What rebreather for a "non-tec" diver?

[mjh]

So I have started to think about moving to a Rebreather. Been diving for 20yrs and know that beyond just the love of diving my main passion is photography. Tec diving, cave, deep, etc. do not call to me. The “technical” diving would be some of the deeper wrecks at Truk, and going to the 150 range to photograph some of the more rare corals and fish.

So main goals:

1. More bottom time at 100fsw and less
2. Ability to get close to large wildlife
3. Something I can possibly travel to Carib, Pacific, etc, with
4. A system that is as simple as possible to maintain

The majority of systems I see are ccr, given my goals is this that big of an advantage? Like anything I know everyone has a favorite, given my goals what would you suggest?

 

[Diver Mike]

Hi MJH,

I am in Redmond area and can give you some insight into a couple of rebreathers.

1. The Drager Dolphin SCR
2. KISS (Classic)
3. Dolphon converted to CCR (KISS Style)

UW Photo and video as well as critter watching are the main reasons I dive.

PM me or give me a call and we can get together and talk photo and rebreather.

Mike...

Cell 425 531 4167

 

[jagfish]

You might consider the Sport KISS as well...

 

[mjh]

Thanks for the input. Mike maybe we can hook up after the holidays.

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

So I have started to think about moving to a Rebreather. Been diving for 20yrs and know that beyond just the love of diving my main passion is photography. Tec diving, cave, deep, etc. do not call to me. The “technical” diving would be some of the deeper wrecks at Truk, and going to the 150 range to photograph some of the more rare corals and fish.

So main goals:

1. More bottom time at 100fsw and less
2. Ability to get close to large wildlife
3. Something I can possibly travel to Carib, Pacific, etc, with
4. A system that is as simple as possible to maintain

The majority of systems I see are ccr, given my goals is this that big of an advantage? Like anything I know everyone has a favorite, given my goals what would you suggest?

If your goals are photography and getting close to marine life at moderate depths, you might want to consider semi-closed rebreathers such as the Drager Dolphin or the Azimuth instead of going the closed circuit route. They are basically "gas-efficient nitrox" and may be all you need.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I would go straight to the Sport KISS. Very simple and easy to use. Would work great for photography.

http://www.jetsam.ca/

Talk to Kim, tell her Curt Bowen suggested thier unit. It may or may not help?

info@jetsam.ca

So I have started to think about moving to a Rebreather. Been diving for 20yrs and know that beyond just the love of diving my main passion is photography. Tec diving, cave, deep, etc. do not call to me. The “technical” diving would be some of the deeper wrecks at Truk, and going to the 150 range to photograph some of the more rare corals and fish.

So main goals:

1. More bottom time at 100fsw and less
2. Ability to get close to large wildlife
3. Something I can possibly travel to Carib, Pacific, etc, with
4. A system that is as simple as possible to maintain

The majority of systems I see are ccr, given my goals is this that big of an advantage? Like anything I know everyone has a favorite, given my goals what would you suggest?

 

[caveseeker7]

The Sport Kiss Curt mentioned and the Classic Mike has should both suit you well.

Depending on your budget the Mini Meg or Evolution might suit your diving, too. Both are smaller versions of established "full size" eCCRs that have reduced scrubber capacities to about two hours. Like the Sport Kiss they're easier to travel with than the full sized units.

One advantage they have are HUD displays (optional on the Meg) that sit fairly unobstrusively in your field of vision and aid monitoring your pO2. The Evo also has an audible alarm.

Both major safety factors when you're task loading yourself UW, for example with photography or filming. You have to stay on top of your pO2 at all times! While you should never rely on a CCR to function properly, eCCRs will occasionally remind you, while on the manual controlled Kisses your vigilance is always on its own.

The available SCRs, the Dolphin and Azimuth, are limited by the Nitrox supply they use, and therefor rated to 40m/132 ft. Some people use them at greater depth, modified or not, but if you're planning to go deeper from the beginning a CCR is likely a better choice.

 

[mjh]

Understand always tracking PO2, but since my face is in the Viewfinder quite a bit a monitor that is easy to view is worth the $$. Not interested in any system that would need to be "Modified". Again want reliable and simple as possible to dive with.

 

[caveseeker7]

Depending on the time frame you have there might even be a more intresting alternative to monitor the status of your rebreather than just pO2 indicating LEDs.

Steam Machines has been working on a DSV mounted video display for a RGBM dive computer that includes the three cell readouts. It replaces the current 3 LED display (which already signals more than just the pO2) but has a separate connection. You could actually mount the LED display on the back of the unit as a "buddy monitor" like the Cis-Lunar used to have.

The Prism is larger than the Evo, and more so than the MiniMeg, due to a full size scrubber. On the other hand it is rated at 5 hrs and fairly light weight at 47 lbs ready to dive. It's fairly simple to set up and maintain, allows tanks up to 45 cu.ft. and comes complete with BC, ADV, HUD (LED) tanks etc. The only option currently available is the cowling (cover) that snaps onto the back. Price is in line with the current Inspiration and Meg. Once the deco computer will be available cell monitoring will be very convenient (unfortunately I don't know when that'll be).

Pictures of the prototype show a rather large housing, the last prototype I saw late this summer was barely larger than the current LED display. Hooked up to a laptop and holding it at the approximate distance I was able to read folder names from the computers 640x480 screen.

 

[Curt McNamee]

I was just certified on the KISS Classic with Ron Benson as my instructor. What a great unit and a great experience. It is really neat how you blend in with the sea life when you are on a CCR. Instead of the sea life running away from you, it just swims by like you are not even there. If you would like to look at a KISS Classic, let me know. My e-mail address is flyingcash@hotmail.com. I live in Mill Creek, WA. There is also a local instructor that will be a certified KISS Iinstructor soon that I could recommend for training.