DIR- GUE GUE CCR Discussion (split from Tec Pass Thread)

[flymolo]

a set of 85s on a rack is way less fatiguing over long distance than a set of 50s. The 85s track way better than the smaller tanks and stages to make up the difference in volume.

deep and far? Absolutely miss me with that 50 nonsense.

@PfcAJ - what do you mean a set of 85s is less fatiguing than a set of 50s? Are you saying the in-water buoyancy characteristics are somehow better? I could see how eliminating the stages you'd carry to increase bailout radius with 50s, in favor of some larger back-mounted tanks, translates to less drag in the water, just wasn't sure if there was more to it.

 

[tbone1004]

@PfcAJ - what do you mean a set of 85s is less fatiguing than a set of 50s? Are you saying the in-water buoyancy characteristics are somehow better? I could see how eliminating the stages you'd carry to increase bailout radius with 50s, in favor of some larger back-mounted tanks, translates to less drag in the water, just wasn't sure if there was more to it.

I think @PfcAJ is saying that a pair of 85's alone behave better than 50's+stage. Which I agree with and is the reason that my primary bottles for both sidemount and twins are LP121's. I was just commenting that the rig at the surface is going to be a mountain to move, but in water the benefits are probably there. I don't have the experience with that configuration to comment from experience, but it makes sense and holds true with the experience I do have.

 

[PfcAJ]

@PfcAJ - what do you mean a set of 85s is less fatiguing than a set of 50s? Are you saying the in-water buoyancy characteristics are somehow better? I could see how eliminating the stages you'd carry to increase bailout radius with 50s, in favor of some larger back-mounted tanks, translates to less drag in the water, just wasn't sure if there was more to it.

Once you get the 85s goin, they just go. The 50s are a bit more squirrely.

And if you take a stage to make up the volume difference, that’s another piece of kit adding drag.

 

[flymolo]

Once you get the 85s goin, they just go. The 50s are a bit more squirrely.

And if you take a stage to make up the volume difference, that’s another piece of kit adding drag.

Interesting, thanks. Sort of related, but for anyone diving with lp85s as sidemounted bailouts, do you have any preference between worthingtons and fabers? I have a set of worthies I could break into single tanks for bailout, just wondering if those will be too heavy.

Also apologies if this is a bit of a hijack considering the original topic.

 

[grantctobin]

Interesting, thanks. Sort of related, but for anyone diving with lp85s as sidemounted bailouts, do you have any preference between worthingtons and fabers? I have a set of worthies I could break into single tanks for bailout, just wondering if those will be too heavy.

Also apologies if this is a bit of a hijack considering the original topic.

Depends on what gas you have in them. 18/45+Fabers are a dream. Anything with more He I'd probably go Worthingtons.

 

[rjack321]

Interesting, thanks. Sort of related, but for anyone diving with lp85s as sidemounted bailouts, do you have any preference between worthingtons and fabers? I have a set of worthies I could break into single tanks for bailout, just wondering if those will be too heavy.

Also apologies if this is a bit of a hijack considering the original topic.

The faber 85s are definitely floaty in the tails with mix in them. They are practically neutral in freshwater with 10/70, its like diving with 2 balloons on your sides - standing valve down and butt high. I actually put 2lbs of lead on mine to keep them in trim with 15/55 or greater.

I dont have any worthington 85s, but i have used PST and worthington hp100s and they are much more in trim with high helium mixes. But they hold less gas and are fatter so there's no free lunch.

 

[_Ralph]

Regarding GUE CCR1/2 and other CCR courses...

Back before CCR1 was official but still yelled aloud behind closed doors.... I was in the market for a rebreather, as getting helium is hard for me to get where I am.

I chatted with many instructors (Richard, Kirin, Guy) about the JJ, GUE’s program, what they could tell me about future programs etc.

I had some limited experience with several units in a pool, and had a list so to speak.

Since (at that time) you had to have T2 under your belt, and I didn’t have 30k just laying around, and access to 60+m depths in my backyard for the training and 25 dives, I looked elsewhere.

I ended up on a KISS unit (complete opposite to the JJ in every way), and picked my instructor based on several factors of experience directly with the same rebreather, not just because they can teach it. Talked about my goals and desires out of the unit (even talked about other units that may be ‘better’ for my diving and down the road)

I travelled to the opposite corner of the continent. Spent 6 long days in/around the water, and chatting anything and everything about that and other rebreathers, operation, dive planning and everything else in between.

Fast forward a few years and CCR1 comes out. An opportunity arose and I then travelled to a different continent to take CCR1 on a brand new (borrowed) unit.

The amount of in water training was very similar, the amount of provided material and discussion was less, but it was highly focused, as it blends in with the GUE system/dogma.

I took the course to understand the unit and other GUE teammates that I dive with in the water better.... I’d like to have a JJ, but my lack of immediate depth makes it not a high priority at this time, that and lack of funds.

I’d do that with other units that my other local divers use, but the lack of instruction (well there is an instructor, but I’m not the hugest fan of the end results) makes that a determent for me to understand the unit better to be a better teammate.

I don’t mean the take away to be that the GUE CCR program is the same as everyone else’s, just the program/instructor that I had has a very similar mindset, as understands what I was looking for, and what I could be able to do with the rebreather after the course.


_R