gunswap 0 #1 June 2, 2011 I'm looking for a little help here. I haven't jumped in 35 years so I'm not at all familiar with modern rigs. I was wondering if it is possible (or worth) having the old 1 1/2 shot capewells replaced with whatever (?) is being used these days for emergency cutaways on my harnesses? I do recall something called a 3-ring circus came out about the time I quit. My harness/containers are custom built and are sized to fit a PC in a POD. I have used them for a sled back in the day also and am wondering if modern squares will fit? I appreciate qualified opinions. Thanks in advance for any help. You can also view my first post in the introductory section. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #2 June 3, 2011 There is no reasonable retrofit to move to the 3 ring which is now industry standard with out having the rig completely rebuilt by a master rigger. The addition of using a direct bag for the packing of all the mains and a freebag design for the reserve basically means that most modern mains and reserves pack way smaller than your Paracommander. I've packed a few PC's and they are almost larger than most student canopies in terms of volume. The Sled had a lot more line length and with higher bulk lines than you will find on current canopies. Depending on what your rig combo was I think you'll find that most modern rigs are WAY more comfortable than all of the early piggyback rigs. Keep your rigs around since its now a unique jump to jump rounds so all the newer jumpers might line up to jump the rig if its in good condition and a rigger will repack it and signs off on it. As for getting your current rigs back in the air, talk to a local rigger but do not be too surprised if most will not repack the canopies.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #3 June 3, 2011 QuoteI was wondering if it is possible (or worth) having the old 1 1/2 shot capewells replaced with whatever (?) is being used these days for emergency cutaways on my harnesses? It would be better to buy a new harness & container system. The "new" hardware is the 3-ring system, and you would need to get the large harness ring installed on your old harness. That usually involves taking the entire harness apart, as they are sewn in place. Your only chance to get around that is this. Back in the 80's there was a batch of large harness rings that missed a heat-treatment process and were discovered in the field to be too soft. So they came up with a special version of that harness ring with a seperable link, allowing it to be installed in place without taking the harness apart. All the rigs made with that batch of soft rings had the new seperable link installed to make them airworthy again. Install that on your harness, and install your old canopy on new risers which have the upper part of the three-ring system, and hopefully that would do the trick. This presumes that your harness has some kind of loop available on it which will fit through the slot on the new harness ring. You can search the Para-Gear catalog for those seperable harness rings, or they might be some old riggers around with piles of old rigs, from which they could remove a pair for you. Here's what the non-seperable harness rings look like: http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=335#X11-1-3538 The seperable kind has the bottom part held in place to the top with a through-bolt, so that the slot can be opened up to slip it on a harness. It ain't going to be worth all the trouble, in my opinion. Chances are, riggers aren't going to want to work on a rig that old, and won't deem it airworthy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 279 #4 June 3, 2011 As Phreezone said, keep the rig for someone who wants to do vintage canopy jumps. The harness is built differently for 3 rings, and PC's are huge compared even to student or accuracy canopies, so if you want to jump (after appropriate training), just buy some cheap used equipment (under the advice of a rigger or experienced jumpers). You'll get all sorts of cool advantages: single point 3 ring release, hand deployed pilot chute, square reserve... (Yours must be a relatively slim rig, for a PC in a pod rather than in a sleeve. Didn't the Parasled pack up even bigger than a PC? I still have to get mine into service.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpsalot-2 3 #5 June 3, 2011 There is tons of good "used" stuff in the classifieds above ( containers, main canopies, reserves ) Here is just one sample......http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=110555;d=1...Click on the link I just typed in.....PS...you can trust anything Paul sells, he has other stuff. Send him a message if you want something.Life is short ... jump often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #6 June 3, 2011 or you could sell your rig to me (provided you are around 6' and 180lbs) scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #7 June 3, 2011 with all due respect... YES!!!! i would say,, "Replace the shot & a halves"!!!and the container, and the main, and the reserve.... !!that doesn't mean that you need to discard these items.... they ARe after all... like You,, a part of History... sorry to say it.. since it is also MY vintage....BUT "a PC in a POD... is passe' .." it would be prudent... to jump gear which is slightly more UPdated!!! seek the advice of rigger and ask that he or she inspects anything you might consider.... as for the Sled!!!????? you've had experience with a really Vintage ram Air...but it's time has passed... and IF 5 cells were the way to go...... we'd see More of them, not fewer...jmy A 3914 D 12122 POPS 3935 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #8 June 3, 2011 I would DEFINITELY be interested in that gear scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WGore 0 #9 June 3, 2011 You could replace the 1-1/2 Capewells with R-3s, a one shot set up for the Capewell frame. Much faster than the 1-1/2s. It still requires both hands to operate though. That would make it a little nicer for the folks wanting to jump the vintage gear. As everyone has pointed out if you are going to get back into the sport again you would be much happier with some newer gear, both from a safety and comfort standpoint. As far as the airwothiness of your gear get a rigger who has been around awhile to look at it. Many of the new riggers coming in are pretty much reserve packers and gunshy about touching anything they don't understand.GUNFIRE, The sound of Freedom! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 348 #10 June 5, 2011 the gear is a museum piece and at that age, probably should not be jumped at all. Invest in some new gear and keep the old stuff around for some great stories and photos. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #11 June 5, 2011 Regarding R3s..... a "better" idea, i suppose, in concept...than " Two shots" or " shot & a halves" but as i remember they used velcro and elastic to keep the "tab" of the riser lug in place in the half which attaches to the harness.... elastic and or velcro CAN wear or otherwise lose its' effectiveness... many ( a LOT of ) years ago. i had an R3 RELEASE on me,,,,,, just as i landed....!!!My main was a french papillon.. I had exited @ 3,500 and did 2 or 3 backloops,, and pulled.. I was a routine canopy flight and upon landing i did what i usually did.. which was to Grab a handfull of rear riser, one in each hand , and "chin myself" just At touchdown.. Got a standing landing out of it, but also had one of the risers go Chink!!!! ( before the days of the 3 ring Chink) ... and bang!!! i'm standing there with my right riser in my HAND!!!! whoa.. No cross connector, RSLs hadn't yet become common and my reserve ripcord was a blast handle.... apparently the R3 partially UNDID itself but the riser stayed in place due the the load on it... once it "unloaded" @ landing.. the forks dropped enough to let the lug come free and there i was,,, standing there,, with a riser in my Hand!!!!!! whoa... New techniques and new designs, have come about for a reason..!!!!! which just could be... the Older stuff Needed to be Improved... TKs' advice makes a LOT of sense... welcome to the NEW world... jimmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deltron80 0 #12 June 6, 2011 How much is old gear like that worth? This guy has obviously taken good care of it if he's willing to jump it. Must be worthwhile to save for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drjump 0 #13 June 7, 2011 It would be worth what ever you are willing to pay for it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
