Is it really worth the risk?

[Darol]

I have read this forum, and have to ask, is it really worth the risk?

Australian hyperbaric physician Dr. Andrew Fock, who is a very accomplished rebreather diver and gave a riveting presentation at Oztek last year in which he estimated that the risk of dying on a rebreather could be as high as 10 times that of open circuit scuba, based on fatalities from all the available data bases such as DAN, BSAC etc. Does that give you pause?

Fock presented a probabilistic analysis that rebreathers were roughly 20 times more likely to fail than an open circuit set of double tanks, so carrying sufficient bailout is essential.

FTR I have dove most everything but a CCR. Input appreciated, I read over 180 people have died using them.

 

[pensacolaracer]

That's a very open ended question you posed.

Also, your statement that over 180 people have died on them is lacking context.

Are you saying that less than 180 people have died on open circuit?

 

[boulderjohn]

Are you saying that less than 180 people have died on open circuit?

While I am not taking sides in this debate, a comparison of the total number of people dying on OC VS the total number of people dying on CCR would only make sense if the same number of people were diving on each system. If the number of people diving on OC were 100 times the number of people diving on CCR, then 180 CCR fatalities would correspond to 18,000 OC fatalities.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

If you have to ask, the answer is probably not. For those I know who dive them, the bulk are people who hit the end of what they find logistically sensible on OC (myself included). Which is not to say you can't do those dives on OC, too, just that it's far enough along a spectrum that the CCR seems to be more benefit than risk.

Are there some people diving them purely for marine life interaction or cool factor, on dives that are either "light" tech or recreational? Of course. And for them, the risks are clearly worth it, too. For me, no, not so much. But it's your ass on the line, so it's your call.

 

[wedivebc]

Considering that the people who feel it is worth the risk are a decided minority on this forum you will get a rather skewed result compared to a forum that is pro rebreather but let me say risk assessment is a personal thing and everyone has their own risk/reward scale.

 

[PfcAJ]

I have read this forum, and have to ask, is it really worth the risk?






FTR I have dove most everything but a CCR. Input appreciated, I read over 180 people have died using them.

Depends on the dive. For 90% (maybe more) of divers, I'd say absolutely not worth the risk. For the remaining 10%, I'd argue that SCR is generally a better tool, with CCR being reserved for very remote diving and very deep ocean stuff.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Depends on the dive. For 90% (maybe more) of divers, I'd say absolutely not worth the risk. For the remaining 10%, I'd argue that SCR is generally a better tool, with CCR being reserved for very remote diving and very deep ocean stuff.

Credited. Because of the massively different bail-out considerations, I think whether you're in a cave is probably one of the biggest forks in the 'does CCR provide real net benefits for my dive?' decision tree. Using OC for half an hour at 100m in the open ocean or inside a wreck from which you can extricate yourself in a reasonable amount of time just seems nuts to me. A cave, totally different logistics, risks, and conclusions.

 

[Scott]

My CCR experience has been limited to a 12 foot pool for 40 minutes with my wife and a few friends, the risk was small.
Announcing to my wife that I was considering purchasing a CCR and training increased the risk of an accident.
Bringing one home at this time would be deadly.

I had the worth the risk conversation with a couple of CCR cave students and instructors while I was in Florida for OC cave earlier this year.
What I got from the conversations were, everyone's risk tolerance is different. One thing that stood out was the preparation of the equipment and mind. Take no short cuts.

Off to reduce the risk of death.

 

[PfcAJ]

Credited. Because of the massively different bail-out considerations, I think whether you're in a cave is probably one of the biggest forks in the 'does CCR provide real net benefits for my dive?' decision tree. Using OC for half an hour at 100m in the open ocean or inside a wreck from which you can extricate yourself in a reasonable amount of time just seems nuts to me. A cave, totally different logistics, risks, and conclusions.

300ft of anything is pretty firmly in rebreather territory in my mind. In OW, I think rebreathers really start to shine deeper than about 250' where the reserve gas requirements start to become difficult for a diver to carry cleanly. You can make a convincing argument for 200ft-ish dives, but much shallower than that and the argument gets weaker and weaker, imo,

Cave diving certainly changes the deal.

 

[Chugwhump]

For me,
They are not worth the risk, the expense, and the work.
I just don't have the kind of patience needed to do it right, correctly, safely, or without killing myself.
I have no issue with others using this technology.
I would just prefer that those who do use Rebreathers carry outstanding life insurance so that their families will be adequately provided for financially in the event of their death.
Heck...
If I end up dead on O.C. SCUBA my wife will get a huge raise.

Chug
Straps it on, jumps in, has fun.