Question about Cousteau gear?

[101recon]

I was watching "Calypso's Search For The Britannic" from the "Jacques Cousteau Odyssey" series and was wondering what the white "balloon" looking things at the top of thier cylinders are. The program said they were diving to about 320ft and using a mix of helium, nitrogen, and oxygen. Here's a screenshot.

 

[Thalassamania]

I'd guess they are fishing net floats to compensate for the weight of gas in the cylinders.

 

[RTee]

Pure speculation on my part...either some form of tank marking system if diving in a dark environment or back-up depth gauge system (10 ATM, 1/10th of its initial size (P1V1 = P2V2)...therefore something that would be 10 cm in diameter at 1 ATM (surface) would become 1 cm at 10 ATM) assuming it is made from a relatively soft skin material.

 

[Thalassamania]

They are wearing wetsuit but no weightbelts, I'm pretty sure that those are hard plastic net floats.

 

[RTee]

Ok...but one would think that the only benefit you would get out of such system would be close to the surface as the further down you end up going (especially when talking in the vicinity of 300 ft), the more the object would , in all likelihood, implode thus negating whatever benefit one might be attempting to get out of it.

 

[Thalassamania]

Net floats are good for at least two thousand meters.

 

[Jorgy]

Are net floats DIR compliant?? Maybe if in black......



M

 

[Thalassamania]

Are net floats DIR compliant?? Maybe if in black......



M

No, even if black, it is an equipment solution to a skill problem, best call le Commandant and let him know his boys are DIW but NMOF.

 

[RTee]

Thanks Thal

 

[101recon]

I've watched the DVD again pausing and zooming at 4X. They appear to be floats. I found a better picture where you can see them tied to the manifold. Also there is no size difference (compression) at the surface and 300 ft. I think Thal nailed it. Thanks for the input guys.