Nekton's SWATH ships 10/2009, Part 1

[diverdoug1]

Doug, I think you are getting worked up over something pretty small. Does it really make that big a difference? I dive 80s primarily everywhere else because that is what they have. It is easier for me (and probably others) to know what weight to use as it is in my dive log. No issue. I hardly see this as "cutting corners which is directly affecting the diving" as you stated. They give you a tank to dive with and it is full of air.

A larger capacity steel tank allowed less weight on the weight belt, and gave 16% more bottom gas (in truth, they were usually pumped to 3000 psi, giving 26% more bottom gas).

Take a 95 lp tank from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 90 cft of usable gas
Take an alum 80 from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 67 cft of usable gas
so you get 74% (or about 3/4) the usable gas.

I go on a Nekton boat to dive, not to lay about and enjoy the amenities (face it, it ain't no luxury boat anymore). Say I decide to do a night dive, now I get to spend 3/4 of the time I used to on my night dive. I would say that is not an insignificant difference. As Cappyjon said, the 95's were one of the things that set Nekton apart. The errosion of services on Nekton has reached a new low when they start F---ing with the tanks to save a buck. Think of all the dives over the lifetime of that tank that will be shortened to save that buck. It lets me know that they just don''t give a tinker's damn about the quality of thier guest's dive experience. I was going to give St.croix another try, but broke out the wallet and booked an Aggressor trip instead. I hope they don't do the same thing with the tanks on the Pilot.

 

[Brodydog]

Great report on the boat Doc!

I wonder if they did away with the "Sinkers" soft weight system and moved to lead blocks like everyone else?

As of last week they were still using the soft weights. That was a plus for me. They did have some that were lead blocks for those who wanted them but I believe it was mostly soft weights.

 

[cappyjon431]

A larger capacity steel tank allowed less weight on the weight belt, and gave 16% more bottom gas (in truth, they were usually pumped to 3000 psi, giving 26% more bottom gas).

Take a 95 lp tank from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 90 cft of usable gas
Take an alum 80 from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 67 cft of usable gas
so you get 74% (or about 3/4) the usable gas.

I go on a Nekton boat to dive, not to lay about and enjoy the amenities (face it, it ain't no luxury boat anymore). Say I decide to do a night dive, now I get to spend 3/4 of the time I used to on my night dive. I would say that is not an insignificant difference. As Cappyjon said, the 95's were one of the things that set Nekton apart. The errosion of services on Nekton has reached a new low when they start F---ing with the tanks to save a buck. Think of all the dives over the lifetime of that tank that will be shortened to save that buck. It lets me know that they don''t give a tinker's damn about the quality of thier guest's dive experience. I was going to give St.croix another try, but broke out the wallet and booked an Aggressor trip instead. I hope they don't do the same thing with the tanks on the Pilot.

For me it was never an issue of air capacity. I loved the freedom and convenience of not having to wear a belt or stuff weights into my (too small) integrated weight pockets. There was something "freeing" about diving without weight.

That being said, as expensive as tanks are to purchase in Panama (where I am now), my operation uses aluminum 80s because it is the only thing that makes financial sense.

 

[robint]

A larger capacity steel tank allowed less weight on the weight belt, and gave 16% more bottom gas (in truth, they were usually pumped to 3000 psi, giving 26% more bottom gas).

Take a 95 lp tank from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 90 cft of usable gas
Take an alum 80 from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 67 cft of usable gas
so you get 74% (or about 3/4) the usable gas.

I go on a Nekton boat to dive, not to lay about and enjoy the amenities (face it, it ain't no luxury boat anymore). Say I decide to do a night dive, now I get to spend 3/4 of the time I used to on my night dive. I would say that is not an insignificant difference. As Cappyjon said, the 95's were one of the things that set Nekton apart. The errosion of services on Nekton has reached a new low when they start F---ing with the tanks to save a buck. Think of all the dives over the lifetime of that tank that will be shortened to save that buck. It lets me know that they just don''t give a tinker's damn about the quality of thier guest's dive experience. I was going to give St.croix another try, but broke out the wallet and booked an Aggressor trip instead. I hope they don't do the same thing with the tanks on the Pilot.

On the Nekton I never ended a dive early because I ran out of air before I hit my NDL or got cold or hungry. Most dives I get back on the boat with 1000psi still in my tank.
I understand the mathematics, I just don't think it is that big a deal.

 

[diverdoug1]

On the Nekton I never ended a dive early because I ran out of air before I hit my NDL or got cold or hungry. Most dives I get back on the boat with 1000psi still in my tank.
I understand the mathematics, I just don't think it is that big a deal.

