Diving is expensive

[GeorgeC]

I think if you were to ask this question a few years from now the overwhelming majority of responses would be go with the rebreather. RB’s today are on the cusp of the wave of major acceptance. They still have a stigma associated with them, that I’ll admit, is justified due to its relative newness among the recreational community. Nitrox a few years ago had the same stigma that RB has today.

As stated in other posts, going to a RB is like learning to dive all over again. Therefore, what is the difference in starting on a RB? Of course, I am not saying don’t worry about safety or learn to plan, manage and use appropriate bail out gas on open circuit if using a RB.

Do students take typing in school or do they start on a PC? I don’t think you can find a conventional typewriter. Once they learn to use a PC do they also understand how to use a typewriter? The answer is yes. However, are they proficient and mistake free on a typewriter? No, you need to take your time on a typewriter as it is “New to you” but, old technology.

Why couldn’t you get the RB and use it extensively within recreational limits. Start out slow and progress with training and use. Once you have plenty of experience on air diluent then move to the more “technical dives” ie nitrox dil, tri mix dil, deep diving, cave and etc.. I say go for the RB and invest the time and money in something you seem to be headed towards.

With that said, try and do a great deal of research on the type of RB that satisfies your needs. The last thing you want to do is spend $10K on something only to find out you bought the wrong one that did not do X, Y or Z that you need it to do.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

damn .... both of you had good points ... damn ... real good points ...
well, happy new year!
and george, hope to see you around ... please pm me when you get the chance ... would be great to meet my first SB person in real life ... perhaps up at dutch or out in the Atlantic?

 

[telemonster]

Fixxer made a good point.

You should only consider RB when you feel that your diving profiles push OC boundaries and that the range of your dives simply cannot be provided by your OC gear. Only when you have exhausted the possibilities of your OC gear should you consider getting a RB.

I think that wanting to get into RB because it may appear to be cheaper than OC is the wrong reason.

Why is this? What if you are genuinely interested in rebreathers? Drager Dolphin and the like?

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Most new divers starting out complain about cost and maintenance associated with OC and usually OC is going to be plenty for the average diver but if you crave deep wrecks and cold dark water than a rebreather is the next logical step. You cant run before you crawl kinda philosophy. Even though getting a rebreather is like learning to dive again the basics are already instilled and the transition would be much faster and less frustrating.

Look at it this way, say you got on a boat and were partnered up with a guy on rebreather who had just finished his class and had never done any OC diving. Would you want to have to buddy up and rely on someone like that or would you want them to rely on you. Right now if two guys are partnered up on CC you better believe they know their stuff and they both trust each other with their lives because they have hundreds of dives under their belt and have likely read, heard, and experienced a host of things that could kill the beginner.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I was certified for Draeger Dolphin right after my zero to hero (different operator/agency). I then did 16 RB dives from normal recreational dive charter boats. As the charter boats were the factory boats, they nearly insisted I splash immediately to less spook the cattle, while also asking if I would sweep the wrecks to make sure everyone else made it back up at the end. I only buddied up when a cute Cali DM was looking interested. The differences from jacket style OC are signifigant before the dive but in the water I'd say minor buoyancy difference, limiting your nose exhalations and bail out procedures are the main differences.

For someone who is competent in the water, diving is not hard. RB diving is still diving. I know plenty free divers who are more than competent in the water. The contiencious ones could easily start with RB. if you are taught from the beginning to always shut off your mouthpiece before removing it from your mouth underwater, wouldn't it be more second nature than for a tech deco diver who has thousands of wet reg changes? If you were taught from the beginning that mouth exhaling/inhaling does not cause sink/rise, just moves the center of gravity, and excessive mask clearing changes the breathing mix, wouldn't you be more likely not to forget those facts?

 

[padiscubapro]

Where does one draw the line at money spent to set-up all the doubles gear and just go semi or closed circuit rebreather? Ronzo

For many of us it doesnt stop at 1 rebreather... Its kinda addicting... This was a bad year (too many $$$).. I added 3 CCRS to my collection.. Now I need to find time to keep diving all of them...

Don;t waist your money on an SCR.. You can get into a sport kiss for not much more than a PROPERLY configured dolphin or azimuth..

There are many second hand electonic CCRs available in the same price range as well...

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

can i ask where you are in NY?

 

[padiscubapro]

can i ask where you are in NY?

I'm in the bronx..

I teach the following units (and usually have them around unless I have lent them out)

Inspiration classic
Sport Kiss
rEvo
HammerHead CCR
O2Ptima

I also have the rig in my avatar which is a custom rig made from parts of several manufacturers..