Divers stranded after escaping sinking boat - Thailand

[Bob DBF]

Are boats like this one typically doing partial pressure blending?

I have been on a boat that blends Nitrox by metering O2 into the compressor with the air to produce Nitrox. No partial pressure blending in the scuba tank.


Bob

 

[DanBMW]

Another reason to have pictures of all important document available to pull up on line from any computer. You can quickly recreate all needed documents for local embassy to verify. Passport, drivers license, travel plans, credit cards, living wills, etc...In an emergency, you might not have time to go below deck for what you think you might need.

 

[Wingy]

Another reason to have pictures of all important document available to pull up on line from any computer. You can quickly recreate all needed documents for local embassy to verify. Passport, drivers license, travel plans, credit cards, living wills, etc...In an emergency, you might not have time to go below deck for what you think you might need.

Great advice. When a boat is sinking the last thing you want to do is try and go below deck.

 

[MikkelBC]

Are boats like this one typically doing partial pressure blending? I thought most would just be carrying banked mixes and/or a compressor.

On dive boats in Thailand, I have seen three ways to supply divers with Nitrox:

1) Partial pressure blending
2) Continuous flow blending
3) Pre-filled tanks from land

I have not been on a boat that used banked nitrox for their compressor.

 

[Luke007]

probably air, some ignorant journalist spiced up the article by writing about oxygen tanks.

Agreed, dived Koh Lipe myself several years ago while working in Thailand and nothing but a few mediocre dive centers with no dive sites below 25-30m. Zero dive centers doing any tech or having any need other than Emergency O2. Actually saved a diver running out of air that could have been easily avoided by the simplest safety standards but unfortunately lack of control or responsibility beyond making a dollar are a priority...

Check my old Trip Advisor review over the incident...

Very Unsafe Diving Experience - Review of Ocean Pro Divers, Ko Lipe, Thailand - TripAdvisor

 

[Shasta_man]

<<all important document available to pull up on line from any computer>> except you have to make sure it is secure else someone else pull it up and make your life hell

 

[eelnoraa]

I haven't been on too many boats, so far I have never seen partial pressures blend onboard. It seems very difficult to keep thing O2 clean. And if tanks are not empty, math needs to be done per tank based on initial pressure. While not difficult, it is not efficient.

 

[DandyDon]

I haven't been on too many boats, so far I have never seen partial pressures blend onboard. It seems very difficult to keep thing O2 clean. And if tanks are not empty, math needs to be done per tank based on initial pressure. While not difficult, it is not efficient.

I saw partial pressure blending done on a southern California boat once when I first got my Nitrox card and wanted to use it on a trip to Catalina island. The mix tests were all over.

 

[SoFlaDiver954]

I haven't been on too many boats, so far I have never seen partial pressures blend onboard. It seems very difficult to keep thing O2 clean. And if tanks are not empty, math needs to be done per tank based on initial pressure. While not difficult, it is not efficient.

If you fill enough tanks it gets pretty easy to make an educated guess on how much O2 (or a richer nitrox blend) to add and hit your target mix spot on. Tank size doesn't matter for PO2, just tank pressures (starting and desired) and the PO2 of your gases.

 

[eelnoraa]

sure, not impossible, but still it is a per tank basis when filling O2. In the case of continuous blending or bank, they just connect the fill whip to all tanks, turn on the main valve. Multiple tanks at one shot.