Thailand liveaboad/ DIN or Yoke?

[buddhasummer]

im off to the similan island and am wondering if anyone knows if DIN or Yoke is used. Ive spent a bit of time diving inThailand but always on the Gulf side where yoke is the norm so I assume Andaman is the same?. Cheers

 

[Tortuga68]

I prefer DIN regs, but I have both DIN and yoke fittings (not an adaptor) for my travel reg so I can swap them over if required, thereby avoiding having to use an adaptor and having the reg hit me in the back of the head

Alternatively if you know who you're going to be diving with you could ask them what tank valves they use, they might have the convertible Internationals

 

[buddhasummer]

Yep me too, but as Im away for the month and plan to do some travel diving I am trying reduce my luggage to as light as possible, so if there is no point carrying one or the other Id rather not. I have both native yoke and DIN for my reg not adaptors. Cheers

 

[ajduplessis]

I believe Yoke, however it would be best to contact the operator you plan to use. They will know.

 

[Tortuga68]

If ~100 grams is that important to you, then you'd take your DIN fitting and use an adaptor suplied by the operator if required

 

[buddhasummer]

yes and if 100grams was the total weight possibly not needed then I would go with your suggestion, when travellng for two every gram counts especially when I know ill be carrying hers lol. Im also a big fan if im not likely to use/or need it then it can stay at home. It would seem that Yoke is pretty much the norm so Ill travel with Yoke. Cheers

 

[Tortuga68]

What I'm saying is that you'll save 100-150 grams per reg by taking your DIN rather than your yoke fittings, or 200-300 grams for two regs - so if weight is your primary concern as you say, you'd take DIN, since a DIN first is lighter than a yoke first. In my experience many Thai operators have Int valves (which can be used with DIN regs) or if not will have adaptors... so I don't understand your logic there

Anyway, up to you, enjoy your holiday!

 

[vixtor]

Definitely YOKE in Thailand. I was there in February, and at the first day of diving we forgot to notice the club that we have DIN regulators. Luckily some of the tanks had the removable nut and we managed to convert 3 of them to DIN for the first dive (but most of the tanks were YOKE only). For the second dive, we had only 2 convertible tanks, but the hexagonal hole in the nut was of a different size, and we didn't had exactly that hex wrench size.

One of us entered with a borrowed INT regulator, and another one canceled. I also decided initially not to dive (I don't like to use rental equipment), but then I got mad at staying on the boat, and forced the next larger size wrench into the brass hole of the nut with a hammer , unscrewed it and made a nice solo dive.

 

[drdaddy]

Definitely YOKE in Thailand. I was there in February, and at the first day of diving we forgot to notice the club that we have DIN regulators. Luckily some of the tanks had the removable nut and we managed to convert 3 of them to DIN for the first dive (but most of the tanks were YOKE only). For the second dive, we had only 2 convertible tanks, but the hexagonal hole in the nut was of a different size, and we didn't had exactly that hex wrench size.

One of us entered with a borrowed INT regulator, and another one canceled. I also decided initially not to dive (I don't like to use rental equipment), but then I got mad at staying on the boat, and forced the next larger size wrench into the brass hole of the nut with a hammer , unscrewed it and made a nice solo dive.

Excuse me, but this sounds extremely rude and inconsiderate to abuse equipment that is not even yours. If you had permission to mess around with the equipment from the owner, OK. But if not, to get "mad" and "forced the next larger size wrench into the brass hole" is criminal. I hope they threw you off the boat to the awaiting police. You admitted that it was your own mistake ("we forgot to notice the club that we have DIN regulators") and to get mad and damage other's equipment was childish and criminal behavior! Nothing to brag about and certainly something that would be wiser to keep to yourself

 

[buddhasummer]

What I'm saying is that you'll save 100-150 grams per reg by taking your DIN rather than your yoke fittings, or 200-300 grams for two regs - so if weight is your primary concern as you say, you'd take DIN, since a DIN first is lighter than a yoke first. In my experience many Thai operators have Int valves (which can be used with DIN regs) or if not will have adaptors... so I don't understand your logic there

Anyway, up to you, enjoy your holiday!

Thanks mate. Ive never seen a tank while diving on the East coast with the insert, I have only ever seen full Yoke tanks. Thats not to say they dont exist just that I have never seen them, hence in part my initial question. Yep like ya logic but if I take Din then if I need to use an adaptor, which seems quite likely, then I will have the problem you complained of i.e. reg smacking me in the back of the head. I will travel with Yoke. Thanks for you input tho, take it easy.