Rhonda66 0 #1 June 21, 2001 Hi all -I jump a Dolphin container and I've heard many recommendations that they shouldn't be used for freeflying. My fiance has been freeflying with his Dolphin for over 300 jumps, but I'm just too paranoid by the recommendations to try it myself.Anyone else have any experience with freeflying with a Dolphin container?I have a used Vector, but I just got it and I really feel more comfortable using my trusty Dolphin if I can. I just don't know if my fiance is taking a risky chance or if it really is okay to freefly it.Should I just use the Dolphin for belly stuff and start using the Vector instead for freeflying? Thanks,Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattb 0 #2 June 21, 2001 ask a rigger who can inspect the rig - it depends on the specifics of the rig from what i have been told Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #3 June 21, 2001 Mine is just a basic Dolphin rig - no freefly mods and the same as the one that my fiance jumps...Blues, Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tkdjumper 0 #4 June 21, 2001 If you really want to freefly get a freefly safe rig i.e. mirage,voodoo,javelin,reflex (vector 3's are cool if you're into really bad reserve pilot chute launches) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #5 June 21, 2001 You know, I haven't jumped my Vector once yet, but my rigger looked at it and got it ready to jump for me - He said it has freefly modifications, but now you have me wondering if it's a Vector 3 - Mine is quite old (I think it was manufactured in 1993), but it was barely jumped though I don't want to be messing around with bad reserve pilot chute launches either.....Thanks,Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutchboy 0 #6 June 21, 2001 If you have the Dolphin 2000 (1999 or later) then you should be fine. You can tell because the riser covers have velcro, there is velcro near the BOC container for the PC bridle, and a flap the covers this bit of bridle as well.The Dutchboyhttp://www.geocities.com/ppolstra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDolphin 0 #7 June 21, 2001 I wouldn't recommend freeflying with it unless you have a rigger make some mods to it to cover the bridle and risers better. My husband had an early deployment with one in a sit once and it wasn't pretty. Nearly tore off the reserve container completely and he was black and blue all over. Check out Infinity from Velocity Sports Equipment. Great Freefly rigs. There website is. http://www.skydivenet.com/vse/Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #8 June 21, 2001 Quote(vector 3's are cool if you're into really bad reserve pilot chute launches)Huh? And you've seen this happen where, when and how many times??Sounds like a rigger problem to me - i.e. the rigger that packed it didn't follow the manufacturer's instructions. As long as the rigger distributes the bulk of the reserve canopy fabric where it is supposed to be, the bridle is stowed correctly and the closing loop is the correct length you should never have a poor reserve p/c launch with any rig currently on the market - if you do it's time to check the spring tension on the reserve p/c and maybe get a new one.If you're the rigger that packed it, get a copy of RWS's video that shows the correct packing methods. If you have questions after viewing that spend a few minutes on the phone with Ty Bowen at Relative Workshop; he can tell you the correct methods. Note that if you are not packing a reserve into ANY container according to the manual and/or video that the manufacturer of the container provides, you are violating the FAR's you work under... pull and flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #9 June 21, 2001 Yeah, they have the velcro - is that the only reason that they weren't recommended before or are they still not recommended?I read about the early deployment in Rhonda's post and that's what I'm afraid of, but seeing my fiance freefly his all the time makes me think that maybe they are okay for it now though I don't want to do it if it's a ticking time bomb and he's just been lucky....Thanks,Rhonda B. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDolphin 0 #10 June 22, 2001 Ok Rhonda what is your last name? My last initial is B also. B for Bailey. That would just be too weird.Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #11 June 22, 2001 Heya -Oh, that is too weird - I put the B. to try to differentiate myself from you - guess that won't work - lol.It's Baker...soon to be Michaud though.You don't hear our name all that much and another skydiving Rhonda B., well that's too weird...Do you jump a Dolphin?Rhonda BAKER Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDolphin 0 #12 June 22, 2001 I used to. I'm not jumping at all right now. Broken femur, had surgery to remove the rod yada yada yada. My husband still jumps my Dolphin though. He even freeflys with it but only after I had a rigger make some mods to it to cover the bridle and risers better. I had just started Freeflying when I broke my femur so never got past a sit. I'm going to get a brand new Infinity when I start jumping again. That is what my husband has as his main rig and loves it. Almost everyone at our DZ (Kapowsin Air Sports in WA) has them since they are made there. They are really great freefly rigs. Where do you jump? Do you travel much to jump? Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #13 June 23, 2001 Hi -Sorry to hear about your femur, but hopefully you'lll be able to jump again soon. Did you break it jumping I take it?Let's see - I did my AFF at Pepperell and I jump regularly at Jumptown now in MA. We go to Skydive Arizona for a week every winter and I got to make a jump at Skydive Miami - we'd like to get to Lost Prairie or the WFFC when we get a chance as well.I jump a Dolphin D2 (dark green dolphin) with a Falcon 175 presently in it, but I have a new Sabre 150 sitting in the closet waiting to be jumped when I'm ready for it. I also have that used Vector with a Sabre 170 in it that I'll probably get to jump for the first time tomorrow if the weather is on our side up here. I have 200 jumps.My fiance has a Dolphin as well (mini with a blue dolphin :) with a Sabre 120 in it and a Vector that he just got with a Sabre 97 in it and he's got 400 jumps. He does random freeflying around me when he feels like it and it's kind of neat. We'll bellyfly to 6K or so together and then he'll stand up and vanish - it's funny, I read about these people with 30 or 40 jumps doing four ways and bigger, but the largest I've ever done is a 3-way because usually we just jump together - I trust him and I love jumping with him - you must know what I mean having a husband who is also a jumper as well.So do we have anything else in common besides our names? hehe - oh, I'm 27.... I'll probably give sitflying a try tomorrow with the Vector since it doesn't sound like a great idea to use the Dolphin - the Vector does have freefly mods. so it's probably a lot safer to use, even considering its age...Blue skies - can't wait to jump tomorrow!Rhonda BAKER hehe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #14 June 24, 2001 My first rig is a Dolphin. I'm getting a new container soon but I've put all my freefly jumps on my Dolphin. I jump with a D-bag rubber band holding my reserve flap down so as to not have it fly up when I'm in a sit. It's hard to explain really but several riggers have seen it and said it's fine and shouldn't have any problems. If you're really into freeflying, I'd say after you've asked your rigger about freeflying with your Dolphin, if he okay's it, I'd jump it until you can get a new, more freefly friendly container. That is my plan anyways. I've jumped in Deland a lot recently and none of the riggers there have had a problem with it. My rig looks funny with a rubber band around the flap but as long as it's okay, who cares what it looks likeMuch love and blue skies,Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Donna 0 #15 June 24, 2001 Hey Rhonda66 - (6 is my favorite number!) Jumptown rocks. Did you see they are having an Otter the week of the 4th (Tues-Fri)? I was planning on making my comeback jump on the 7th but may have to try out the Otter. Hope the weather tomorrow is better than today. If so, see ya at jumptown!Skies,D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggergreg 0 #16 June 24, 2001 Hi Rhonda, If you have a good rigger available, He/She can call Altico and get a tuck tab mod for your riser covers. Its not a very hard mod to do. also have velcro or a bridle cover put on the main flap and you should be alright. Just keep everything in good condition and have fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #17 June 24, 2001 Hey Ty -6 is my favorite number too! Jumptown does rock - too bad the weather never does :( We skipped out on it today because it seemed too iffy so my friend will have to reschedule her tandem for next week.I saw about the Otter on the website - we're going to be at my parent's house down the Cape from the Fourth straight through the weekend so I guess we're going to miss that too :( oh well...An then we're getting married on August 4th, but we're taking our Honeymoon later in the month to go to a flight school to learn how to fly R/C planes and of course the only week that they had slots available is the week of the Pepperell CASA boogie - at this rate I'll be lucky if I get to make 50 jumps all year (including the trip to Eloy)...I think my new Vector is going to go out of date again before I've even gotten to jump it :(Did you go today anyway? I'm sure there were some experienced jumpers jumping despite the iffy weather - we just didn't want to make the drive and then sit around hoping that maybe the sky would break so that she could make her tandem - I know how boring that can be!Well, hopefully next weekend......Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Donna 0 #18 June 25, 2001 Hey Rhonda66!Ya, the weather sucked here this weekend. Bernie drove me crazy watching the weather channel every 5 minutes to see if the forecast or radar had changed. He did head up to Jumptown late this afternoon when he heard it had cleared a bit and they were putting loads up. He's not home yet so I guess he got to jump! My new rig has already had a repack without ever being jumped so I know the feeling. We have a ton of other stuff we've had to do on weekends and this weekend was empty so figures the weather was crummy! We won't be around next weekend. We have a wedding on Saturday and then going to NH on Sunday but Bernie may try to get a jump in at Lebanon since it's only 5 minutes from where we will be. He's just a little nervous about all the trees and small landing area (though you didn't hear that from me!) And you don't have to tell me how boring it is sitting around a DZ when you aren't jumping! lol Thankfully that is almost over!Hope to see you up there soon!We are owed good weather!!Skies,D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #19 June 25, 2001 Well, at least someone got to jump then....hehe. We watched The Weather Channel until about 9am and decided it was a no go for us.Yes, we're hoping for better weather next weekend - at this rate I may take a day off this week to go jump!G'night and happy dreams of jumping to come!Rhonda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
