Best Mix VS Standard Gasses (split from a GUE fundies course report)

[barth]

100 = 32%
120 = 30/30*
150 = 21/35
200 = 18/45
250 = 15/55
300 = 12/65

*30/30 is a weird one. I wanna say GUE calls that a 100ft has but when I went through the curriculum it was MOD 120ft. Makes sense to me so I roll with that.

1-100 32% O2
110-150 21/35
160-200 18/45
210-250 15/55
260-400 10/70

source :
gue_tech01_manualv1-1.pdf

 

[stuartv]

I’d consider being prepared with 32% and gas for something deeper. Maybe 30/30 in one of them (assuming single tank dives).

I personally keep one of my shallow stage bottles filled with 32% and another with 30/30 so I can use the appropriate one based on the dive.

But, you can't take 4 cylinders on the boat. Only 2. Not enough room for people to be bringing extra cylinders. You're going out for 2 dives and you don't know what sites you're going to, basically until you get there. I mean, they can tell you where they are going to TRY to go. But, it's not unusual at all to divert after the boat is already well offshore.

1-100 32% O2
110-150 21/35
160-200 18/45
210-250 15/55
260-400 10/70

source :
gue_tech01_manualv1-1.pdf

That looks like the same list and source I found. I think the copyright on it was 2001, so I figured it was outdated.

 

[stuartv]

I’d consider being prepared with 32% and gas for something deeper. Maybe 30/30 in one of them (assuming single tank dives).

I personally keep one of my shallow stage bottles filled with 32% and another with 30/30 so I can use the appropriate one based on the dive.

Does GUE Open Water training include certification to use Helium?

 

[PfcAJ]

But, you can't take 4 cylinders on the boat. Only 2. Not enough room for people to be bringing extra cylinders. You're going out for 2 dives and you don't know what sites you're going to, basically until you get there. I mean, they can tell you where they are going to TRY to go. But, it's not unusual at all to divert after the boat is already well offshore.



That looks like the same list and source I found. I think the copyright on it was 2001, so I figured it was outdated.

Then I’d try to get the best intel I could get and make a game day decision. Both tanks I take don’t have to be the same. Maybe I’ll take one 3030 and one 32%?

 

[taimen]

No, 32%. 30/30 can be added as a primer.
I'd guess globally this primer is quite rare (as is GUE Rec1 OW training) and _most_ people aim for Tech 1

Triox Primer

 

[PfcAJ]

Does GUE Open Water training include certification to use Helium?

Their rec curriculum is a mess. Maybe? I think “rec 2” does? Rec 3 is stupid so I try not to think about it.

 

[stuartv]

Then I’d try to get the best intel I could get and make a game day decision. Both tanks I take don’t have to be the same. Maybe I’ll take one 3030 and one 32%?

The way things go there, it's entirely possible the boat would have you doing a double dip on the same site.

So, it sounds like, if one adheres to their GUE training, you'd take 2 tanks of 30/30. And possibly use them for a double dip on a 70' wreck site (or a 120' wreck site).

 

[stuartv]

Oh, and, BTW, I don't know of anywhere there in Morehead City or Beaufort to get helium. Not as a regular thing. We made arrangements and had it available for the CCR guys last year at the Wreck Shark Shootout. I tried to do the same this year and we never did actually get any helium. After I used the dil I brought with me, it was all air dil the rest of the week. I could tell the difference at 115'. I don't mind being that slight bit dumber when I'm on OC, but it was definitely not my preference when on CCR.

 

[Tug]

The other thing is nobody says you have to go with one of the bigger charters. When my friends and I go to NC we charter out a six pack and plan on extended run times on most of the sites. So if I was diving OC I’d use 30/30 and bring some O2 to deco with. Same thing goes with Helium, if it’s not readily available, nobody says you can’t arrange ahead of time for it.

Now that I’ve switched to mainly diving a rebreather, I really found the benefit to standard gasses. Each stage/bailout bottle has one standard gas for a given range. Same with my onboard bottles. Just grab a bottle and go, no worrying about remixing gasses to provide the “optimum” blend to save 2 minutes of deco.

I dunno, maybe it’s me, but I never found standard gasses to be restrictive.

*disclaimer: not GUE certified but see the benefit to a lot of their methods

 

[PfcAJ]

The way things go there, it's entirely possible the boat would have you doing a double dip on the same site.

So, it sounds like, if one adheres to their GUE training, you'd take 2 tanks of 30/30. And possibly use them for a double dip on a 70' wreck site (or a 120' wreck site).

Ya, I guess if I had the possibility of doing two dives on the same wreck I’d take 2x 30/30.

If I was doing that frequently, I’d have dedicated tanks just for that purpose as not to drain the helium every time.