Scuba source/Air II on Halcyon?

[Joe R.]

On multilple dives at -+ 80' I sometimes do accelerated deco especially if scallops are around.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Joe,

Are you suckin' on some O2 prior to surfacing to clear yourself out or what? Not a bad plan if you know what you're doing. Also, that would be a deco bottle, not a stage .

Just curious.

Mike

BTW, I use an H-valve for my single so I can use the same regs and configuration as my doubles.

 

[Joe R.]

Yooper, thats correct (deco bottle) its a 50% mix for accelerated deco. I use the iantd tables and its a nice combo for shortened surface intervals and more bottom time,again it should mean more scallops,etc.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Joe,

Have you tried a computer planner like V-Planner or GAP? I'm not too familiar with the IANTD tables, but these other planners are really nice to work with. If I was doing a lot recreational diving like that, I would also bring some 50% or O2 to suck on -- especially on the last dive of the day.

Mike

 

[devjr]

Joe, you need to concentrate on getting those scallops and stop fretting whether you are "DIR" or not. Go with the Scubasource. Lose the silly Y valve and get rid of some of the complexity. Running out of air is unlikely but some practice or prearranged procedures might be in order, in other words a predive briefing and/or pool work. The issues would be buoyancy control while ascending, and swimming horizontally with a short hose. I think experienced divers could just "wing it" (heh) but you should at least consider that it might be necessary to swim on a compass course, or on a line, to get home in an area where current is strong. Whether horizontal finning or vertical ascent, I think it would be better to be negatively buoyant and in particular, use a swimming ascent. Just make sure that your buddy knows where the dump valve is.

BTW, anybody who claims that cavers invented the SPG, etc is blowing smoke. Most of the gear that the DIR guys tout was borrowed from somebody else. Their few legitimate inventions are mostly derivative in nature, adaptations of pre-existing ideas.

 

[Joe R.]

Devjr...this is a lot of new ideas that are likely coming into a practical plan. I usually just use nitrox, a single 80, K valve and now I'm 'thinking' of adding the 50% O2 with accelerated deco. I'l save the Y for shallower wrecks etc. Of course the 'proper' reason for the two first stages is to always div the same rig. But as you so pointedly suggest, it is not always practical. We sometimes do five dives (air) in a day and the plain 80 is the real workhorse for what we're doing. We're usually miles from shore and doing a drift dive then finishing under a bright orange bag which is working nicely. I'm going to stick with two regs though. I like the 7' and a short w necklace and having a buddy as insurance for this stuff. I'm hoping to do some drift diving on Stellwagon bank this summer. Its about 10 miles out, 90' to the bank and surrounded by 200+ waters. The marine life is spectacular and the current can zip. This bank is shaped like a dog bone and I believe its about 20+miles long! This nitrox/accelerated O2 technique should work nicely. I will check out the other suggested tables! Thanks:idea:

 

[jedirgeb]

For the divers that use a airsource with a halcyon wing. How long is the airsource hose that you use. The one i have just seems a little to long.

 

[boomx5]

Why can't you use an octo as well as an AirII?

 

[Scubaroo]

Two things -

1. Why would you need three second stages? (primary, backup, Air II)

2. Because you have to pay twice as much for maintenance.

 

[boomx5]

What can I say?

Scott