OP
Okay Dumpster, lol. I am kind of tired. It was a long day, wind picked up on my bike ride and then I had a to share a swim lane with Shamu.
Well, I am not going to try and answer all of that anyways.
I think you misunderstand the 60 feet thing. It is not a 58 feet vs 61 feet. It is how I feel about the dive, the conditions, my familairity with the site etc. The 60 feet is my Rubicon, a point of increasing odds being against me. The percentages begin to flip and the 60 feet is my working free dive depth, that is where it comes from. I may choose 0 feet or 80 feet on a particular day. But 60 feet is the flipping point, the seesaw of odds tips against me. Perhaps Niki Lauda, riding in the car driving like a grandpa, the lady he was trying to impress, why you cannot possibly be a F1 driver! He asked her why and she said because you drive so slow and cautious. He said there was simply no percentages in going faster. The faster he drove (anybody) the greater the percentage, possibility of a crash. For me, 60 feet represents that point. Above it I have a good possibility of reaching my surface redundacny, an acceptable risk. Below that depth, increasingly the risks increase and goes beyond what is acceptable to me. My Rubicon.
Which brings up the next concept, I think you fail to understand that I always have redundancy, the surface is my redundancy and I am going there right away if I do not like something.
And another, the Rule of Thirds, yes it is in the SDI course, yes it is in the book Solo Diver, yes it is something I have used, loosely applied often, my entire diving life. I am not telling you or anyone else to follow the Rule of Thirds, I do and will continue to do so.
And then, I realize that most people today are risk adverse. Zero is the risk they are happy with yet this is not achievable. I am a realist, I am not risk adverse. Safety is way over rated. Especially when it cripples us. Many of us, including me train and practice our skills. I also physically train to dive, I maintain a high level of physical fitness which I count on to balance the odds.
Finally, if you think I am cavalier, I think most who have dove with me would disagree. But it is true, I prefer simple systems and ultimately, I count on me, not equipment to save my bacon. And sometimes that mean me not doing the dive or at least in the way I first thought to do it.
Oh, tank size, my air consumption, it is quite low, I workout, I am an endurance athlete of sorts, amateur for sure but all my life I have swam, biked, run and it has had benefits above and beyond my waist size. I use very little air, it is simple fact. There are people I know who use even less, some of my vintage buddies are among them. Perhaps I imagine yourself as well. A tank only needs to hold enough air to complete the dive with acceptable reserves. You seem to be fixating on the 63cf tank I enjoy for beach diving solo. If it is enough, it is enough, I cannot say it more simply and for me, even at considerable depth, it is enough as long as I can do the dive and have acceptable reserves. When it is not, I go bigger. It is part of planning the dive. A novel concept, I plan my dives and I usually have a Plan B, my escape, bail out plan.
My OP was multifaceted and my main questions have probably been answered. I was interested in the increase in failure risks represented by Air II type inflator mechanisms. My other question, if not expressed clearly, along the way, I admit, is I wondered how many continue to use a standard rig/octopus (secondary on a single first stage etc) even though they are solo. It seems to have been answered, only me and Akimbo actually rig for solo. LOL.
Okay, sleepy time.
James
Well, I am not going to try and answer all of that anyways.
I think you misunderstand the 60 feet thing. It is not a 58 feet vs 61 feet. It is how I feel about the dive, the conditions, my familairity with the site etc. The 60 feet is my Rubicon, a point of increasing odds being against me. The percentages begin to flip and the 60 feet is my working free dive depth, that is where it comes from. I may choose 0 feet or 80 feet on a particular day. But 60 feet is the flipping point, the seesaw of odds tips against me. Perhaps Niki Lauda, riding in the car driving like a grandpa, the lady he was trying to impress, why you cannot possibly be a F1 driver! He asked her why and she said because you drive so slow and cautious. He said there was simply no percentages in going faster. The faster he drove (anybody) the greater the percentage, possibility of a crash. For me, 60 feet represents that point. Above it I have a good possibility of reaching my surface redundacny, an acceptable risk. Below that depth, increasingly the risks increase and goes beyond what is acceptable to me. My Rubicon.
Which brings up the next concept, I think you fail to understand that I always have redundancy, the surface is my redundancy and I am going there right away if I do not like something.
And another, the Rule of Thirds, yes it is in the SDI course, yes it is in the book Solo Diver, yes it is something I have used, loosely applied often, my entire diving life. I am not telling you or anyone else to follow the Rule of Thirds, I do and will continue to do so.
And then, I realize that most people today are risk adverse. Zero is the risk they are happy with yet this is not achievable. I am a realist, I am not risk adverse. Safety is way over rated. Especially when it cripples us. Many of us, including me train and practice our skills. I also physically train to dive, I maintain a high level of physical fitness which I count on to balance the odds.
Finally, if you think I am cavalier, I think most who have dove with me would disagree. But it is true, I prefer simple systems and ultimately, I count on me, not equipment to save my bacon. And sometimes that mean me not doing the dive or at least in the way I first thought to do it.
Oh, tank size, my air consumption, it is quite low, I workout, I am an endurance athlete of sorts, amateur for sure but all my life I have swam, biked, run and it has had benefits above and beyond my waist size. I use very little air, it is simple fact. There are people I know who use even less, some of my vintage buddies are among them. Perhaps I imagine yourself as well. A tank only needs to hold enough air to complete the dive with acceptable reserves. You seem to be fixating on the 63cf tank I enjoy for beach diving solo. If it is enough, it is enough, I cannot say it more simply and for me, even at considerable depth, it is enough as long as I can do the dive and have acceptable reserves. When it is not, I go bigger. It is part of planning the dive. A novel concept, I plan my dives and I usually have a Plan B, my escape, bail out plan.
My OP was multifaceted and my main questions have probably been answered. I was interested in the increase in failure risks represented by Air II type inflator mechanisms. My other question, if not expressed clearly, along the way, I admit, is I wondered how many continue to use a standard rig/octopus (secondary on a single first stage etc) even though they are solo. It seems to have been answered, only me and Akimbo actually rig for solo. LOL.
Okay, sleepy time.
James
