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Diving Doubles
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waterpirate
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The route I took was to find the tech instructor I wanted to train me 1 year prior to taking the class. I had several meetings discussing gear choice, size of doubles based on current sac rate vs. depth and time I hoped to achieve later. This also included hose routing, wing choice and selection of deco tank. I dove this rig at rec limits for about 50 dives prior to the class. When class time arrived I got to concentrate on skills, not trim and comfort.
Eric
Eric
I recently purchased a set of hp130's and have not had any formal training with them. I understand to and I am capable of doing valve shutdown drills as well. The reason I started diving doubles is bc I am 6'7" and weigh 325lbs with a very poor sac rate bc of my size, and the fact that I want to get into tec diving in the future. As for right now I am planning on taking the GUE fundies class as soon as possible.
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My guess is that you need to learn to relax more muscles ....325 pounds/bigger muscle mass than a 170 pound diver could easily exaggerate a large increase in ventilation required, BUT does not mean you need all your muscles working/contracting/wasting oxygen...my expectation would be that you could get a major change in your sac rate ....since you have not gotten this alReady, try using a heart rate monitor (most will require fresh water to function well)....once you settle a minute or so after decsending, start watching your heart rate and relax until it falls below 80, and at some point get it below 70....work on fitness if resting heart rate is higher than 80....
The lower you can keep your heart rate, the more efficient you will become at moving through the water without wasting gas.
Another way to accomplish this is through free diving ....this requires optimal propulsion skills, pErfect trim and no drag, and excellent relaxation.
I disagree strongly with the idea that you should be using the 130's....there are plenty of big divers that do great with dual 80's...meaning they figured out how to optimize muscle use and to stay relaxed-- and got slick in the water.
And get some C 4 mustang free diving fins fOr e.efficient propulsion even for your size.
ReGards,
DanV
nwgarne, I think Fundies is a great idea. Can you perhaps make an appointment with the instructor and get out for a dive or two beforehand? Getting some feedback on your efficiency in the water could make the class far easier for you.
I agree with Mr. Volker. Although your gas consumption will never equal mine (because I'm half your size) it can probably be improved with better efficiency and quietness in the water. Remember that, although the 130s give you more gas, they are also a lot more mass to push through the water!
I agree with Mr. Volker. Although your gas consumption will never equal mine (because I'm half your size) it can probably be improved with better efficiency and quietness in the water. Remember that, although the 130s give you more gas, they are also a lot more mass to push through the water!
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It's very common to see advice to use a larger single tank in "should I dive doubles" threads. That's something I've never understood. I dive double Faber 100's (very heavy tanks) routinely regardless of whether I need the advantages of doubles on the particular dive, because I find my ability to trim flat and maintain stability in the water is much better with that set up than with a single. Diving doubles, I feel almost like I am lightly suspended from a very stable platform that's above me. This may be something that's related to size; I'm 6'4" and 280#, part muscle, part bioprene, so mileage may vary. But I find doubles, despite the weight, to be a much more stable, comfortable way to dive.
Sas
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I dive twin Faber 100s too (I would say they are not very heavy, unless I have things like tail weights and so on attached to them
). I find them stable and my trim is fine, no better or worse than single tank however much prefer single tank due to the much lower drag when swimming around. I don't find single tanks unstable or anything like that, it's just easier to maneuver in them. I don't understand how one could find it harder to use single over doubles unless they are not set up correctly with weight placing and so on for someone? I am 5'10" and 170lb, in contrast. Basically I think another reason to recommend a larger single tank over a doubles set up to a newer diver is that most divers do not continue diving for very long and also have not worked out what kind of equipment they prefer. I have seen a bunch of people fork out heaps for a twinset early and end up barely using it. It makes sense to me for someone who is interested in twins to try out different types from friends (if one dives actively it is easy to find people who will loan gear in my experience), work out what they want and in the mean time they'll find their SAC improve and also work out if they are going to put their twins to good use...
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