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Scuba Forum / General / August 2007Going through diving withdrawal -- Need help
Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our pool which is 12 feet? I just have this urge when swimming in the lane to start going down when the pool depth starts to drop off. I figure I need at least a mask, fins and weights. Is there a minimum of other stuff I can get (smaller tank with some kind of tank holder) that will allow me to just dive in the pool swimming up and down the lane adding depth to the procedure? Don't want to spend a fortune on full blown dive equipment, but I know I can transfer a decent regulator over to a "normal" setup. Pretty much only used my BC for resting at the top when I passed my OW test, and getting a smaller tank that has to be filled more often isn't a big deal. This is just for fun and to scratch that itch. Thanks. Sheldon > Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our > pool which is 12 feet? 12 foot and 6 inch snorkel? ( and a great lung capacity to overcome the dead space) I just have this urge when swimming in the lane to > start going down when the pool depth starts to drop off. > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Sheldon >> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >> our pool which is 12 feet? > > 12 foot and 6 inch snorkel? ( and a great lung capacity to overcome the > dead space) Tried that and screwed up my ears. I have to descend slower than I can hold my breath. >>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >>> our pool which is 12 feet? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Tried that and screwed up my ears. I have to descend slower than I can > hold my breath. I told you before never hold your breathe when diving >>>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >>>> our pool which is 12 feet? [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I told you before never hold your breathe when diving He wasn't diving, he was snorkeling. You seem to hebetate on that subject. Have you been eating Canadian beef, maybe? >>>>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom >>>>> of our pool which is 12 feet? [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Have you been eating Canadian beef, maybe? You're suspecting CBD*? Matthias *Canadian Bovine Disease >>>>>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom >>>>>> of our pool which is 12 feet? [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > *Canadian Bovine Disease More like "Canadian Hoof In Mouth Disease". He's got all the classic symptoms: Rote obfuscation and vitriol, blatant hypocrisy, denial and/or re-writing of his own posted words (even when evidenced in the same post), automatic and baseless counter-accusations without a shred of supporting evidence, and endemic deafness to the word "cite". >>>>>>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom >>>>>>> of our pool which is 12 feet? [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > and baseless counter-accusations without a shred of supporting evidence, > and endemic deafness to the word "cite". Have you got rid of mad cow disease from the US of A? It was stuffing your beef exports which was great for me but you are MCD free now aren't you? selling to Japan and Korea? Anyhow whatever the problems with beef in the US were the fishing seems to be great. > Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our > pool which is 12 feet? Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin> If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate... Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now: http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIVE-TANK-BACKPACK-HARNESS_W0QQitemZ16014900647 1QQihZ006QQcategoryZ16057QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem You don't need a BC if you are weighted correctly... Check ebay out for gear... Sometimes you can even find tanks on ebay that are local and as such you'll be able to avoid paying shipping... Shipping costs tend to eat up whatever deal you can get on tanks usually... You will need a minimum of a single 1st and 2nd stage... SPGs are not really needed... Just go with an unbalanced 2nd stage and you'll be able to tell when the tank starts getting close to empty by the fact that it gets a bit more difficult to breathe from... Or you can just use a stainless steel hose clamp around the base of your tank with a rope or nylon strap attached between it and the neck of your tank valve and toss this over a shoulder... Some of us have used even less than this when working over the side on our boats clearing a prop or whatever... >> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >> our [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > used even less than this when working over the side on our boats > clearing a prop or whatever... >> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >> our [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or > for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate... surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really great > Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now: > http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIVE-TANK-BACKPACK-HARNESS_W0QQitemZ16014900647 1QQihZ006QQcategoryZ16057QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > used even less than this when working over the side on our boats > clearing a prop or whatever... >>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >>> our [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really > great Might be a plan. I'll have to see how much air they hold and how I would attach it myself. At least I could use it when I dive. > >> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old > >> steel-72... You can get a plastic b ackplate and put the tank on it or [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Might