Rebreather Help?

[PfcAJ]

The percentage is growing but it's still a Minority, and who is diving them? Middle aged fat men with all their kids grown up. (And AJ...you get the point though I hope)

ive been workin on my dad bod to a) fit in with the rest Of rebreather cave divers and because b) apparently that's what ladies like these days!

 

[wedivebc]

Its worth checking out though, right? Is it not? Just because the price is low, doesn't make it a deathtrap. This isn't a hollis or drayger--Its a much lesser known company. Not easy to find a price reference point, the guy doesn't dive and is probably just trying to get rid of it. The company, OMG actually supplies gear to Italy's navy, so it has to be decent. As for the sensors, I was unaware O2 sensors cost that much to change. Im new to diving, and (clearly) know little if anything about this rebreathing stuff, so helps appreciated. Are there any budget rebreathers around less than 2k that you guys recommend? And this $800 rig is going to be a lot safer than the pvc and vacuum cleaner hose contraptions I see in the DIY rebreather subform.

Do yourself a favor and don't buy it. Does your chosen instructor actuually dive an azimuth? I have been diving rebreathers for over 10 years now and only once every had my hands on one. They are big, heavy cumbersome and you would very likely have trouble getting service parts and support from them. At the end of the day you will have a big heavy semi-closed rebreather that will not be able to to do the dives you want to do. If you can puick up a KISS for a few $K then do it. It is a much more capable and supportable unit.
You will have immediate buyers remorse with the Azimuth, trust me.

If you really want to sample rebreather diving fon a budget, get a draeger dolphin. Used about $800, lots of parts still out there, thousands of units sold and hundreds of instructors out there to teach you. Draeger is a really big company and although the Dolphin is disconitued they make high quality stuff.
After you have reached the limits of the Dolphin you will know enough about rebreathers to make an educated buying decision on a full CCR machine.

 

[weekendwarrior72]

I feel you on the crotch rockets. Tried to buy a cbr600rr and my parents shot that down real quick. Its ok because I have a crf450r in the garage, so at least I can have some two wheeled fun in the dirt. In all honesty, I understand where everyone is coming from though. But I do love diving, open circuit, closed, a hookah system or a camel back water pack filled with air (yes I tried it, no it does not work). I just thought I found a great deal, and as I plan to go into rebreathers, not only for the extra time, but no bubbles, warm moist air, etc, figured Id keep it in my closet until Im ready. But if you guys think Its a no-go, Ill just spend the money on more OC gear

---------- Post added June 19th, 2015 at 07:49 PM ----------

Didn't realize dolphins sold for that low. I wouldn't have even looked at the azimuth if I had of known that. Yeah, Ive looked for the azimuth parts, they are non existent.

 

[rjack321]

ive been workin on my dad bod to a) fit in with the rest Of rebreather cave divers and because b) apparently that's what ladies like these days!

At least some parts of those mil-spec Pfc parts are starting to break like they rest of us old farts.

 

[lee stroke]

Does this mean there will not be a funeral to go to.

 

[ScubaJim09]

First of all that's the worst thing is ever want to hear. If you haven't figured it out yet these forums have a few too many people that will be disrespectful and rude just because they feel you're not good enough for the answer you're looking for. If you want to dive rebreathers, go slow, be smart, and act wisely. Rebreathers are completely different from OC so excessive OC experience isn't inherently helpful. If you start from the beginning CCR you will develop habits that work for CCR. You're a young kid and rebreathers a just computers. If you understand how they work and what they are trying to do they are not that complicated. Don't give up, follow your dreams, you can do anything.

Now as for equipment choice, while the price is good I would probably hold off(understanding this is an old thread but I couldn't help myself) Used rebreather prices are actually quite reasonable. I've sent explorers below $3000, prisms below $4000 and a Meg that was listed for $3000 and didn't sell. No rebreathers shouldn't be considered a cheap option to get into diving but they are the future. Technology will only get better and the units will get less expensive. If you have a passion for diving and love to tinker, you'll enjoy a rebreather. Good luck on your journey, be careful and don't let others get you down.

 

[jboneng]

...Don't give up, follow your dreams, you can do anything...

This sentence is the root cause of many deaths throughout history .

 

[Mr.X]

Brains aren't fully developed in teens. Hence, the 18 yr legal age limit for training on RB's in the US.

We advised this kid well. The bit with donating to his Paypal fund, while quasi-creative possibly mirrors a lack of parental supervision. Seriously, if I were a parent I would not want my kid on the net soliciting funds from strangers.

 

[ScubaJim09]

Why would brain development have any affect on training? Physiologically, rebreather diving is less of a shock to your system than OC diving in regards to PO2. With constant PO2 your body is probably a bit happier than with the constantly changing PO2 of OC diving. I disagree that 18 is the magic number for rebreathers. The only reason they chose 18 to be the limit is for legal and insurance reasons. They are scared if they teach someone younger and something goes wrong, they'll get sued. Rebreathers are just computers. They measure something and make a decision based on that measurement. It's not nearly as complicated as everyone thinks.

 

[hroark2112]

Complicated? Some are less complicated than others, some are more. That's not really the issue at hand here.

The real issue is not "can a sub-18 year old handle a rebreather when everything is static?" The real issue is "Can they save themselves when the poop hits the turbine??"

I know when I was 18 I was still prone to panic when something seriously bad happened. It takes life experience, training, repetition and more to become a safe rebreather diver. I would never trust someone who is 15, 16 or 17 to dive with me on a rebreather. Not even close.