Exactly my point, on the Nekton, running out of air was not the limiting factor of your dives WITH 95 TANKS. This might not be true with 80 tanks. I don't get cold that fast, and I usually dive Nitrox and stay shallow, so gas volume usuallly was the limiting factor of my dives. Hey, mabee they will get a really cheap deal on some old 72's or 50's when they have to get more tanks, and we will get to dive with those!!

I just wonder how much they make per charter in profit, and how much more those tanks cost, because I know for a fact that it just cost them 4 charters for next Feb. Still keeping my fingers crossed that the 95's stay on the Pilot.

I guess I would not be so tweaked about it if this was not just another , in a long line of cuts to the customer service, from a company that I used to hold in such high regard, and had been a loyal and FREQUENT customer to for over 10 years. Oh well, a certain Neil Sedaka song is coming to mind.

 

[scubafanatic]

On the Nekton I never ended a dive early because I ran out of air before I hit my NDL or got cold or hungry. Most dives I get back on the boat with 1000psi still in my tank.
I understand the mathematics, I just don't think it is that big a deal.

....women just don't 'get it'.......they're not burdened by that pesky little air-suckin' 'Y chromosome'.......

 

[scubafanatic]

A larger capacity steel tank allowed less weight on the weight belt, and gave 16% more bottom gas (in truth, they were usually pumped to 3000 psi, giving 26% more bottom gas).

Take a 95 lp tank from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 90 cft of usable gas
Take an alum 80 from 3000 psi to 500 psi, it gives you 67 cft of usable gas
so you get 74% (or about 3/4) the usable gas.

I go on a Nekton boat to dive, not to lay about and enjoy the amenities (face it, it ain't no luxury boat anymore). Say I decide to do a night dive, now I get to spend 3/4 of the time I used to on my night dive. I would say that is not an insignificant difference. As Cappyjon said, the 95's were one of the things that set Nekton apart. The errosion of services on Nekton has reached a new low when they start F---ing with the tanks to save a buck. Think of all the dives over the lifetime of that tank that will be shortened to save that buck. It lets me know that they just don''t give a tinker's damn about the quality of thier guest's dive experience. I was going to give St.croix another try, but broke out the wallet and booked an Aggressor trip instead. I hope they don't do the same thing with the tanks on the Pilot.

...like you, I'm a BIG fan of high-capacity steels...or AL100's if available....however, I can appreciate the Nekton's 'logic' here......they already take a lot of flak about a run-down look to their boats...and having ratty looking rust-spot strewn tanks doesn't help their image.....I can see how divers might be repelled by that 'look'......packaging matters ! ...also, a while back a couple of friends did a Nekton boat, and came back upset they had to have their regs overhauled upon return from their trip...their regs were messed up by lots of tank rust blowing into their 1st-stages...I would be pretty freaked out if their boat's rusty tanks messed up one of my regs......I've got reg sets costing over $ 5000 EACH (counting attached computers) and honestly, given their inability to keep the rust demons at bay....I'd rather dive an AL80 than a rust filled LP 95 that wrecks one of my very nice reg sets.

 

[diverdoug1]

...like you, I'm a BIG fan of high-capacity steels...or AL100's if available....however, I can appreciate the Nekton's 'logic' here......they already take a lot of flak about a run-down look to their boats...and having ratty looking rust-spot strewn tanks doesn't help their image.....I can see how divers might be repelled by that 'look'......packaging matters ! ...also, a while back a couple of friends did a Nekton boat, and came back upset they had to have their regs overhauled upon return from their trip...their regs were messed up by lots of tank rust blowing into their 1st-stages...I would be pretty freaked out if their boat's rusty tanks messed up one of my regs......I've got reg sets costing over $ 5000 EACH (counting attached computers) and honestly, given their inability to keep the rust demons at bay....I'd rather dive an AL80 than a rust filled LP 95 that wrecks one of my very nice reg sets.

Scubapro MK25 Ti --------- $1500
Suunto Vyper2 ------------ $400
Micra adjustable octo ------ $120
Nekton dives --------------- over 525
Problems with "rust in tank" - zero

 

[cappyjon431]

Subapro MK25 Ti ---------- $1500
Suunto Vyper2 ------------ $400
Micra adjustable octo ------ $120
Nekton dives --------------- over 525
Problems with "rust in tank" - zero

I logged close to 3000 dives using Nekton steel tanks. Never had an issue with internal tank rust damaging my high-end regs.

 

[Doc]

I logged close to 3000 dives using Nekton steel tanks. Never had an issue with internal tank rust damaging my high-end regs.

It usually shows up after 3,000.