These past few responses have been stellar. Thanks for the thoughts.
As AquaW mentioned, you really can't begin to scratch the bottom? of NJ wreck diving without getting into decompression. Many of the larger wrecks lie in deeper water, and to spend some worthwhile time on these you have to start thinking about decompression. Which is what I'm doing. I deal with a great shop (Divers Two in Avon-By-The-Sea, NJ) and they employ some of the most talented instructors around, especially when it coms to technical diving. I like getting opinions and feelings from various sources though, hence the reason for this thread.
Onto some questions posed, and my feelings...
The boat(s) I dive off are well equipped to handle doubles, so that won't be an issue. I'm still young (22) and in pretty good shape. The extra weight is something I can handle at this point. As for shore diving with doubles, perhaps I mislead, most of the shore dives are done in water that is 20fsw deep or less. Using double 95s for that is something I just would rather not do.
If there is one key point that I take from all the posts thus far is that decompression diving requires proper training, equipment, and a certain mentality. When the time comes that I want to get into decompression diving I certainly have a good sense of what to expect and how to go about it. Thanks.
In the meantime (read while I amass more funding) I need to increase my gas volume allow me to reach the maximum limits of my NDLs as provided by the Nitrox I'm diving ($15 a fill). The best way I can figure to do that is to take my four tanks and dive them as 3 sets of independent doubles (for potentially 3 boat dives). In practice, I would take 2 full 95s on my first dive, breathe them down in increments of 500 psi. At the end of dive number one I would have one tank with 1500 psi and one with 500 psi (i'd breathe the last 1000 psi off a single 95). For dive two I would take a fresh tank and the 1500 psi tank from dive one and breathe the full tank down to 1500, then switch off to the half full (always an optimist) tank from the first dive, and breathe the final 1000 off that. For dive numero tre I would simply repeat the same procedure as with dive #1.
The first thought is probably, my that's an awfully complicated amount of gas management. I don't think it is though, and I think the same level of competency in gas management and ability would be required for decompression/technical diving anyway. I think I'd also sling my 30cft which I'm currently using as a pony. Aside from it offering me another redundant air source, I think it'll get me used to diving with bottles in that configuration.
The whole thing seems like it could work, and would allow me to accomplish my immediate goals without a huge investment, while also not limiting me in my variability when it comes to gear configuration (I.e. single tank shore diving).
Any thoughts, are as always, welcome.
