You have GOT TO BE KIDDING!- New Aqualung BC

[HowardE]

ok, this is what i am missing then

as i understand it, when you pull the lever up, the BC takes you up by adding air, correct?

well... that's what they're saying.

Like Diver0001 said, advertising will make all kinds of claims... ultimately, the device is a LP inflator with a lever instead of a button.

They have oversimplified the useage on the website, and it causes experienced divers to get all in a tizzy over it.

 

[H2Andy]

Like Diver0001 said, advertising will make all kinds of claims... ultimately, the device is a LP inflator with a lever instead of a button.

nod .... no issues there, though i'd have to see how responsive it is in real time

i guess my only problem then is with how the "pull up to go up" verbaige may get divers in trouble, particulalrly inexperienced divers

 

[HowardE]

nod .... no issues there, though i'd have to see how responsive it is in real time

i guess my only problem then is with how the "pull up to go up" verbaige may get divers in trouble, particulalrly inexperienced divers

I can see that being a problem, but the diver would have to be totally clueless. I remember clearly my OW instructor telling us to dump air as we ascend.

Perhaps a letter to them from the group - explaining that the verbiage is somewhat misleading, and possible suggestions for re-wording the "pull up to go up" could be, "Pull up to simply add air to your BCD to acheive neutral buoyancy. Pushing down on the lever will release air from your BCD" - or something like that.

 

[Web Monkey]

Be careful what you wish for, Terry.

. . .

port of your bcd. Hooked up to the LP hose it could add as well as dump gas. It was connected by a cable to the hand unit which had the control electronics and deco computer fitted. Ascent and decent speed were adjustable (within reason), and the unit could control the bouyancy to keep the diver at a depth level between 3 and 40 meters (10 - 130 ft abouts). The controller displayed depth, dive time, pressure, calculated remaining gas time and NDL/deco. Al nicely backlit, with plenty of

I'm not sure I'd really want one even if it worked and was cheap and reliable.

But I would have been impressed.

Terry

 

[MikeFerrara]

I can see that being a problem, but the diver would have to be totally clueless. I remember clearly my OW instructor telling us to dump air as we ascend.

Perhaps a letter to them from the group - explaining that the verbiage is somewhat misleading, and possible suggestions for re-wording the "pull up to go up" could be, "Pull up to simply add air to your BCD to acheive neutral buoyancy. Pushing down on the lever will release air from your BCD" - or something like that.

You're going awfully easy on them, aren't you? I read right on the aqualung web site that they're the ones who introduced the world to diving 60 years ago. And now we have to explain to them how a bc is used?

They're just like the agencies, they get more clueless and more off the wall as time goes on. These are the people who are trying to run the industry for crying out loud.

 

[Mike Veitch]

this thread is hilarious. Its like "new divers will pull up on the lever to go up with this new BCD"

and you don't think those same new divers will just push the button on their regular corrugated hose to do the same thing!?!?

:rofl2:

I love watching people in a head down position trying to get the air out of their BC with the hose! Always gives me a good chuckle, i then show them that air dump on the back right of their BC and its a revelation!!

I guess the one thing i would miss about a corrugated hose would be the entertainment factor of watching people trying to get air to go down instead of up!

 

[MikeFerrara]

As I said. The wording is poor... I don't add air to go up either. I add air to achieve neutrality.

This does not change the way the BCD operates. Someone - obviously thought the ad campaign with the Java applet that makes the guy go up and down was a good idea, and they ran with it. Ultimately, this does not change the functionality of the BCD.

I used to dive with a similar side mounted inflate/deflate device. It worked just fine. That's all this thing is.

It's more than just poor wording. They even put animation on their web page to show you exactly what they intended to say. Are non-diving marketing people running everything at aqualung? It would seem so.

 

[H2Andy]

and you don't think those same new divers will just push the button on their regular corrugated hose to do the same thing!?!?

the difference is the manufacturer/advertiser isn't telling them to do so, leading them to belive it's ok and safe

 

[james croft]

I dive BP/w, horsecollars and often dive with no bc's. I am sure I can dive that rig without any problem. But I would never buy one. Too gimicky. If I have a problem with my inflator, I swap it out at the dive site with one in my save-a-dive kit or replace an o-ring. I suspect a field repair may be more complicated with this unit. I also do not want a hidden oral inflator. I have used my power inflator as a second "regulator" and breathed off it before. I know this is not taught by certifying agencies, and people will tell you I will get pneumonia from the mold, etc. in the bladder, but it works in a pinch. That would be tough to do with this unit, if it is even possible at all.

There will be folks who will get confused on the purpose of this control and will use it to ascend, just as I see divers doing the same with the power inflator located at the end of the hose. That is a training issue that can be directed at both styles of bc's.
I can already hear some owners of this rig saying to themselves "Red, Right, Returning".

 

[MikeFerrara]

the difference is the manufacturer/advertiser isn't telling them to do so, leading them to belive it's ok and safe

I doubt that even many new divers would believe it. That make aqualung the only ones who don't know how a bc is used.