Are 100cu/ft AL tanks common in rental shops?

[stuartv]

The relatively small difference in depth didn't affect the buddy relationship and he always had his buddy in sight since he was looking down from slightly behind.

How good a job do you think the buddy on bottom/out front will do at noticing if the buddy on top/behind has a problem?

I HATE it when I have a buddy who swims above/behind me. It makes it really hard to keep an eye on them. To me anyway, a buddy relationship means both are keeping an eye on each other. Not just one person watching the other.

 

[decompression]

Firstly, having your wife get an Al 63 tank is some of the worst advice I've heard, bordering on criminal.

The usual reasons for "exceptional" gas consumption are;
1. Lack of comfort in the water
2. Using your bcd for buoyancy
3. Poor propulsion
4. Underwater speed
5. Streamlining of gear
6. Over weighted

So here are some solutions;

1. Time or be taught how to be comfortable in the water (find a GUE or UTD instructor). In a 2 hour course you can be years ahead of many divers.
2. Use your lungs, breathing is bouyancy.
3. Forget the flutter kick, embrace the frog kick
4. Slow and steady saves the air.
5. There are many ways to streamline and the most popular configuration usually isn't streamlined.
6. Again, seek out at GUE or UTD instructor or take the time to really understand weighting and how to check it. I can almost guarantee a drop in lead if you take one of my courses.

Best of luck, dive safe.


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[tursiops]

At the beginning of the dive, you are shallow so every breath takes more volume of the tank

If you said what you meant to say, I think you have it backwards.

 

[halocline]

Firstly, having your wife get an Al 63 tank is some of the worst advice I've heard, bordering on criminal.

I guess I'm guilty of borderline criminal behavior by advising that a woman use a smaller tank in unlimited shore diving situations, shallow reefs, specifically Bonaire.

It's especially criminal considering the fact that I use small tanks myself in exactly that situation and enjoy it quite a bit more than lugging around heavier, bulkier tanks. Its even more criminal considering the fact that Bonaire dive ops offer 63s precisely for this reason, and they're pretty popular. I guess we're all borderline criminal for wanting to use smaller tanks when we feel its appropriate.

This can be an entertaining board sometimes!

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I used an AL 63 this year for the very first time - it was as if the tank was half the weight - it was a shore dive and it was very enjoyable even with the current.

If you can get away with using a smaller tank I am all for it. I own AL80s and Steel 85's but I would consider buying a 63 after that dive...

 

[IVC]

At the beginning of the dive, you are shallow so every breath takes more volume of the tank and you are typically breathing faster from excitement as well as finning down to your destination.
...
Check your weighting at the surface at the end of the dive with 500 lbs left.

If you said what you meant to say, I think you have it backwards.

Heh, likely a typo like the later one about 500 pounds...

(My guess is he was thinking about excitement and finning as contributors to air consumption and that the thing about "more volume" was just a brain fart.)

 

[decompression]

I guess I'm guilty of borderline criminal behavior by advising that a woman use a smaller tank in unlimited shore diving situations, shallow reefs, specifically Bonaire.

It's especially criminal considering the fact that I use small tanks myself in exactly that situation and enjoy it quite a bit more than lugging around heavier, bulkier tanks. Its even more criminal considering the fact that Bonaire dive ops offer 63s precisely for this reason, and they're pretty popular. I guess we're all borderline criminal for wanting to use smaller tanks when we feel its appropriate.

This can be an entertaining board sometimes!

Do you seriously think there is nothing wrong with suggesting the buddy of an air hog use a smaller tank?

You could have qualified it by saying that they should use smaller tanks and only dive to depths above 20'.

Suggesting to a newby air hog that his buddy should reduce their tank size without any change in their profile is.........


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[halocline]

Do you seriously think there is nothing wrong with suggesting the buddy of an air hog use a smaller tank?

You could have qualified it by saying that they should use smaller tanks and only dive to depths above 20'.

Suggesting to a newby air hog that his buddy should reduce their tank size without any change in their profile is.........


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Well, you know, we criminals tell people to do bad things all the time. But we do learn to read in prison.

And I agree that using an AL63 for any dive deeper than 20 feet is very, very, very hazardous. Maybe the dive ops in Bonaire and the manufacturers of AL63s are criminals too!

 

[lowviz]

... And I agree that using an AL63 for any dive deeper than 20 feet is very, very, very hazardous. ...

Had to laugh, I love my steel 50 cuft...

On topic:

I'm not going to argue this but I will state my position. Years ago, when I was NDL diving with the kid I figured that he should always have the greater gas supply. This was fine until one day at Dutch Springs (pump house) I got low and signaled a direct slow ascent. He yo-yo's and gets totally creeped out. Looks at his gauges, he's good, and decides to follow the contour out. Drops to 80' or so and proceeds to head down and around to the student area. Put me in a really bad place.

So, for me, the less skilled diver should always have less gas when NDL diving. Gas and SAC just equate to time, who should time out first?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Put me in a really bad place.
So, for me, the less skilled diver should always have less gas when NDL diving. Gas and SAC just equate to time, who should time out first?

That is a teachable moment - don't leave your buddy - I have had those discussions with my son... The first time should be the last - but I can see it happening.