Looking for Guardian FFM to rent for child (also posted on OTS forum)

[mayesie]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone is offering the Guardian Full Face Scuba System on a rental basis? I have a 12-year old Daughter who is certified; I believe she’d benefit significantly from this. I primarily dive in Monterey Bay; I'm looking for a shop in the Bay Area.


Thanks!

 

[Herb-alaska]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone is offering the Guardian Full Face Scuba System on a rental basis? I have a 12-year old Daughter who is certified; I believe she’d benefit significantly from this. I primarily dive in Monterey Bay; I'm looking for a shop in the Bay Area.


Thanks!

I would think long and hard before I placed a child in a FFM. with a FFM you add to the task loading significantly, and I would not be sure that a child would have the experience or the maturity to handle it. I understand that every child is different however Like i said to start I would think long and hard on it and then only with professional training for the child.

FFM have special qualities like switching to a second reg means you also have to replace your mask with your back up mask. next if you flood your mask you also have lost your air supply so you have to clear your mask to obtain air. Clearing the mask is harder because the volume is larger. Clearing your ears is more difficult because you can not pinch your nose like you start out doing early in your diving career

Free flows also mean you have an issue with your regulator and your mask at the same time. Not only do you have bubbles everywhere, but you cant see them because you have to remove your mask so switch to your second.

For certain requirements a FFM can be very valuable. I use them in contaminated environments, as well as when I need comms. However just for a recreational dive I would not think that they are worth the effort. If you are wanting to add a ffm on a child because they have water in the face issues then you are setting the child up for a disaster when (not if) they have a FFM issue at depth.


Let us know why you need a FFM for the child.

 

[oly5050user]

IF a lds had ffm for rent (not very likely) they would want the person renting it to either be certified in its use or at the least have experience in it. You would have to at a minimum arrange a pool session with an instructor for the child in its use. As herb-alaska said "let us know why you need a FFM for the child"..

 

[mayesie]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all of the helpful feedback. I'm simply trying to find ways to help my Daughter become more interested in diving here in Monterey (she was OW certified this past June), as we've turned it into a family activity. As it currently stands, she really wants nothing to do with it (despite several accommodations), so I think a lot of the complaints regarding the standard mask and regulator are simply excuses for not going diving. She has excellent equipment and exposure protection, she knows I'm experienced enough to properly look after her, and she also knows I'm not going to pressure her in the water. On a couple of occasions, we went in the water and she couldn't descend due to equilization problems (she has allergies and has since received treatment). I don't get upset with her; we simply go back to shore and I tell her we can try again at a later time. I'm hopeful she'll be interested in trying out a DPV; we'll see how it goes.

So, to summarize, her gripes are 1) Cold Water (She has a Lavacore, Waterproof Taurus Semidry, AND BARE 5mm hooded vest), 2) Crappy vis (I tell her it gets better as you descend), 3) She doesn't like the way the mask and reg feels on her (I'm going to get her a smaller mouthpiece for her second stage), and 4) She doesn't like having all of that 'heavy crap' on (I carry it for her on the surface)!

The reality is that you have to be somewhat passionate about diving to do it here on a regular basis. The water is cold, and the vis is typically not what you'd find on the posters at your local dive shop (she was sure to also point that out to me)! I love diving Monterey, as it offers an ecosystem not found anywhere else. If I was told that I could only dive in Northern California for the rest of my life, I'd be perfectly ok with it.

After some additional thought, I’m inclined to agree that the FFM isn't the answer. I think she may simply need to get more comfortable in the water, which may enable her to get used to the standard equipment (i.e. mask / regulator) over time. I'll just need to continue to be patient and supportive, and wait this out. In my defense, she told me she was interested when I asked her if she'd like to learn scuba!

I'm happy to hear any suggestions that may help her feel better about scuba diving out here!