be a plan. I'll have to see how much air they hold and how I would > attach it myself. At least I could use it when I dive. Uh oh . . here we go . . . >> >> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old >> >> steel-72... You can get a plastic b ackplate and put the tank on it or [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Uh oh . . here we go . . . When I say I could use it when I dive I meant as a pony bottle. Not as my main air supply. > >> >> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old > >> >> steel-72... You can get a plastic b ackplate and put the tank on it or [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > When I say I could use it when I dive I meant as a pony bottle. Not as my > main air supply. Uh oh . . . here we go . . . :^) Do a rec.scuba google search on "spare air". >> > Uh oh . . here we go . . . >> > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Do a rec.scuba google search on "spare air". OK, let's be nice to the new guy. Sheldon, those tanks aren't even big enough to use for drysuit inflation. Curtis > >> > Uh oh . . here we go . . . > >> > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > OK, let's be nice to the new guy. OK, you first. > Sheldon, those tanks aren't even big enough to use for drysuit > inflation. Ah, I see you've already started. ;^) >>> > Uh oh . . here we go . . . >>> > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Curtis When I started doing a search I realized most will barely get you to the surface in an emergency. Just have to pray that Boyles law works. :-) Curtis wrote: > > Sheldon, those tanks aren't even big enough to use for drysuit > > inflation. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > When I started doing a search I realized most will barely get you to the > surface in an emergency. Just have to pray that Boyles law works. :-) They were originally designed to allow helicopter aircrew to E&E in the event of a "water landing". > >>> > Uh oh . . here we go . . . > >>> > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > When I started doing a search I realized most will barely get you to the > surface in an emergency. Just have to pray that Boyles law works. :-) Now you are caught up. :^) >> surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really >> great > Might be a plan. I'll have to see how much air they hold and how I would > attach it myself. At least I could use it when I dive. A bottle is a bottle. It becomes a pony bottle when you use it that way. A Spare Air is not a good cost benefit trade off. They are expensive and carry only a small amount of gas. Lee > surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really > great A pony bottle will still require a 1st & 2nd stage regulator... The cost of a pony bottle is close enough to the cost of a AL80 or steel-72 that it's not really worth it... A Spare-Air will cost about the same as a used tank and reg, so why bother? Even using the figures on their web site and their largest (3.0 cu-ft) model, you only get 57 breaths on the surface... Some would argue that they are not being that realistic with their projections also... Considering the cost, I would say just find a good deal on a used name brand reg off of ebay (Dacor, Apex, ScubaPro, USD, etc) and put it on an old steel-72 tank... They're more compact that the AL80s, hold pretty much the same amount of air, and seem to last damn close to forever... I've got one from 1970 that I still use at times... You don't need an SPG, just rely on the increased breathing resistance as the tank gets really low or get one with a J-valve on it... Of course, you could also take a 2-liter carbonated beverage bottle and make an air tank out of it... I've pressurized them up to 75 psi before... From what I've read, they are designed so that the screw threads will blow out at 150 psi... You could use your home shop (oil less) compressor for airing them up... A couple of valves from HomeDepot and something like an AirBuddy (http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/CategoryID_960/Context_954/Sort_Stock/DescSort_0/ AQUAASBC.html?Hit=1) to give you a mouth operated demand valve for breathing and you would be able to get a couple of breaths out of it... Maybe manifold a couple of them for longer bottom time? Search ebay for a used steel-72 and reg... You can probably get everything for less than $100 if you know what to look for and are a bit patient... If you are swimming in a public pool, they might have rules against you using supplemental air there... Some of them get a bit nervous if they see someone laying on the bottom for any period of time... >>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >>> our [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really > great It's sad that you finally managed to type something before hitting send, and it was a stump for "Spare Air". >> Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now: >> http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIVE-TANK-BACKPACK-HARNESS_W0QQitemZ16014900647 1QQihZ006QQcategoryZ16057QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> used even less than this when working over the side on our boats >> clearing a prop or whatever... >> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >> our >> pool which is 12 feet? > > Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead > weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin> One instructor tried that already. > If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not > drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air > supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller > tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old > steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or > for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate... Thanks for the tip. Shipping on that backplate is a little high. Might shop around, but