Rebreathers and New Divers

[jaz gill]

With all the talk with regards to CCR's and the fact that a diver has to, almost, "unlearn" everything taught for OC scuba can one assume that a CCR would be suitable for a competent novice OC diver with, say, 100 dives under his belt rather than an OC old hand with 1000's of dives under his belt, set into his ways, and with, consequently, a lot more to "unlearn".

 

[BigJetDriver]

With all the talk with regards to CCR's and the fact that a diver has to, almost, "unlearn" everything taught for OC scuba can one assume that a CCR would be suitable for a competent novice OC diver with, say, 100 dives under his belt rather than an OC old hand with 1000's of dives under his belt, set into his ways, and with, consequently, a lot more to "unlearn".

Jaz,

This is an interesting question, and there are no studies to suggest what the "right" answer is here.

Some years ago the Japanese had an organization that was teaching divers from ab initio on the Fieno; a semi-closed system. The effort did not continue for long, but it was economic forces within the company, not technical problems, that caused it to fail.

At various times, we have people running beginning courses with divers starting out on the Draeger, for instance. They seem to go well.

There are some other things about re-breathers in general, and ECCR's in particular, that would lead to some deciding that it might be better to have divers who have a fair amount of skill and underwater experience when they take up RB diving, even if they have to un-learn some things.

Ultimately, the jury will remain out on this one until there is a large enough population of RB divers who started in each way, and a good study is done. Until then, it is all opinion.

Rob Davie