First reg, need to buy two, rec diver

[cerich]

20,000 lies under the sea The fishy world of Jacques Cousteau

"
Maybe. It does, however, cast a powerful beam of light on one submerged wreck - Vichy France - that Cousteau preferred in later life to leave unexplored. The world's favourite Frenchman often claimed that he had served in the Resistance and that his Legion d'Honneur had been awarded for his wartime activities. It was, but for wartime activities on behalf of Vichy, spying on the Italians in 1941. The rest of the war Cousteau, although nominally still a naval officer, spent launching his own career, using his collaborationist brother's connections to acquire the materials he needed to perfect a revolutionary method of diving and to acquire raw film.

His first work - Par Dix-Huit Metres de Fond (Eighteen Metres Beneath the Waves) - was given its premiere in 1943 by a German association, Internationaler Kultur Film, before an audience of German officers and Vichy officials at the Theatre de Chaillot in Paris (contrary to his later reputation as a conservationist, the film was about underwater hunting and fishing, Cousteau's obsession at the time)."

 

[Akimbo]

depends whom you believe.

I've only read one side of the story, not that I know that much about him. I never quite understood the mechanics of how Cousteau got so much time off as a French Naval officer, could travel to and from Paris so often, and get crates of Aqualung prototypes shipped to him in the Med. I always "thought" the German Army had France locked down pretty tight.

@Sam Miller III knows more about him than anyone I can think of, maybe he can fill in the blanks?

Edit: Posted before I saw the previous post

 

[MichaelMc]

EU-certified unbalanced regulators sold today and are safe to 165'/50M.

Are there many unbalanced sets in current/recent production? The main one I know is the Mk2/R195.

A more complete list that I know is:
1st: SP MK2 piston, Aqualung Calypso piston, Edge Nano piston, Poseidon Cyklon 300 diaphragm, DA Aqua Master double hose.
2nd: ScubaPro R195, Aqualung Calypso, Edge Nano, Kirby-Morgan Superflow 350

 

[Akimbo]

I think the Kirby-Morgan Superflow 350 is a balanced first stage, which will let you suck a tank down to one breath before stopping. The major advantage of a conventional balanced second stage design over an unbalanced is you can have a smaller diaphragm area for the required mechanical advantage to operate the valve.

 

[USMC CPL.]

There's a big difference between a newly trained OW diver and one with technical training, but it is still a characteristic with balanced first and second stages. You will also be packing a lot more gas as a tech diver and much more aware of your dive plan and consumption.

Another option that negates the "warning" advantage of an unbalanced regulators is to carry a redundant gas supply. That can take many forms that use a second regulator and cylinder including a pony, independent doubles, or Progressive Equalization.

I am in the process of getting gear now. I was referring to the comment of 20 tec Divers on a boat each with their own opinion. I am going with hog regulators for my primary and octo. And am planning on a 40 cf tank for decompression use.

 

[MichaelMc]

I think the Kirby-Morgan Superflow 350 is a balanced first stage, which will let you suck a tank down to one breath before stopping. The major advantage of a conventional balanced second stage design over an unbalanced is you can have a smaller diaphragm area for the required mechanical advantage to operate the valve.

I've been intrigued by the notion of unbalanced giving you warning of no air. Are there others besides SP Mk2/R195 that you have in mind as modern regs for that?

Of which planning, watching SPG, redundancy are all better expectations.

(Kimber-Morgan site shows Superflow 350 as a second stage for use in the front of hard hat surface supply. Maybe there is a 1st stage component as well.)

 

[Akimbo]

... I was referring to the comment of 20 tec Divers on a boat each with their own opinion...

That's not a bad thing. It really means that there are a lot of really good regulators around and people tend to like what they use. Human nature.

 

[MichaelMc]

That said, I don't know of a single case of "my reg breathed hard so I knew it was time to come up " versus, "my reg breathed hard so I did a polaris missile launch to the surface" when I asked what the heck just happened. It's a useless thing to expect will help

At least they had air during the polaris launch.

 

[USMC CPL.]

That's not a bad thing. It really means that there are a lot of really good regulators around and people tend to like what they use. Human nature.

Yup. I take what everybody tells me a use what I can and store the rest if that makes sense. I have asked alot of questions concerning tec training and am looking forward to starting

 

[Akimbo]

I've been intrigued by the notion of unbalanced giving you warning of no air.

I encourage you to experiment with them yourself. It is good to experience breathing down bottles with both types of regulators no matter which way to choose. Besides, that way you don’t have to wonder which person on Scubaboard had the right answer for you.

... Are there others besides SP Mk2/R195 that you have in mind as modern regs for that?...

The Aqualung Calypso comes to mind but it has been a while since I looked. Lots of divers tend to use them on stage bottles due to the lower cost and they are used under conditions that aren't very demanding.

... (Kimber-Morgan site shows Superflow 350 as a second stage for use in the front of hard hat surface supply. Maybe there is a 1st stage component as well.)

Here's are the KMC Scuba Regulators

However, I wouldn't spend the money on them for Scuba.