something like that should do it. > Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now: > http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIVE-TANK-BACKPACK-HARNESS_W0QQitemZ16014900647 1QQihZ006QQcategoryZ16057QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > used even less than this when working over the side on our boats > clearing a prop or whatever... > Thanks for the tip. Shipping on that backplate is a little high. Might > shop around, but something like that should do it. If you're really trying to keep the money down, check around for an old, no longer useful BCD. Many of the cheaper ones, over the years, used a plastic back plate that comes complete with holes for tank and harness straps. Just take the plastic one out and buy some strap material and a buckle. Lee >>Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our >>pool which is 12 feet? [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > used even less than this when working over the side on our boats > clearing a prop or whatever... damn it, Gru > Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our > pool which is 12 feet? I just have this urge when swimming in the lane to > start going down when the pool depth starts to drop off. Depending on the social standards where you live, a bathing suit may be the minimum. You don't need anything else to dive to the bottom of the pool. Before you get carried away with this, check with pool management, assuming it's not your pool. Most public pools do not welcome dive equipment outside of dive classes. Some, perhaps most, don't even encourage a mask or fins. > I figure I need at least a mask, fins and weights. Is there a minimum of > other stuff I can get (smaller tank with some kind of tank holder) that > will allow me to just dive in the pool swimming up and down the lane > adding depth to the procedure? Don't want to spend a fortune on full > blown dive equipment . . . You're talking about a mask, fins, weights, tank and regulator already. All it takes to step up to "full blown" dive equipment is an alternate and a BCD. Not a lot of difference in equipment or cost. By the way, a small cylinder usually costs very nearly the same as a large one. > but I know I can transfer a decent regulator over to a "normal" setup. This statement appears to have no meaning. Lee > Before you get carried away with this, check with pool management, > assuming it's not your pool. Most public pools do not welcome dive > equipment outside of dive classes. Some, perhaps most, don't even > encourage a mask or fins. See my last post. Good point, and that was the first thing I did today. No problem at all. > Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our > pool which is 12 feet? I just have this urge when swimming in the lane to [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > OW test, and getting a smaller tank that has to be filled more often isn't a > big deal. This is just for fun and to scratch that itch. Sounds to me like yer still caught up in the new excitement of diving. I wouldn't spend a whole bunch on gear specifically for this new plan cause I suspect the glow will quickly wear off when you realize there's not a helluva lot to do or see at the bottom of the pool. Better you should use the time and space to practice breath hold diving and raising your comfort and skill level. I recollect you saying that your age is getting up there somewhat close to mine so you might not reasonably expect the same kind of abilities as a young pup with clean lungs but even in my advanced state of decrepitude I can still swim at least two lengths (approx 75') of my pool underwater on one breath. When we had the pool put in 30 years ago I could do 4 lengths. Depth is another thing. Learning to deal with your ear squeeze while holding your breath is a great skill to have. You were taught the different methods in your classes but probably haven't worked on any but the squeezed-nose thang. If you're determined to get gear for this at least get a decent sized bottle that you can sling and use later for deco O2. It's handy for hangovers too. It'll be a pita to swim with though. Frankly I doubt you'll use it much for exploring the bottom of the pool. Better to practice useful skills or just use the regular gear to get more comfortable with it. You can practice shutdowns, mask clearing and reg switching. Try different gear configs to find what you really feel best with. Learn to be absolutely motionless in the water. Learn to get off the bike and be horizontal. Get together with someone else and practice handoffs. Do inwater doff and don drills. Handy skills if you develop health problems that make the weight of the gear a problem out of the water. Learn to remove and replace your fins easily while floating. Try floating comfortably with an empy tank on the surface, particularly if you're using a back inflation rather than a wrap around style bcd. That's very useful if the pickup boat is off in some other part of the ocean getting the rest of the customers. The possibilities are endless. Even practice can be fun. JF >> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of >> our [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] > > JF Most of your suggestions are right-on. I do plan on using it to work on boyancy and to practice. If I find anything interesting at the bottom of the pool I'll let you know, but so far nothing. :-) But check this out: I went to my local dive shop, where I took my pool lessons, and the guy had tons of stuff in the back for peanuts. He started going through boxes and I got a bc for free, a regulator and pressure gauge for free, but he has to service it, and an older steel tank that has just been hydrostatically tested for $100. I went over to the public rec center indoor pool and they have no problem with me using a lane in 3-D or swimming around the bottom. > I went to my local dive shop, where I took