Diving Doubles?

[huskerdiver23]

I was just wondering if any body could tell me if there is any specific training for diving doubles? I have ANDI complete user Nitrox (up to 50% O2) and have some experience doing gas switches. I usually carry a small stage or pony bottle with me and fill it with a higher O2 concentration for a "wash gas" on accent. Now after doing my nitrox work I feel like moving to doubles so I can better take advantage of my nitrox. Where would you all start?

 

[Spectre]

Most deco procedures courses will cover doubles configuration and procedures, as well as a GUE Fundamentals class, or most cave instructors if you make arrangements with them during a cavern or intro class.

 

[Spoon]

Most deco procedures courses will cover doubles configuration and procedures, as well as a GUE Fundamentals class, or most cave instructors if you make arrangements with them during a cavern or intro class.

]

i dint learn this in my fundamental class

 

[Spectre]

i dint learn this in my fundamental class

Did you show up in doubles or ask your instructor to go over doubles configs and procedures?

 

[Spoon]

Did you show up in doubles?

nah we were only two in the class, both o singles .instructor showed us the mechs of isolator valves etc but as you mentioned could be done after the class if arranged.

 

[Daylonious]

I was just wondering if any body could tell me if there is any specific training for diving doubles? I have ANDI complete user Nitrox (up to 50% O2) and have some experience doing gas switches. I usually carry a small stage or pony bottle with me and fill it with a higher O2 concentration for a "wash gas" on accent. Now after doing my nitrox work I feel like moving to doubles so I can better take advantage of my nitrox. Where would you all start?

Short answer, yes. I was first exposed to diving doubles in my deco / adv nitrox technical cert class. You definately should learn from an instructor instead of trying out doubles for yourself. The big thing I learned my first time out is that you need WAAAAY more air in your wings to go neutral than you think.

The other scary thing is that it is possible to roll off a boat wearing doubles, and you can literally descend faster than your power inflator can compensate for. You can have it mashed down and still drop like a rock. That alone was scary enough for me to take a class.

Just my two cents..

D.

p.s. my first dive with doubles, we descended in about 20 feet of water (lake travis) I saw the ground coming up and gave a little "pfft" into my inflator thinking that would do the trick - lol! no chance. I augured into the mud like I was plowing for catfish or something. So don't feel bad if you "crater" into the bottom your first time...

 

[Spoon]

Short answer, yes. I was first exposed to diving doubles in my deco / adv nitrox technical cert class. You definately should learn from an instructor instead of trying out doubles for yourself. The big thing I learned my first time out is that you need WAAAAY more air in your wings to go neutral than you think.

The other scary thing is that it is possible to roll off a boat wearing doubles, and you can literally descend faster than your power inflator can compensate for. You can have it mashed down and still drop like a rock. That alone was scary enough for me to take a class.

Just my two cents..

D.

p.s. my first dive with doubles, we descended in about 20 feet of water (lake travis) I saw the ground coming up and gave a little "pfft" into my inflator thinking that would do the trick - lol! no chance. I augured into the mud like I was plowing for catfish or something. So don't feel bad if you "crater" into the bottom your first time...

thanks, i almost made the mistake of attempting to dive on the ocean with doubles for the first time without prior experience. i though that it was a no brainer til my instructor told me to wait for him to train me. glad i listened to him

 

[Daylonious]

Wow!

Someone right this down! I actually gave good diving advice to someone for the first time!

Yup, course director here I come!

Seriously tho..glad I could help.

D>

 

[Daylonious]

Forgot to add one thing:

When you're diving doubles, it's usually a deco dive, and you train to use a deco bottle with 100% o2 in it. My instructor told me to make sure you don't switch to the deco bottle under 20 feet.

"Why's that?"

"Because oxygen gets poisonous at depth and you'll go into convulsions and die.."

"Oh. Okay. Important safety tip there. Note to self: switching early to deco bottle = bad. Good to know."

D.

 

[radinator]

p.s. my first dive with doubles, we descended in about 20 feet of water (lake travis) I saw the ground coming up and gave a little "pfft" into my inflator thinking that would do the trick - lol! no chance. I augured into the mud like I was plowing for catfish or something. So don't feel bad if you "crater" into the bottom your first time...

Sounds like my first experience with doubles. In fact, everyone I've talked to about diving doubles report the same first experience.