First liveaboard advice

[O-ring]

I haven't done the panga shuffle before, but I have an inflator flow meter (OMS) that would work ok for this setup. If I were going to do it I would bring my analyzer on the panga in its pelican case, hook everything up, snap the flow meter on my inflator hose and then test. Keeping it in the pelican case should keep it dry on the panga, but it would still be a hassle.

 

[MrBigfins]

Do they have the analyzer on the panga? And on the Aggressor is it a panga or zodiak for anyone who can chime in?

 

[Hoag]

Do they have the analyzer on the panga? And on the Aggressor is it a panga or zodiak for anyone who can chime in?

Perhaps for answers to questions that specific, your best bet would be to contact Aggressor directly.

Based on the Socorro Aggressor's website, it would appear that they use "RHIBs" (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats). As to whether they are "Zodiacs" or another brand, I have no clue.

Look at about 4 seconds and again at 1:05 into this video.

 

[MrBigfins]

Perhaps for answers to questions that specific, your best bet would be to contact Aggressor directly.

Based on the Socorro Aggressor's website, it would appear that they use "RHIBs" (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats). As to whether they are "Zodics" or another brand, I have no clue.

Look at about 4 seconds and again at 1:05 into this video.

Was using zodiak generically, from my other research it was RHIBs. That's why I was asking. Thanks

 

[MrBigfins]

Perhaps for answers to questions that specific, your best bet would be to contact Aggressor directly.

Based on the Socorro Aggressor's website, it would appear that they use "RHIBs" (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats). As to whether they are "Zodiacs" or another brand, I have no clue.

Look at about 4 seconds and again at 1:05 into this video.

Cool video, thanks for the link

 

[rongoodman]

The Cocos crews call them pangas, but they're RHIBs. I don't know what brand, though. The ones at Socorros appear similar. It looks like the ladders are sturdy enough to climb with gear on but I'd love to hear confirmation from someone who's been there.

 

[MrBigfins]

The Cocos crews call them pangas, but they're RHIBs. I don't know what brand, though. The ones at Socorros appear similar. It looks like the ladders are sturdy enough to climb with gear on but I'd love to hear confirmation from someone who's been there.

I know in some places that they are actually pangas, hence why I asked for clarification. One of the videos I watched showed divers boarding with gear.

 

[UTscuba]

Do they have the analyzer on the panga? And on the Aggressor is it a panga or zodiak for anyone who can chime in?

I'd say it was highly unlikely, the Vortex did not.

It's a balance of risk, having something non absolutely essential like an O2 analyser (and fragile unless in a pelican case) for the dive on the boat is a tripping hazard.

The panga's are pretty unstable and you don't want people moving weight around (themselves or their tanks) while the boat's in motion.

You can't get on and off the panga while it's attached to the boat, because they're usually just brought alongside to load divers before heading off to the dive site.

If eight people decide they want to all start testing their tanks while the panga's in motion it would likely end in a disaster,

plus tanks bcds and regs are checked by the crew before the boat is loaded so if you're dismantling your first stage to test then you're throwing a very tight schedule off by a few minutes. Each boat (Agressor/Vortex etc) gets an hour at the dive site before it's the next boat's place in the line.

Then you're diving off a panga in a heavy swell into what's usually a fast current so you're going in negative and all divers at the same time so you all descend in roughly the same place. So there's no margin for error on the exit from the boat and often the boat only has a minute or less at the dive site for all the divers to exit before the current and waves push the boat off the optimum site, so there's no time to be checking gases at that point either. Roca Partida is a case in point, you need to drop very close to the wall or you risk being sucked out into the blue and halfway to Australia, but the panga can't hang around by the wall in case it gets pushed onto the rocks.

 

[O-ring]

Not suggesting this is a good idea, but I am on an Aggressor in a couple months and I have no plans to bring my analyzer. No space in my bags and it seems like a total CF so it would likely stay in my cabin after the first attempt to use it. If I think their competency level is questionable I'll either switch to air or grab the duct tape out of my save a dive kit and tape my regulator to my head and hope that it holds if I tox.

 

[MrBigfins]

Not suggesting this is a good idea, but I am on an Aggressor in a couple months and I have no plans to bring my analyzer. No space in my bags and it seems like a total CF so it would likely stay in my cabin after the first attempt to use it. If I think their competency level is questionable I'll either switch to air or grab the duct tape out of my save a dive kit and tape my regulator to my head and hope that it holds if I tox.

I'm debating on bringing one as trusting anyone that much makes my brain scream "what are you thinking?" But I'm not real comfortable leaving it on the RHIB either and with the tight space I can't think of a solid solution to keep it safe, dry, and out of the way.