Flower Gardens -- Nitrox or not?

[redacted]

When I pull off a dive in OW I plan it so that have 1 & 1/2 times the needed gas. So to answer your question' If I plan to use 60 cf I will enter the water with 90cf.

go to this website http://www.caveadventurers.com/fills.aspx and Now you have.



The Boats tank racks are set up for 7.25 and 8.00 tanks. My LP 121 with a Y-valve takes up much less bench space than a 80 with a pony Tank attached.



Dave

What you are asking for is special consideration from the dive operator. I believe their normal procedures are designed to avoid conflicts with their dive schedules (1st day: 5 dives of not more than about 1 hour with 2.5 hour surface intervals). Divers on air are basically NDL limited but NO2 divers are usually gas limited. Larger tanks could leave the NO2 divers also NDL limited and interfere with the normal dive schedule. But the op is fairly accomodating so you could always plead your case. Keep your bottom times compatible with their dive schedule or be prepared to miss a dive if you get off schedule and they might accept that larger tank. There may also be a problem with storing larger tanks as the boats are quite crowded and the racks are designed for Al 80s. I don't think I've ever seen them reject reasonable requests but with 34 divers, there is just not a lot of room for too many special accomodations.

 

[Firefyter]

Yes, that's correct. It's not about how much you use, it's about the tank size. So yes, size does matter.

(Firefyter- stop that grinning. I don't mean it like that.)

Who, Me???? I am sooo misunderstood.......... :54:

I can see it now here come the long hose comments. LOL

I'm not gonna touch that one with a 7 ft........hose

 

[Teknadv3x]

What you are asking for is special consideration from the dive operator. I believe their normal procedures are designed to avoid conflicts with their dive schedules (1st day: 5 dives of not more than about 1 hour with 2.5 hour surface intervals). Divers on air are basically NDL limited but NO2 divers are usually gas limited. Larger tanks could leave the NO2 divers also NDL limited and interfere with the normal dive schedule. But the op is fairly accomodating so you could always plead your case. Keep your bottom times compatible with their dive schedule or be prepared to miss a dive if you get off schedule and they might accept that larger tank. There may also be a problem with storing larger tanks as the boats are quite crowded and the racks are designed for Al 80s. I don't think I've ever seen them reject reasonable requests but with 34 divers, there is just not a lot of room for too many special accomodations.

You make a valid point and I agree 100%, The boat has 34 divers that it is trying to get in and out of the water and stay on schedule . If runtimes are a problem with people than look at the runtime on their computer as they exit & if they exceed 60 minutes they can sit out the next dive. Not get charged an extra 95.00 for the size of the tank they are using. Just cause I have a larger capacity tank does not mean that I am consuming more. The reason I dive a 121 cf with a y-valve is for safety and to achieve stress free diving, if I need the gas I got it. Which is my point.
Just to clarify: I am not asking for any special consideration at all. I have no problem to keep my runtimes less then 60 minutes or what ever it takes to keep everyone on schedule. In the past I went on 1-2 trips a year for 5 years in row when it was Rinn boats and at that time I was diving doubles on the trips and never stalled a trip schedule once.
The bottom line is my diving enjoyment is much higher when I am sporting a 121 versus a 80cf and in addition if the stuff hits the fan I would much rather have a 121cf than a 80cf to sort things out . Ask the captains what size tanks the crew members on the boats prefer and use. Lets see how many are using 80s.


Dave

 

[archman]

The Al 6351 cylinders are prohibited.
TwoBit

What?!

 

[ReefHound]

Dave, good points but you don't need to convince us, you need to convince the captain.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

What?!

The older "bad alloy" aluminum cylinders are prohibited.

TwoBit

 

[Cudabait]

Divewookie???

Regards,

 

[Wookie]

in pm's to the individuals in question. 6351 aluminum cylinders will not be filled on Gulf Diving boats, but a loaner al-80 will be offered to the diver that brings one. Nitrox cylinders larger than 100 cf will continue to be chrged double. It's not the dive times, but the recharge time.

 

[Debraw]

Ahh that's right, the fill process....:bonk: . It takes most or all of that 2.5 hours between dives to fill the tanks now at 80CFT majority. One or two 120CFT tanks, not so bad, thirty 120 CFT tanks???? Yikes!

You know another point is if you need that big of a tank to do a dive on, maybe it's time for a cardio workout and a few yoga classes. :1poke:

I understand diver safety also and I know that's the point you were trying to make Teknadv3x.