my pool lessons, and the guy had > tons of stuff in the back for peanuts. He started going through boxes and I > got a bc for free, a regulator and pressure gauge for free, but he has to > service it, and an older steel tank that has just been hydrostatically > tested for $100. I went over to the public rec center indoor pool and they > have no problem with me using a lane in 3-D or swimming around the bottom. By "older steel tank", it probably means a steel-72... They're only slightly less than an AL80 in capacity since an AL80 is not a full 80 cu-ft... A bit of an overfill in the steel-72 will bring it up to a true 80 cu-ft anyway... That's a bit high for a steel-72, but if it comes with a fresh hydro, visual inspection, and air fill, it's not too bad... I think the cheapest I ever got a steel-72 for was around $20-30 (local, so no shipping)... It needed a new hydro and inspection... Didn't need tumbling, so it turned out to be a good deal... >> I went to my local dive shop, where I took my pool lessons, and the guy >> had [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > inspection... Didn't need tumbling, so it turned out to be a good > deal... Some of the items on eBay are good deals, but I live in the boonies and if I can't pick them up the shipping is outrageous. Since all of this stuff is used, at the local shop, I plan on asking for the "cash" price. :-) Also a matter of trust, and I'm not sure what kind of price you can put on that. Definitely a good deal for playing in the pool and knowing the equipment is safe to use. As a novice I do want to do this on the cheap, but I want to know it's been inspected by someone I trust. > Some of the items on eBay are good deals, but I live in the boonies > and if I can't pick them up the shipping is outrageous. Since all of [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > this on the cheap, but I want to know it's been inspected by someone I > trust. Would you trust me? I promise not to cum in your mouth.  SignatureLove and kisses, Carl > I went to my local dive shop, where I took my pool lessons, and the guy had > tons of stuff in the back for peanuts. He started going through boxes and I > got a bc for free, a regulator and pressure gauge for free, but he has to > service it, and an older steel tank that has just been hydrostatically > tested for $100. Great. This is definitely the way to go. Used stuff is great, as long as it has been inspected and serviced; personally, I wouldn't want to monkey around with improvised setups. Not a new diver like me, not even in shallow water, not even in a pool. My hair was standing on end (what little there is left of it). Don't start cutting corners on safety, not right from the get-go. >> I went to my local dive shop, where I took my pool lessons, and the guy >> had tons of stuff in the back for peanuts. He started going through [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Don't start cutting corners on safety, not right from the get-go. Excellent point. That's why I decided to get everything through my dive shop instead of eBay, and what I'm getting is pretty much only for practice in the pool. I trust that my instructor wouldn't give or sell me anything that was questionable. Now, if he comes up with an easy breathing regulator that I like, I may build a setup around that I can take with me on trips -- regulator, octo, computer, etc. I've already had to deal with regulators I simply "put up with." If I can find a regulator that breaths well at the bottom of the pool, after servicing, it might be worth hanging onto. I also figure as long as I stay safe, I'll learn more about different brands and types of equipment as I dive more. > Now, if he comes up with an easy breathing regulator that I like, I may > build a setup around that I can take with me on trips -- regulator, octo, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > long as I stay safe, I'll learn more about different brands and types of > equipment as I dive more. My wife and I just recently bought our gear, after renting stuff for a while. I confess I never came across a hard-breathing reg, although the ones we used in Mexico had ridiculously inadequate mouthpieces that looked like the dog's chew toy. In fact all of the various rental gear seemed to work fine, and to work about the same. Of course, we're new divers and rarely go below 30'. The universal advice is to rent before you buy, and I still think it's good advice, but we found we had no strong preferences. At least not for our kind of low key, undemanding diving. We went the "low end, reputable brand" route. Got Aqua Lung Calypso regs that aren't as "good" as even the shop's rentals but heck, they breate just as easy and they don't free flow. The shop has a "try it, full credit if you don't like it policy" which is good because I'm cheap. I tried to cheap out buying an analog depth gauge instead of a dive computer but had to take the credit and trade up when I discovered that with a 7 mil suit and gloves there was no way I was going to be able to read my watch underwater. > We went the "low end, reputable brand" route. Got Aqua Lung Calypso regs > that aren't as "good" as even the shop's rentals but heck, they breate > just as easy and they don't free flow. There's nothing wrong with Aqua Lung Calypso regulators. They are not rated as the best, but I've yet to find anything my high performance regulators will do that my Calypsos won't. As a matter of fact, on a recent trip, I had to remove the second stage from my recently serviced high performance, one of the top few, regulator and replace it with my Calypso backup. > The shop has a "try it, full credit if you don't like it policy" which is > good because I'm cheap. I tried to cheap out buying an > analog depth gauge instead of a dive computer but had to take the credit > and trade up when I discovered that with a 7 mil suit > and gloves there was no way I was