Diving Doubles?

[CuriousRambler]

I swear I saw a post on this at one point, but as usual, the search function doesn't return much of anything for me.

Anyway, I'm curious about diving doubles. Obviously for penetrations and such people use doubles, but there seems to be a gap somewhere, at least as far as I see. Double tanks don't seem to me like it's one of those pieces of equipment you just pick up and figure out like a spool or new camera, but where do you actually get introduced to diving doubles? Do you get your first experience with it in cave/wreck penetration or deep diving classes? I obviously don't know what certifications every diver out there carries, but there seems to be at least a decent number of "standard" rec divers toting doubles, who appear to have no tec training.

I don't plan on jumping into them yet, I've got plenty to work on before that, but I see no harm in learning about something, even if you have no plans to partake in it in the near future. What course (if any) introduces you to diving doubles, isolation manifolds, etc?

 

[TSandM]

Well, I'm taking a "doubles mini" from 5thD-X in June. It's a one day, two dive course specifically to introduce a diver to diving doubles. It's the only one of its kind that I know about.

I think a lot of people (myself included) start learning about doubles by talking to people who dive them and asking lots of questions, and by reading. Then you hook up with somebody who can help you set them up and start playing with them, as I'm doing Friday with rjack. Then you take some kind of introductory tech class, whether that's Fundies in doubles, NAUI Intro to Tech, or a basic technical diving class from some other agency.

From my naive perspective, it appears that the further you get into this stuff, the more dependent on mentors you become. The classes are intense and expensive and frequently not locally available, and all the rest depends on finding some folks to offer guidance.

Oh, and of course, you have to have some REASON to move into doubles. I'm doing it because I want to take cave training. Others do it because they are moving into diving deep wrecks or other decompression diving. It's an expensive and complicated (not to mention heavy) step to take unless there's a good reason to do it.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

My first experience in doubles was during my Decompression Procedures and Advanced Nitrox class. This was with an instructor, and I had somthing more than 100 dives total.

Some divers can dive doubles sooner, some would be well advised to wait longer, it all depends on lots of different factors.

I have spoken with a few divers about their transition to doubles, some would call this mentoring, some would simply say it was an enjoyable and informative conversation. I have been in the water with one specific diver for his first time in doubles, and then with that same diver for his 4th and 5th doubles dive.

Doubles introduce LOTS of new things. Double regulators, the manifold, added bulk and weight, balance and trim issues, possibly the first use of a back plate, the list goes on and on.

There are divers who have made the transition without specific instruction or mentoring, but I would guess it is harder.

Best of luck in your quest,

Mark Vlahos

 

[CuriousRambler]

That's kind of what I was seeing. I looked at taking PADI's tech intro from Deep Blue on Utila if I get a trip together, but I think even just the intro class is a bit ahead of my experience at this time. From all I could gather, a lot of people just picked up doubles and did figure it out on their own, be it through reading, an experienced partner, or whatever else. I like the idea of going deeper for wrecks and stuff, but again - way out of my league at this point. I kind of figured taking a class that will teach you deco procedures would teach you about the gear needed for it.

I don't think I'm ready to pick up anything like wreck penetration, deep diving, or caves. I do think I'll be plenty ready to learn another piece of equipment before I'm ready to start penetrating wrecks though, so maybe I can try to figure out the doubles and get comfortable diving them before I get into the more intense training for overheads. You can always surface with extra gas and use it on a later dive. Kind of a waste to dive doubles and stay in NDL, as you'll certainly load nitrogen before you drain your tanks, but it's a way to learn the equipment. If nothing else it's an outlet for any money that might otherwise go to something important, like the phone bill!

Mark, you posted while I was typing heh, what agency was the advanced nitrox & deco through? I was kind of looking for something more along those lines, but can't find anything locally..

 

[Mark Vlahos]

The large quantity of gas available with some double cylinders can actually get you into lots of trouble, and is one of the things that an instructor or good mentor can help you with. For me, my double 130's are good for about 3 dives with a buddy who has a similar air consumption rate, if that buddy is using a standard AL80.

Mark Vlahos

 

[CuriousRambler]

Yeah, I've got a loose understanding of trimix and nitrox, plus deco gasses, but I can't imagine anyone would actually have doubles full of a deco gas..I'm hoping to take my nitrox this summer, and I plan to buy an analyzer kit shortly after. The more I learn, the more gear I want haha. Especially now that I know trimix mixes can be hypoxic above certain depths, I've started liking the idea of analyzing my own gas, no matter what I'm asking to have it filled as, clean air, nitrox or otherwise...

 

[PerroneFord]

This is a very interesting subject to me. I picked up doubles around dive 10. Yes 10. I took a nitrox class, and was curious about diving double tanks. My instructor put me in an old set of 72s with a straight-bar, and a single yoke connection.

His reasoning for this was that as he was trying to teach me, he wasn't getting the time he wanted with me in the water. My consumption early in the dive was very high, and it was taking me a while to settle down. So for me, the added gas in the tanks was just enough.

I got to try a set of LP95s in the pool with a large wing (DR Classic) and coming from my 27# wing, I felt like I was driving an old bus around! Very different feel. Shortly thereafter, I bought a set of used AL80 doubles from a friend, and bought a DR Classic wing, and started practicing in the pool. On my first OW dives with the doubles, I found that they gave me time to get past my early anxieties, and begin to relax underwater without burning through my tanks. It has been a thoroughly positive experience for me, but might not be for others. The costs were higher of course, as you need two of many things. The weight is a factor. The fills are more costly, and you tend to cut your number of dives in half since you're essentially getting 2 for 1. The buoyancy control in the water is harder, but they are more stable.

I did some single tank diving this month, and was surprised at how strange it felt. I could roll easily side to side and really had to focus to NOT do that when it wasn't intended. I was much faster in the water, and could really glide.

I think after this summer, I'll go back to single tank diving for a while. Finish up that regulator set so I don't have to swap components with my doubles regs.

So there are benefits to both setups, and getting into doubles doesn't have to be hard or strange. Just be prepared for it to feel very "different" for a while.

 

[grazie42]

My OW instructor used doubles in class and did decodives when my LDS made went on trips. I didn´t really think about it until I saw a diver on a liveaboard who dove "independents" (I know) and who seemed to be more "in the zone" than the DM on the boat. I did a few dives with him and asked a lot of questions (propably more than a few stupid ones) and he was nice enough to answer them and a few I hadn´t thought about.

When I got back home I booked some entry-level tech courses, took those (in borrowed doubles), bought my own doubles (from my OW instructor), dived all I could, took some more courses and dived even more...

Doubles are starting to become very common here in a way they weren´t when I started on "the path"...There´s almost always a few people with doubles on the rec-boats these days, doing recreational dives...I think the "tech label" has dropped from all the "good" eqiupment and people feel ok using "the best gear for the job", instead of thinking about whether it´s tech or rec...

If you´re interested in getting used to them, talk to someone who dives doubles, I´m sure they´ll be happy to talk and help you...for me it´s about "paying it forward"...

 

[TSandM]

for me it´s about "paying it forward"...

That's one of the wonderful things about diving . . . It seems to be full of people who feel that way!

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Mark, you posted while I was typing heh, what agency was the advanced nitrox & deco through? I was kind of looking for something more along those lines, but can't find anything locally..

Sorry, the board has been sluggish today, I hope this post makes it.

I have Basic Nitrox, Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures, all with TDI.

I have Cavern through Full Cave with both TDI and NACD.

My basic open water and advanced open water are with PADI.

Mark Vlahos