US ver's UK boards

[Paul Evans]

I found a couple of boards in the UK and its surprising the way some things are looked at, and the different opinions from different sides of the pond.

Anyway I now were I'd rather be

And yes I joined the boards in the UK with my name and avater. I'll be buddyless if they read this

Anybody got any views on this :06:

 

[cdiver2]

I found a couple of boards in the UK and its surprising the way some things are looked at, and the different opinions from different sides of the pond.

Anyway I now were I'd rather be

And yes I joined the boards in the UK with my name and avater. I'll be buddyless if they read this

Anybody got any views on this :06:

home is where the heart is

 

[Charlie99]

I found a couple of boards in the UK and its surprising the way some things are looked at, and the different opinions from different sides of the pond.

Anybody got any views on this

How about some specific differences you observe?

A lot of the UK wreck diving is on the borderline between what is considered rec and what is tech diving in the US.

Perhaps the cold water deco diving, often in rough sea conditions accounts for different ways of looking at things.

Charlie,
the confirmed Warm Water Wuss

 

[Paul Evans]

How about some specific differences you observe?

A lot of the UK wreck diving is on the borderline between what is considered rec and what is tech diving in the US.

Perhaps the cold water deco diving, often in rough sea conditions accounts for different ways of looking at things.

Charlie,
the confirmed Warm Water Wuss

Well.

Pony bottles, you see them everywhere
Also comments like "Get independant, get a PONY :11: "
The funny thing about this is they are diving with 12l singles
,why not get a 15l and learn gas managment, its FREE

Rebreathers do seem to be used more in the UK.

this should get things started

 

[Adrian Kelland]

A 15l and the best gas management won't help you if your 1st stage or any part of your primary source fails. How quick would your 15l empty if a low pressure hose fails. Try opening your cylinder fully and see how long. Put some ear defenders on first though

The pony is about bail out. It is not part of the planned gas use. A 3l pony is only useful if there is no deco obligation though, they won't last long in a stress situation. You mention someones sig. What is wrong with it? He is speaking to those who dive with only one gas supply.

As to the differences in the forums, there aren't many. When it comes to a subject such as what reg/bcd etc, the general advice seems to be the same, certain makes may be different, but in the end, IMO it seem that Apeks, top end Scubapros and Posiedons seem to score highly no matter where you are.

Tricky finding a UK based buddy here though. YD or a couple of the others are much more likely to fulfill that need. Fact of life.

As to RBs, I would love one, but the usuall money problems diving seems to create stops that.

Adrian

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi Mr Mares,
Could you post the links on the web so that i can't have a look at different views too? Thanks

 

[TX101]

Well.

Pony bottles, you see them everywhere
Also comments like "Get independant, get a PONY :11: "
The funny thing about this is they are diving with 12l singles
,why not get a 15l and learn gas managment, its FREE

Rebreathers do seem to be used more in the UK.

this should get things started

sounds like you discovered yorkshire divers..

What if the 1st stage on your 15l freezes? You can argue it either way, but I tend to agree that a pony is a half hearted solution and a twinset is the way forward. Having said that though, it's better than nothing in a pinch.

Most UK dives are cold, deep and dark. (deep being relative of course.. for me it's 40m+). Id say most of the UK trained divers that dive regularly (as opposed to the resort trained divers that do 4 dives a year in portland) are diving a twinset and are trained to at least adv. nitrox/deco + rescue.

YBOD's (Yellow Boxes of Death, otherwise known as Inspirations) are quite common on the deep trimix dives. I heard someone say the other day that two YBOD's per dive boat is pretty common (out of 8-10 divers).

Id say DIR hasn't really caught on as much as in the US. I've never actually *met* someone who says that they are a DIR diver, but most people I've seen borrow something from the configuration (eg. long hose).

 

[Paul Evans]

A 15l and the best gas management won't help you if your 1st stage or any part of your primary source fails. How quick would your 15l empty if a low pressure hose fails. Try opening your cylinder fully and see how long. Put some ear defenders on first though

The pony is about bail out. It is not part of the planned gas use. A 3l pony is only useful if there is no deco obligation though, they won't last long in a stress situation. You mention someones sig. What is wrong with it? He is speaking to those who dive with only one gas supply.

As to the differences in the forums, there aren't many. When it comes to a subject such as what reg/bcd etc, the general advice seems to be the same, certain makes may be different, but in the end, IMO it seem that Apeks, top end Scubapros and Posiedons seem to score highly no matter where you are.

Tricky finding a UK based buddy here though. YD or a couple of the others are much more likely to fulfill that need. Fact of life.

As to RBs, I would love one, but the usuall money problems diving seems to create stops that.

Adrian

The chances of a well maintained 1st stage or hose failing is very very small. Also whats your Buddy for?

People DO use their pony and this puts them in a even worse poistion. If the pony was used for bailout only as you quite rightly point out then it has merits, but people don't use it like this, I,ve seen it so many times.

Also I'am not looking for a buddy here, Airfares are a little to high for a weekends diving :11:
Anyway I have a great buddy, my wife

I have learned a lot on this board, probably because it is North America based, this covers everything from reef diving in the Carribean in warm water to cold water diving in Alaska.
And both me and the missus like to dive at home and abroad. If I can squeeze some blood from the stone we will hopefully be of to the Red Sea before Xmas.

As for the rebreathers, I'd love to do the Azumith. Its that or start diving doubles now, with that expense and then the RB much later. personnally I dont see the point, The SCR may well be the future of rec diving, only time will tell!.

Anyway one thing I don't want is this thread to be turned into another pony debate, its been done to death

With respect
Paul

 

[Adrian Kelland]

sounds like you discovered yorkshire divers..

It does doesn't it

Id say DIR hasn't really caught on as much as in the US. I've never actually *met* someone who says that they are a DIR diver, but most people I've seen borrow something from the configuration (eg. long hose).

It's slowly growing, but IIRC there is only one approved instructor. There a a few DIR divers on YD.

Adrian

 

[Adrian Kelland]

The chances of a well maintained 1st stage or hose failing is very very small. Also whats your Buddy for?

Anything you want if you can find him. You know what UK vis can do, It can be easy to lose a buddy for a few seconds. Good rescue starts with self reliance and self rescue. And you could be solo...

People DO use their pony and this puts them in a even worse poistion. If the pony was used for bailout only as you quite rightly point out then it has merits, but people don't use it like this, I,ve seen it so many times.

Aggreed, but many use a 3l cylinder with 80 or 100% O2 for allecerated deco too. Just seeing a pony used does not mean they are breathing air.

I have learned a lot on this board, probably because it is North America based, this covers everything from reef diving in the Carribean in warm water to cold water diving in Alaska.
And both me and the missus like to dive at home and abroad. If I can squeeze some blood from the stone we will hopefully be of to the Red Sea before Xmas.

UK divers are likely to have the same range of experience too. It may also be the an American who has Carribean diving on their doorstep only does that, and has no other experience of other conditions. Reverse may also be true.

I like the Red Sea, but this year I have picked a trip to just inside the Arctic. Although I did wimp out and pick the warm period, whole 14deg in the water You doing shore based or liveaboard?

Anyway one thing I don't want is this thread to be turned into another pony debate, its been done to death

With respect
Paul

No problem there Paul.

Adrian