I used steel 50s with my son when he was 12. AL 50s work well too. The advantage of both is that they are short and comparatively light.
Tank size for a young diver
- Thread starter OldNSalty
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Easy.
Whatever YOU are diving (with your SAC rate and tank volume) is 4/3 of your son's SAC and volume...
---------- Post Merged at 11:03 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:52 PM ----------
Same with my son.
No matter how much you take with you to breathe, you only forstall the inevitable. One of you will run out of air first.
You are, as I was, the chief safety officer on the dive. Make certain that it is always your son that can run out first. Put the burden of gas management for the dive on your son. You will be happy with the result.
Stay safe.
Whatever YOU are diving (with your SAC rate and tank volume) is 4/3 of your son's SAC and volume...
---------- Post Merged at 11:03 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:52 PM ----------
Same with my son.
No matter how much you take with you to breathe, you only forstall the inevitable. One of you will run out of air first.
You are, as I was, the chief safety officer on the dive. Make certain that it is always your son that can run out first. Put the burden of gas management for the dive on your son. You will be happy with the result.
Stay safe.
Paladin
Contributor
+1 on the steel 72s. Excellent buoyancy characteristics and will serve into adulthood. My youngest son started out with 72s when he was 10 and still uses them. He will be 14 next month and is 5' 9".
Think about dry weight too. If you're doing shore diving, you'll probably want him to carry his own unit to the water.
Al 50's & 63's come to mind. The old 2242psi St 80 would be a good tank too for growing up, bit heavier than a St 72 but shorter if that's an issue (hard to find).
Al 50's & 63's come to mind. The old 2242psi St 80 would be a good tank too for growing up, bit heavier than a St 72 but shorter if that's an issue (hard to find).
I love the aluminum 64 tanks. They have a better buoyancy swing than the typical aluminum 80 and are noticeably lighter for walking such as doing a beach dive. Not just the tank weight itself but a few pounds can come off my weight system as well. Below 60 feet, I will usually start bumping deco before the tank turns inside out. Of course, I am old school and do not freak if I run a tank down. A 300 psi reserve, for shallow, clear water, no hazard diving is more than ample. The 64s also balance better and ride in my Oxy 18 wing just perfect, a great shallow, beach dive, shore dive tank even for grown ups. They also ride in my little Boston Whaler better and in my kayak. My wife is a little person and she loves them too but I will often fit her with a 50. Of course, both of us can make good use of our air.
I have a fleet of steel 72s, yeah, I like the 72 better but the 64 is a 7.25 tank and even shorter than a steel 72 and for all practical purposes, dives the same and feels the same as a steel 72 and does not require fiddling with the cam bands.
N
I have a fleet of steel 72s, yeah, I like the 72 better but the 64 is a 7.25 tank and even shorter than a steel 72 and for all practical purposes, dives the same and feels the same as a steel 72 and does not require fiddling with the cam bands.
N
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