order to allow the fixing of blocks of different volumes (from 6 to 15 liters). It is often necessary to install a particular device for fixed blocks known as Bi-bottles composed of 2 twinned bottles.

Purgings

The purgings are the devices making it possible to empty its waistcoat to slow down the increase (or to go down at the beginning of diving). There are several types:

high purging: purge located on the shoulder (often line) actuated by an order being on the front of the waistcoat;
low purging: located in the bottom of the waistcoat on the right or on the left (sometimes one on each side) allowing to empty its waistcoat at the time of descent out of duck (head downwards);
fast fen-stop purging located at the level of the fixing of the inflator actuated by a traction on the spiral tube of this inflator.

pockets

The presence, the number and the volume of the pockets are extremely variable according to the mark, of the model and the use of the waistcoat. These pockets can contain the lamps, Tables of decompression, slates tight, Parachute of stage, etc

It can even (on the front or the back of the waistcoat) contain Lest: small paving stones of Lead or bags of shot

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