Article: Rebreathers and the Recreational Diver by Jeffrey Bozanic, PhD and author of
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If you're at all interested in rebreathers, this book is a MUST read! Jeff makes a technically complicated (for lack of a better term) subject, very easy to read and follow. I read this cover to cover during my Titan class with Jeff and the scope of material offered in Mastering Rebreathers is incredible. I HIGHLY recommend this for any rebreather student or instructor!
Good article. Yesterday I took a Discover Rebreather course with Rainbow Reef in Key Largo. My previous reading and the course reinforce this article.
For those interested in the course. One day, $300, AOW and Nitrox certified required. I have over 400 dives with almost DM buoyancy and air consumption.
Course was about 1 hour in class, including handling the Poseidon rebreather, a full closed circuit unit. Then to the pool for almost an hour. It is awkward at first, hard to get the hang of buoyancy and manueverability. Chance, my instructor kept a firm hand on me for the first 30 min or so. Be prepared to feel frustrated when trying to breathe, balance and just hang. Swimming easy laps helped a lot.
Then out to Molasses Reef. First dive was again frustrating with Chance keeping me under firm control. I was underweighted, a few rocks always help, and struggled to maintain buoyancy. I needed a bit of meditation between dives to settle myself down, plus a conversation with Chance asking for a long leash on the second dive.
Second dive I felt like a diver again. With Chance only watching, I finally did an OK job on buoyancy. You learn to exhale through your nose, causing more water in mask than you may be used to or comfortable with. The nose exhalation is the only way to get air out of the system when the O2 tank injects. Diving is quiet plus incredibly warm, your recirculated exhalation is nice and warm.
I did not like the restricted mobility of the Rebreather, it is bulkier, with more, and larger hoses. Makes it difficult to stick your head into holes and under ledges or to simply swim slightly sideways with head turned.
On balance, a very fun learning day. I recommend it for anyone with enough SCUBA experience who wants to try a rebreather. But for me, highly unlikely that I will take the full course. I think the odds of me buying a system or going to destinations that have the same unit are slim. If I lived in the Keys and wanted to dive wrecks a lot, then I would be tempted. But for someone who likes to skip around, I don't think this is a good investment.
For those interested in the course. One day, $300, AOW and Nitrox certified required. I have over 400 dives with almost DM buoyancy and air consumption.
Course was about 1 hour in class, including handling the Poseidon rebreather, a full closed circuit unit. Then to the pool for almost an hour. It is awkward at first, hard to get the hang of buoyancy and manueverability. Chance, my instructor kept a firm hand on me for the first 30 min or so. Be prepared to feel frustrated when trying to breathe, balance and just hang. Swimming easy laps helped a lot.
Then out to Molasses Reef. First dive was again frustrating with Chance keeping me under firm control. I was underweighted, a few rocks always help, and struggled to maintain buoyancy. I needed a bit of meditation between dives to settle myself down, plus a conversation with Chance asking for a long leash on the second dive.
Second dive I felt like a diver again. With Chance only watching, I finally did an OK job on buoyancy. You learn to exhale through your nose, causing more water in mask than you may be used to or comfortable with. The nose exhalation is the only way to get air out of the system when the O2 tank injects. Diving is quiet plus incredibly warm, your recirculated exhalation is nice and warm.
I did not like the restricted mobility of the Rebreather, it is bulkier, with more, and larger hoses. Makes it difficult to stick your head into holes and under ledges or to simply swim slightly sideways with head turned.
On balance, a very fun learning day. I recommend it for anyone with enough SCUBA experience who wants to try a rebreather. But for me, highly unlikely that I will take the full course. I think the odds of me buying a system or going to destinations that have the same unit are slim. If I lived in the Keys and wanted to dive wrecks a lot, then I would be tempted. But for someone who likes to skip around, I don't think this is a good investment.
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