Question CCR Suggestion for Remote Boating Trips - Sanity Check

[davehicks]

A number of people on this thread have suggested that I take cave aptitude into consideration when choosing a unit, as I do plan on doing more cave diving. Given that the general consensus seems to be that most units will do well on my boat (which will be 95% of my diving), would it also be safe to say that most units would be good for moderate cave diving as well? If I'm getting to pushing gear through a restriction, I think I'll be looking at a second, specialized unit like a Sidewinder to suplement my primary unit. Or am I missing something? Without ruling out any other units, my short list of candidates is JJ, Revo, Tiburon, and Fathom.

I think you need to pick one unit and stick with it for a few years. Getting proficient on a single unit will ingrain good habits in how to safely dive and maintain that system. Mixing up units early in the process seems like an accident waiting to happen.

If you want a Sidewinder, get that and you can dive it in all conditions. There is nothing cave specific about it. The unit just has a low profile and dives just as well in the open water.

 

[MrBlenny]

I think you need to pick one unit and stick with it for a few years. Getting proficient on a single unit will ingrain good habits in how to safely dive and maintain that system. Mixing up units early in the process seems like an accident waiting to happen.

If you want a Sidewinder, get that and you can dive it in all conditions. There is nothing cave specific about it. The unit just has a low profile and dives just as well in the open water.

Yes, I didn't mean two units at once, but to get a 'general' use unit and dive it until its limitations in caves became an issue. There are miles of caves I haven't explored in Mexico where a Sidewinder isn't necessary.

 

[Wibble]

Thought about "getting into cave CCR"... That's most definitely not a novice question; very much something you'll do later. One thing I learned is dive your backside off with one box. All that practice is essential to get comfortable on the unit. It's all about ascents you see. The bottom phase is easy peasy. Ascents are quite fraught with lots going on: controlling the buoyancy with wing suit and loop; winding the SMB; controlling the PPO2 -- manual injection -- and your ascent depth.

Bailout is just going back to open circuit.

Practice makes it much easier.

 

[MrBlenny]

Thought about "getting into cave CCR"... That's most definitely not a novice question; very much something you'll do later. One thing I learned is dive your backside off with one box. All that practice is essential to get comfortable on the unit. It's all about ascents you see. The bottom phase is easy peasy. Ascents are quite fraught with lots going on: controlling the buoyancy with wing suit and loop; winding the SMB; controlling the PPO2 -- manual injection -- and your ascent depth.

Bailout is just going back to open circuit.

Practice makes it much easier.

Cave CCR is definitely a goal, but one I would only pursue after many, many hours in open water. Until both my instructor and I feel it's appropriate, I'd be OC caving with my Stealth. My instructor has a wicked sense of humor, so the thought of training with them for Cave CCR and not already being extremely comfortable on my unit give me the chills.

 

[rjack321]

Cave CCR is definitely a goal, but one I would only pursue after many, many hours in open water. Until both my instructor and I feel it's appropriate, I'd be OC caving with my Stealth. My instructor has a wicked sense of humor, so the thought of training with them for Cave CCR and not already being extremely comfortable on my unit give me the chills.

I'm not totally sure who your instructor actually was, but just guessing based on what I have read here I would suggest branching out and getting a new one to learn some fresh ideas.

The fact that you are talking about buying a CCR, specifically to solo dive, off a large boat, in waters which are already super challenging to anchor in and actually get back to the anchor...

About the only positive here is you could train your buddy to raise the anchor to come and pick you up. Of course they then run the risk of running you over or running in someone or something else. There are very few boat dives in the San Juans or BC which are safe to do from an untended vessel. The ones that do exist are pretty boring (being out of the current)

Nevertheless, this whole package worries me.

 

[grantctobin]

Cave CCR is definitely a goal, but one I would only pursue after many, many hours in open water. Until both my instructor and I feel it's appropriate, I'd be OC caving with my Stealth. My instructor has a wicked sense of humor, so the thought of training with them for Cave CCR and not already being extremely comfortable on my unit give me the chills.

Is this the same instructor taking students with no cave experience outside of her zero to hero class into the Nest? Echo @rjack321 point about gaining experience w at least a couple different instructors across your tech training.

 

[MrBlenny]

I'm not totally sure who your instructor actually was, but just guessing based on what I have read here I would suggest branching out and getting a new one to learn some fresh ideas.

I am always open to new instructors, provided I can talk to their previous students and get a feel for how they might teach. I've not yet had a bad instructor, but definitely some I liked/respected more than others.

The fact that you are talking about buying a CCR, specifically to solo dive, off a large boat, in waters which are already super challenging to anchor in and actually get back to the anchor...

My home port is on the Hood Canal, which is pretty tame as far as currents go. Further from home, if I can't anchor or tie to a buoy, I move to another site where I can. Nanaimo looks like it has a number of promising locations where that should be possible, and I'm checking it out before I commit to any kind of unit. Like I mentioned in the opening post, any type of deal breaker means I stay OC, and I'm ok with that.

About the only positive here is you could train your buddy to raise the anchor to come and pick you up. Of course they then run the risk of running you over or running in someone or something else. There are very few boat dives in the San Juans or BC which are safe to do from an untended vessel. The ones that do exist are pretty boring (being out of the current)

Thankfully I have a non-diving crew-member who is happy to mind the boat. I also have a healthy respect for tides/currents.

Nevertheless, this whole package worries me.

Is your concern that I will kill myself on the loop, get swept out into a ferry lane, both? I don't want to blithely climb Mt. Stupid, but also don't want to avoid enhancing the enjoyment of diving if I can do so in a reasonably safe manner. I hope that comes off correctly.

 

[Wibble]

... being extremely comfortable on my unit give me the chills.

When you start with CCR, especially if you're coming from an experienced OC diver, buoyancy seems to go to ratshit especially hanging around at 6m/20ft.

After many hours, over 50 in my case, it eventually comes back. After 100 hours it's almost like being back on open circuit again; far easier to hover mid water than hang on to the bouncing SMB reel.

Now all that's needed is to do some OC bailouts to remember what the noise is all about and try to remember how to hold your stops!

 

[Blackfrogfeet]

I'm not totally sure who your instructor actually was, but just guessing based on what I have read here I would suggest branching out and getting a new one to learn some fresh ideas.

The fact that you are talking about buying a CCR, specifically to solo dive, off a large boat, in waters which are already super challenging to anchor in and actually get back to the anchor...

About the only positive here is you could train your buddy to raise the anchor to come and pick you up. Of course they then run the risk of running you over or running in someone or something else. There are very few boat dives in the San Juans or BC which are safe to do from an untended vessel. The ones that do exist are pretty boring (being out of the current)

Nevertheless, this whole package worries me.

I was wondering when Rjack would come in here with a frank but realistic response like this...

 

[Wibble]

Reminds me -- get yourself a DPV. Great fun on CCR and sorts out the current problem.