Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod
Several years ago, Dolphin container designer, Mike Furry, updated the most affordable sport skydiving container on the market making the newest Altico Dolphin rigs even more freefly friendly.
Older Dolphin containers were definitely made with affordable in mind. Dolphin containers have long been a solid choice for student operations, belly fliers and new skydivers looking for a well-designed new rig at a used gear price. But as freefly positions have become a mainstay of the skydiving industry, Mike Furry has had to update and modify the Dolphin container to keep those higher skydiving speeds in mind.
The Velcro of older Dolphins on the main riser covers, reserve pin cover flap and main pin cover flap will stay closed at high speeds when new. But as the Velcro starts to wear, the flaps and covers tend to open easily in freefly positions. Hence many container manufactures switching to tuck tabs and flaps with longer-lasting plastic stiffeners. When designed, packed and maintained correctly, tuck tabs and flaps provide better protection to freefly skydiving speeds.
In addition to the newest Dolphin containers using tuck tabs for its main riser covers, the Velcro was recently eliminated from the reserve pin cover flap. Side tuck tabs are now standard on the Dolphin reserve pin cover flap, which eliminated the need for Velcro upkeep and replacement. Yet, the tuck tabs were found to be less secure as new Velcro in a sit-fly position as the Dolphin reserve pin cover flap would open up as the air hit the flap's underside.
Altico's Mike Furry designed a bottom-side tuck tab for the reserve pin cover flap and it eliminated the short-lived issue of the flap coming open in a sit-fly position. The new tuck tab is now standard on all new Dolphins and the flap mod is available for all Dolphin owners. We have also found the tuck tab mod to be a great way to secure the older Dolphins reserve pin cover flaps with Velcro side closures.
[caption id="attachment_221" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod Step 1[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_222" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod Step 2[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_223" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod Step 3[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_224" align="alignleft" width="300"] Finished Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod[/caption]
Contact Chuting Star Rigging Loft at 770-445-4000 for more information or to have this tuck tab mod completed on any Dolphin reserve pin cover flap.
Note: The Altico Dolphin is no longer manufactured, but the Peregrine Manufacturing took over the company and now has a similar rig being produced, called the Triton.
Replacement Parts for the Dolphin container, which now also fit the Peregrine Triton, are available from ChutingStar at this link.
Older Dolphin containers were definitely made with affordable in mind. Dolphin containers have long been a solid choice for student operations, belly fliers and new skydivers looking for a well-designed new rig at a used gear price. But as freefly positions have become a mainstay of the skydiving industry, Mike Furry has had to update and modify the Dolphin container to keep those higher skydiving speeds in mind.
The Velcro of older Dolphins on the main riser covers, reserve pin cover flap and main pin cover flap will stay closed at high speeds when new. But as the Velcro starts to wear, the flaps and covers tend to open easily in freefly positions. Hence many container manufactures switching to tuck tabs and flaps with longer-lasting plastic stiffeners. When designed, packed and maintained correctly, tuck tabs and flaps provide better protection to freefly skydiving speeds.
In addition to the newest Dolphin containers using tuck tabs for its main riser covers, the Velcro was recently eliminated from the reserve pin cover flap. Side tuck tabs are now standard on the Dolphin reserve pin cover flap, which eliminated the need for Velcro upkeep and replacement. Yet, the tuck tabs were found to be less secure as new Velcro in a sit-fly position as the Dolphin reserve pin cover flap would open up as the air hit the flap's underside.
Altico's Mike Furry designed a bottom-side tuck tab for the reserve pin cover flap and it eliminated the short-lived issue of the flap coming open in a sit-fly position. The new tuck tab is now standard on all new Dolphins and the flap mod is available for all Dolphin owners. We have also found the tuck tab mod to be a great way to secure the older Dolphins reserve pin cover flaps with Velcro side closures.
[caption id="attachment_221" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod Step 1[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_222" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod Step 2[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_223" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod Step 3[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_224" align="alignleft" width="300"] Finished Dolphin Tuck Tab Mod[/caption]
Contact Chuting Star Rigging Loft at 770-445-4000 for more information or to have this tuck tab mod completed on any Dolphin reserve pin cover flap.
Note: The Altico Dolphin is no longer manufactured, but the Peregrine Manufacturing took over the company and now has a similar rig being produced, called the Triton.
Replacement Parts for the Dolphin container, which now also fit the Peregrine Triton, are available from ChutingStar at this link.