Skipping open circuit and going straight to CCR

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takez0

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This is my first post here. I've learned a ton on this board and I'm grateful for the insights you all provide.

I'm getting into technical diving and I'd like to jump straight into a CCR. Does the group see any benefit or hindrance in skipping open circuit tech training costs and equipment costs and going straight into a CCR? CCR's are obviously an investment. I'd rather not spend money on a new BCD, manifold, tanks, etc., that would only be used specifically for dual-tank open circuit, considering I know where I want to end up already. Let me know your thoughts or if you think this is missed training opportunity.
 
If I had buckets of money and wanted to switch to rebreathers I’d just use rebreather bailout.
 
When, not if things go south with the rebreather, OC is what will save your life.

With that in mind I think being highly proficient with OC is very valuable.

Adding to Jim's comment. Having taken AN/DP does not mean you are "highly proficient". It means you now have a license to practice and become proficient.

I know of CCR divers that are afraid to bailout because they never learned to "feel" their OC gas consumption/requirements in deco or overhead. Doing the math does not give you a feel for it.
 
What does this mean please? Taking the same level course with different instructors/agencies for more practice?
Thank you, I should have been more precise in my post. I meant to say taking MOD1 (air dil), MOD2 (normoxic trimix), perhaps MOD3 (hypoxic). Also, you can literally tell your instructor that you suck at X and want to pay for an extra practice day.
 
I remember, about 10-15 years ago, one agency was proposing to introduce a straight CCR entry course. It only failed because no one would recognise it.

I’m surprised it still hasn’t happened. The OC bailout would be just part of the training regime. Are we so afraid of innovation we poo poo any different thinking.
You cannot assume that a few hours of training on OC will be enough to be proficient when you actually need to BO. I am not surprised no agency offers CC as an entry course. It would be quite dangerous.
 
I know of CCR divers that are afraid to bailout because they never learned to "feel" their OC gas consumption/requirements in deco or overhead. Doing the math does not give you a feel for it.
That's some scary $h333t right there.
 
Adding to Jim's comment. Having taken AN/DP does not mean you are "highly proficient". It means you now have a license to practice and become proficient.

I know of CCR divers that are afraid to bailout because they never learned to "feel" their OC gas consumption/requirements in deco or overhead. Doing the math does not give you a feel for it.
Probably getting time in the industry to name and blame. With so many incompetent ITs and more than a couple instructors that should have long since retired, the CCR and tech worlds are a mess.
 
As a fresh CCR diver myself, I feel its strange that nobody have mentioned that having my doubles available for when the machine doesn't want to work is very comforting. Every now and then I end up in single bottle, wetsuit and some horrible fins at a holiday resort type and its always miserable - this keeping a set of doubles available is mandatory to myself.
 
Instead of just saying "skip straight to CCR", look at what is optimal to learn on OC and when does it make sense to transition over to CCR.

It is foolish to look at CCR without first getting Advance Nitrox and Deco procedures done first. Get through those, spend some time doing some dives with that. Your deco rig will transition into a bailout rig. Now if you get Helium mixed in at this point, I don't really care. Some will mix it in with the AN/DP classes, others won't.

After that, look at CCR. With CCR you are diving a Nitrox blender and dealing with 100% O2. Thus you are in need of the Advanced Nitrox class. There is enough to learn with a rebreather that having a decent AN foundation is a must. Add in the time potential, it is hard to not get into planned deco with a rebreather.

Don't overlook finding a good instructor. There are those who have been diving rebreathers for many years/decades now, and those who just finished enough hours on there first rebreather to have an instructor rating.

Spend 6 months to a year just doing recreational dives getting to know the rebreather. Go back and get a normoxic class. That will probably get you to your target of "a little deeper and a little longer"

-My backstory, matches what the OP stated for reasons-
I started chasing my technical diving and getting a rebreather with the same thing. Diving a Southern California wreck I was a little annoyed at the end of the dive that I spent so much time and effort to get there, only got a few minutes actually on the wreck, was watching my air the whole time. I wanted a little longer time. There was also a P38 just outside of recreational limits I wanted to see. What does it take? Scouted local shops, found one that got me started. Credentials sounded good. Spent some time getting some basics out of the way, made it through AN/DP. Tried some sidemount stuff (should have done backmount doubles).

There was a try dive with what at the time was a new Poseidon rebreather. This was actually before I started chasing the technical side of things. It was enough to know this is some really cool stuff, but not what I wanted. But it stuck a bug in my head.

Once I was into the AN/DP stuff it opened up a lot of what I wanted to do. I had the time. I had a little more depth. Now the rebreather looked a lot more inviting. Lots of research. The local shop got me into DEMA one year where I could actually see everything and talk with people. There were some rebreathers that looked really good when reading about them, suddenly didn't look that good in person. The engineer in my head was pointing out stuff I didn't like. Arranged to meet up with an instructor and see if I liked them as a person, and try some rebreathers. Liked him, bought a rebreather, took a class. Year later, normoxic, 200'. Few months later I was having a blast diving in Truk.
 
This is my first post here. I've learned a ton on this board and I'm grateful for the insights you all provide.

I'm getting into technical diving and I'd like to jump straight into a CCR. Does the group see any benefit or hindrance in skipping open circuit tech training costs and equipment costs and going straight into a CCR? CCR's are obviously an investment. I'd rather not spend money on a new BCD, manifold, tanks, etc., that would only be used specifically for dual-tank open circuit, considering I know where I want to end up already. Let me know your thoughts or if you think this is missed training opportunity.
I started diving on a CCR. Before using OC at all.
A pure oxygen CCR was the basic scuba system for training new divers, here in Italy, until 1980.
My suggestion is to first learn and be certified for recreational CCR.
After some recreational experience diving CCRs, start tech training with it.
I am not sure which agency supports such path, indeed.
Here in Europe most agencies terminated their recreational CCR programs.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

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