Recreational rebreathers - what is holding them back?

[DennisS]

What is the biggest thing keeping the rebreathers out of the rec market? Do you think its cost, ease of use, both, or something else?

My opinion is cost.

My opinion:

You can die on the sofa, breathing off of one, while you watch TV.

If you are not an anal compulsive, meticulous person you should not be anywhere near one.

I don't know anything about rebreathers, just my opinion of why they are not in the rec market.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

1) Cost of the unit itself.

Dolphin trainng was no big deal at $400, but the price the LDS wanted for a Dolphin (4K) was a bit steep. On the one hand i empathsized with the delaer who ;amented about the cost of buying them and having to stock them for a year or so before they sold. But on the other hand I could not quite get past the feeling that he was looking to sell it at the more or less industry standard 100% margin you get for other dive equipment. That probably works ok for a $400 MSRP regulator, where you mark it up $200, but how much are they marking up a rebreather?

Then of course to make it really practical, I found you need an O2 sensor in the loop so that you can use a computer and spend a bunch more to modify the thing to meet the demands of my everyday diving. (a Sport Kiss started to look real attractive in comparison.)

2) Cost per dive.

Then I looked at sorb costs, nitrox, etc, and discovered that at best the cost of diving a SCR rebreather was on par with the cost of diving nitrox on open circuit if you paid about $10.00 per fill. Since I get my nitrox for half that and get air for $30.00 per year, the economics just are not there.

3) the maintainence side of it.

A rebreather is a bit more involved than just hoolking up the doubles and diving and then just rionsing everything off and throwing it all in a bag when I am done - and I like technical stuff.

In the end the only advantage I could forsee was not having to carry about 14 tanks per weekend from the boat to the car - and frankly, the excercise does me soem good.

If I move somewhere with water deep enough to make Trimix a viable option, then a CCR may make sense given the cost fo helium. Until then, they are going to have to make it a lot more practical for the average nitrox diver.

 

[DiveTub]

My opinion:

You can die on the sofa, breathing off of one, while you watch TV.

If you are not an anal compulsive, meticulous person you should not be anywhere near one.

I don't know anything about rebreathers, just my opinion of why they are not in the rec market.

See this is the sort of rubbish post I am talking about, from a person that knows nothing about rebreathers :whack: really upsets me.

I am the least "anal compulsive, meticulous person" you are ever going to meet and I am offended by your comment that I should not be diving a rebreather

Cheers
Chris

 

[jepuskar]

Chris, I was somewhat aware of the maintaining times not being so bad, but when you look at every downside of a rebreather when mentioned..I think in Jeff Bozanic's book, he even mentioned the same thing....maintaining your unit is a drawback (to some people) compared to OC...now, 1 hour total pre/post is not bad for a weekend of diving...the benefits do come to light... I mean, you have to put in a little to get something out...

I have looked at the Prism, first I thought the Dolphin was the way to go, and then to CCR......no wait...I'm not gonna get into this here...not the point of the thread...but anyways...

To get back on track....its not hard to see why rebreathers arent common place yet besides the points I mentioned above. Walk into any dive shop and look around.....I know this doesnt apply to all shops, but I go to a very very popular dive shop in the Chicago area....they certify hundreds of people every year.....they have a dolphin on their showroom floor but its off to the side.no promo stuff on it.....

PADI does all these promos, but why is it they dont promo their two specialty RAY and Dolphin?? No interest from people or other reasons? They dont really promote the Cavern Diver course either....then again, i live in the wrong area to see that one.
Is it that these courses are a little more serious in nature?

Chris, did you ever post about your Prism class? I would be interested in reading it...

Jason

 

[DiveTub]

Hi Jeps
I have not gotton round to writting a class report, I promised one to SMI and will get into it soon, I have posted a bit about the units I have dived if you want to have a read.
http://uwphotog.com/equipment/equipment.html

Cheers
Chris

 

[DennisS]

See this is the sort of rubbish post I am talking about, from a person that knows nothing about rebreathers :whack: really upseats me

Cheers
Chris

It wasn't a rubbish post, the original post was, why were rebreathers not in the rec diving mainstream. There is a lot of misinformation. I made it clear I knew nothing about rebreathers. I posted some of my misgivings.

Recently an instructor died in a pool here in the states. How did that instructor die, using a rebreather, in a pool, in 4 ft of water. There are questions about the safety of rebreathers.

 

[jepuskar]

Yeah..just got done reading that and looking at the pics.... I re-call us talking about this before not too long ago once I saw the pics......I come and go around here, but the interest has never left.

Good stuff.

Thanks

 

[jepuskar]

--Found article, I remembered it being a heart attack, but he was on a rebreather as later posted. That's weird, I revisited the post and found out someone who called me out on blaming a rebreather edited their post as I was right---

A woman embolized shooting to the surface from a 8 foot pool and died during her OW class....should we all avoid OC now? Ofcourse not....

 

[DiveTub]

How did that instructor die, using a rebreather, in a pool, in 4 ft of water. There are questions about the safety of rebreathers.

I suggest you should find out the correct information :06:

Anyway
"Complacency kills" thank you Mr. Pyle.

A CCR is no more dangerous than OC, just like OC they take a skill set to dive, that skill set just involves a few more steps in the process, if you follow that process through with good training and repetitive skill build up a CCR is no more dangerous than OC.

In many ways a breather is safer, unlike OC if the air stops or runs out that’s it, a CCR has multiple ways of getting out of the water alive.

Cheers
Chris

 

[wedivebc]

I don't know anything about rebreathers, .

Well you got something right