Hybrid Tech

[ND5342]

Planning!

Sorry should have said unplanned repair or service!

 

[MichaelMc]

Whilst doubles are the standard (I get that), at my age I find them just too heavy to haul around but the idea of creating a "component" approach to tek diving makes sense to me as I can carry the various components much more easily.

What about independent doubles with a strap kit instead of steel bands. Then you can strap it together dockside on the boat. Once assembled it seems easier to manage than sidemount and the third bottle can be on the left. Reg switching would be just like sidemount but carried on the back.

Assuming you're going from bench to water fully kitted already anyway.

 

[tbone1004]

Good question. I know I have that option but what if my rebreather head is in for service during the high point of my dive season? Also I would like to get the training and experience in open circuit decompression diving without having to spend money on gear that I may hardly use. (sidemount bcd, doubles wing, manifold) My bailouts will always be ready and available and the 130 would be fine for teaching open water students for two dives without having to switch out tanks in between.

Sorry should have said unplanned repair or service!

have a reliable rebreather?

I think that there is a lot to be said about starting in the basic configuration and then deviating from there. Get proficient and trained in a normal doubles configuration, then you can adapt as necessary. It's a lot better IMO to have a solid and "normal" baseline, then move around as needed than it is to start on a strange path.

That said, a good CCR course is going to have you doing much/most of your ascents on open circuit which is the important part, particularly with gas switches and what not. You can also continue that practice by doing the gas switches and plugging your offboard bottles into the rebreather.

 

[ND5342]

have a reliable rebreather?

Is there such a thing in ECCR?! As soon as you plan that bucket list dive the rebreather decides it does not want to play. Makes me think of learning to use a MCCR and designing an aftermarket head to plumb in a Shearwater Petrel and add a needle valve!

 

[grantctobin]

Is there such a thing in ECCR?! As soon as you plan that bucket list dive the rebreather decides it does not want to play. Makes me think of learning to use a MCCR and designing an aftermarket head to plumb in a Shearwater Petrel and add a needle valve!

Or just getting an MCCR with a hardwired Shearwater and a needle valve.

 

[ND5342]

Or just getting an MCCR with a hardwired Shearwater and a needle valve.

Touche. But what's the fun in that!

 

[rjack321]

I am currently a rebreather diver with no official recreational decompression training as of yet. However I am a retired Navy Diver who was trained in surface supply decompression diving and the Mk-16 rebreather so I do have some background in gas planning. However I have not done Mod 2 or Deco procedures yet. Since I have no real desire to dive with heavy doubles and since I mostly dive with friends in the northeast off of six pack size boats going sidemount is really not an option, I would like to explore this configuration as well.

I am looking into Deco training this year but would like to do either Helitrox or air Deco procedures on normal scuba first. However I would like to keep my gear configuration as close to my rebreather configuration as possible.

Now hear me out and keep an open mind. I was thinking along the same lines as the OP with diving a large single 130 with an 80 slung on my left side sidemounted and a 40 with deco gas sidemounted on the right side. (This is the way most of my rebreather buddies carry their deco bailout). The 130 would have the long hose and the 80 would have the short hose and be necklaced off as normal. I would run my 130 spg down over my left shoulder and would use a sidemounted SPG variation on the 80.

As far as gas management plan, I was thinking I would breathe on the long hose from the surface to the bottom. Switch to the short hose till my my rock bottom reserve for me is left in the 80 and switch back to the long hose till rock bottom for the reserve left for the buddy and my ascent gas to first deco stop.

So please I would like to hear feedback on this configuration and plan and if there are any Tech instructors who would be open to allowing a student to dive that way. I know this is not going to get me into the GUE world and may even be frowned upon in the cave diving community but I think the configuration has merit. It is essentially independent doubles albeit with different size doubles. I am carrying 210 cu ft of gas which is more than double 100s. I do not ever plan to go deeper than @ 150 ft with this configuration as I think a rebreather makes way more sense at that point.

Let the comments rip.

Any course is really just a license to learn. This rigging seems really convoluted to me... Do you have any buddies willing to dive with you this way? There is a bunch of gas switching which is hard to follow and likely to happen at non-standard times and are you going to be able to get a buddy to confirm those switches?

As much as I encourage people to get a solid foundation in OC technical diving before progressing to a CCR, diving this way does not seem to be especially solid and its not a smooth carryover to your CCR either. I would either use an OC setup which is typical for your area or if not that then the global hogarthian default (hopefully they are the same, but some regions have their quirks). If not that then your CCR. Definitely don't make up some system, that is likely new to even your instructor, just for your class.

 

[tbone1004]

Is there such a thing in ECCR?! As soon as you plan that bucket list dive the rebreather decides it does not want to play. Makes me think of learning to use a MCCR and designing an aftermarket head to plumb in a Shearwater Petrel and add a needle valve!

or just put a leaky valve of some variety in as your O2 MAV and call it a day and make it a hybrid unit...

 

[rjack321]

or just put a leaky valve of some variety in as your O2 MAV and call it a day and make it a hybrid unit...

Nothing like having the worst of both worlds!

Lol

 

[divezonescuba]

This is what PADI actual says about tec 40 and tec 40 configurations alone. This does not apply to any other courses.

• Any one of the following appropriately labeled and marked options:
• A single cylinder with a dual outlet valve (eg H valve or Y valve).
• A single cylinder with single outlet valve and a pony bottle. Pony bottle should have same gas as main cylinder, or be breathable at the deepest planned dive depth. The minimum size cylinder is one with a free gas capacity of 850 litres/30 cubic feet.
• Back mounted doubles with dual isolator manifold
• Two side mounted cylinders

• Stage/deco cylinder with attachment hardware and a single second stage regulator and SPG.

it’s my understanding that the all left OC configuration has to do with leaving the right Side free for a scooter and consistency in gas switching.

Many agencies allow LLRR, but not GUE and the like.

If someone can’t LLRR without having a long hose donation problem than it’s a skill problem.