Tech Diving for Seniors?

[ABay Diver]

You have to be Advanced Nitrox certified for entry level CCR training.

Thanks Capt. Jim that sounds like my starting point. Did a quick search, and this doesn’t sound like its just another card. $1,000 plus investment as near as i can tell. Understandable though as the stakes go up/margin for error goes down when you venture outside of conventional recreational diving.

 

[ABay Diver]

Investigate instructors to see if AN/DP is required. Some don’t require it. Mine didn’t. I know a number of divers who went from single tank to CCR and are doing fine. Save the AN/DP fee for more diving or towards your CCR. They ain’t cheap.

Thanks. Make sense. I did some quick research and AN-DP courses are not cheap.

 

[inquis]

AN/DP is 2 classes, thus the $$. AN is required to deal with pure O2 (which CCR needs). You can do entry level CCR without deco/DP. Spend hours at 60 ft within NDL.

 

[rx7diver]

... I question if i could do it unassisted with doubles on my back and deco bottles to boot. Should i just stick to recreational? ...

Have you considered first simply diving smallish doubles? Old-school 72's there in NY? Or 72's or Al 80's if you get down to FL? Use air. Or recreational nitrox if you have the knowledge/training.

Get used to the doubles. No need to get into deco. Simple, shallow dives. Keep things recreational. You'll be able to tell pretty quickly if doubles are something you want to continue diving, I think.

Next, add an Al 40 containing the same gas as in your back tanks (but breathe only from your back tanks). Again, keep things recreational. Get used to the gear. Then make the decision whether you want to continue diving wearing all this stuff.

rx7diver

P.S.: Once you start deco diving, you'll learn that you can do a lot of deco diving, safely, simply diving air in your smallish BM doubles. And you'll learn eventually that if you want to end a deco dive faster, have oxygen (or a rich Nitrox) in that Al 40 in order to more quickly rid your tissues of nitrogen during your shallow deco stops. This last bit is called accelerated decompression, and you absolutely need to know the rules in order to do this safely (though these "rules" aren't rocket science).

P.P.S.: I have a set of double Faber LP 50's that I really like diving. But I don't use these for deco diving. They might serve as a great rig for someone to use to introduce himself/herself to diving doubles, though.

 

[ABay Diver]

I guess thats where i am. Im an old fart who started diving a half century plus years ago, gave ut up for legit reasons, got back into it 4 years ago, am in good health and want to progress in the sport but i cant handle lugging around 150 lbs plus of tanks and other gear. In my naive opinion were on the cusp of recreational rebreather technology especially for those of us who’d like some extra bottom time at recreational depths. As i understand things you need some level of training to be eligible for rebreathers and thats what im trying to figure out.

 

[rx7diver]

I guess thats where i am. ...

That's where small or smallish doubles come in. Nothing simpler, or cheaper, I think. And they will provide a lot of bottom time for dives in the recreational training depths region (<= 130 fsw).

BTW, you probably already know that an old-school 72 weighs about 27 lbs. So, a double 72's rig full doesn't weigh anywhere close to a double HP100's rig full (for example). And my double LP50's rig full weighs about 50 lbs, I think--easily managed by this sixty-nine year-old.

rx7diver

 

[ABay Diver]

That's where small or smallish doubles come in. Nothing simpler, or cheaper, I think. And they will provide a lot of bottom time for dives in the recreational training depths region (<= 130 fsw).

BTW, you probably know that an old-school 72 weighs about 27 lbs. So, a double 72's rig full doesn't weigh anywhere close to a double HP100's rig full (for example). And my double LP50's rig full weighs about 50 lbs, I think--easily managed by this sixty-nine year-old.

rx7diver

Something to consider. My 72’s from 1970 ish are still in hydro and a helluva lot lighter than the HP Steel 100’s i bought 4 years ago when i got back into scuba.

 

[rx7diver]

Something to consider. My 72’s from 1970 ish are still in hydro and a helluva lot lighter than the HP Steel 100’s i bought 4 years ago when i got back into scuba.

Neat! Try the 72's. Then if you don't mind the experience diving doubles, you might reconsider whether the double HP100's will work better for you if you are diving dry in NY.

Good Luck,
rx7diver

 

[ABay Diver]

Neat! Try the 72's. Then if you don't mind the experience diving doubles, you might reconsider whether the double HP100's will work better for you if you are diving dry in NY.

Good Luck,
rx7diver

I will and thanks! This was really helpful.

 

[Still Kicking]

Thanks. Make sense. I did some quick research and AN-DP courses are not cheap.

Right upfront: If you have any aversion to spending money, tech diving ain't for you.