Thanks Again!
-ian

 

[oly5050user]

sounds like she is making excuses so as not to go..as to "heavy crap" , our little diver at the LDS (store owners 10 yo daughter,now turned 11 yo) has been going at it with no complaints.She carries her own gear,sets itup on her own, ,cleans it,puts it away,fills her own 50cu'/or 63cu' tank etc..she is not a big kid,just a normal active 11yo..she does prefer Bonaire over Dutch Springs quarry, but will do either.

 

[g1138]

Maybe she's just not interested in the ocean. A suggestion; take her to the Monterey Bay Aquarium next summer. June to Labor day they have a program called Underwater Explorers. She'll strap on a scuba unit and go surface scuba diving in the outdoor tidepool exhibit and get to learn and handle all the animals out there. Most kids really come out loving the ocean after that experience. All instructors working there have a professional rating and ratios are set 3:1 | kids:instructor.
Age limit is 8-13 though.
Did I mention the current gear is DUI drysuits in kids sizes and tanks are Al 19 & 40's, so she won't have to worry about the weight.


If you get her interested in the sea life she might be more inclined to put up with scuba's hardships.

 

[Herb-alaska]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all of the helpful feedback. I'm simply trying to find ways to help my Daughter become more interested in diving here in Monterey (she was OW certified this past June), as we've turned it into a family activity. As it currently stands, she really wants nothing to do with it (despite several accommodations), so I think a lot of the complaints regarding the standard mask and regulator are simply excuses for not going diving. She has excellent equipment and exposure protection, she knows I'm experienced enough to properly look after her, and she also knows I'm not going to pressure her in the water. On a couple of occasions, we went in the water and she couldn't descend due to equilization problems (she has allergies and has since received treatment). I don't get upset with her; we simply go back to shore and I tell her we can try again at a later time. I'm hopeful she'll be interested in trying out a DPV; we'll see how it goes.

So, to summarize, her gripes are 1) Cold Water (She has a Lavacore, Waterproof Taurus Semidry, AND BARE 5mm hooded vest), 2) Crappy vis (I tell her it gets better as you descend), 3) She doesn't like the way the mask and reg feels on her (I'm going to get her a smaller mouthpiece for her second stage), and 4) She doesn't like having all of that 'heavy crap' on (I carry it for her on the surface)!

The reality is that you have to be somewhat passionate about diving to do it here on a regular basis. The water is cold, and the vis is typically not what you'd find on the posters at your local dive shop (she was sure to also point that out to me)! I love diving Monterey, as it offers an ecosystem not found anywhere else. If I was told that I could only dive in Northern California for the rest of my life, I'd be perfectly ok with it.

After some additional thought, I’m inclined to agree that the FFM isn't the answer. I think she may simply need to get more comfortable in the water, which may enable her to get used to the standard equipment (i.e. mask / regulator) over time. I'll just need to continue to be patient and supportive, and wait this out. In my defense, she told me she was interested when I asked her if she'd like to learn scuba!

I'm happy to hear any suggestions that may help her feel better about scuba diving out here!

Thanks Again!
-ian

Take her bowling or whatever she really wants to do. If you push diving she may go but she wont enjoy it. I have 2 daughters one 22 one 25. The 25 year old loves to dive the 22 is well if you all are going I will go . She is certified but the bug just never bite her. Nothing wrong with that. Her attitude is once you been and done it you done it and no need to do it again.

Your daughter is young enough that you need to just find what she likes and do it with her so you have the time with her. Enjoy diving yourself and besides why dump the money on stuff she isn't really going to enjoy. Spend the dive money on yourself and spend her recreation money on her passion

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Tell her there are fish that look like that Bieber kid in the water. That'll get her in.

 

[3D diver]

Sorry, I know this is none of my business...but as a parent, and as a diver I gotta say:

IMHO: each diver has to be able to call the dive, when they want, no questions asked. How can a child do this under this kind of pressure?

 

[mayesie]

Sorry, I know this is none of my business...but as a parent, and as a diver I gotta say:

IMHO: each diver has to be able to call the dive, when they want, no questions asked. How can a child do this under this kind of pressure?

Can you please elaborate on the "pressure" in-which you're referring?