going to be able to read my watch > underwater. You could have opted for a bottom timer or, as most of us do, put your watch on over your wetsuit. Lee >> We went the "low end, reputable brand" route. Got Aqua Lung Calypso regs >> that aren't as "good" as even the shop's rentals but heck, they breate [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Lee I was just going to say that. Most dive watches have extra long bands, replacement extra long bands, and even dive watches with ss bands have a quick adjustment in there for wearing over your suit. As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I have gotten by with some pretty bad regulators (I like the chew toy analogy), but I can definitely tell the difference between regulators and often opt to use the octo instead of the standard regulator. I kinda like the extra hose length, but I always go by which regulator works best. > As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I have > gotten by with some pretty bad regulators (I like the chew toy analogy), but > I can definitely tell the difference between regulators and often opt to use > the octo instead of the standard regulator. I kinda like the extra hose > length, but I always go by which regulator works best. This is most likely a matter of maintenance and adjustment. Almost all regulators can be made to perform well at the depths most of the diving is done at unless they have some sort of issue such as a worn second stage seat. >> As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I have >> gotten by with some pretty bad regulators (I like the chew toy analogy), [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > is done at unless they have some sort of issue such as a worn second > stage seat. What Al said. > >> As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I have > >> gotten by with some pretty bad regulators (I like the chew toy analogy), [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > What Al said. The responses by Al and Lee should most certainly be considered as valuable. And Sheldon's advice may be spot on as well, however, inasmuch as Sheldon just got certified, I question how much experience he really has to offer on this issue. No offence intended Sheldon, but when you've done a few more dives and you think back on this, you'll likely understand where I'm coming from. Any response from Lee and Al, well . . should most certainly be considered as more than experienced opinion and significant advice of value. "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :The responses by Al and Lee should most certainly be considered as valuable. :And Sheldon's advice may be spot on as well, however, inasmuch as Sheldon :just got certified, I question how much experience he really has to offer on :this issue. Wasn't Sheldon the one asking the questions? Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting > in: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Wasn't Sheldon the one asking the questions? I thought it was Paul Foley that Sheldon replied to with gear advice. >> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting >> in: [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > I thought it was Paul Foley that Sheldon replied to with gear advice. I started the thread, but then it started to go back and forth. I learn something from most threads in this group regardless of which direction it goes. I know things get out of hand now and then, but you guys, and gals, have been invaluable to me. You can learn the basics from an instructor, but once you get through that you continue to learn from diving and from other divers. >>> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting >>> in: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > goes. I know things get out of hand now and then, but you guys, and gals, > have been invaluable to me. I hope and assume you disregard anything I have mentioned on this ng. I don't want an American lawyer chasing me. Whatever I hope you keep enjoying yourself and you will find that most American divers are not loud mouthed, overly opinionated, gun toting, truck driving, republican rednecks but the kind good natured people as displayed on this ng. :-) repeated ad nauseum You can learn the basics from an instructor, > but once you get through that you continue to learn from diving and from > other divers. ngs are good, water is best and you learn most from your mistakes, unless they kill you, which they probably won't but will scare the sh.t out of you when you look back at them >> >> As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I > have [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > Any response from Lee and Al, well . . should most certainly be considered > as more than experienced opinion and significant advice of value. I realize I'm only a novice, and I respect your bringing that up, but maybe because I'm a novice I had a chance to go through a lot of regulators in a very short time and noticed there really is a difference. Even in a pool or a crater you will have a lot more fun when your equipment is working well, and you can concentrate on learning or sightseeing. >>> >> As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I >> have [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > equipment is working well, and you can concentrate on learning or > sightseeing. regulators esp. hired ones ( probably serviced properly but dropped in sand on boats etc by hirees (?) ) vary greatly in their performances. If you have a regulator suited to both you and the type of diving you do it makes it so much easier and so much more fun which is the whole point of diving. Having said that someone mentioned on a dive the other week about John Bennett and his 1000 ft dive so I re-read some info I had on that dive and tried to figure out why? The bloke was supposedly breathing 600l of gas + per minute down there ( try that on a spare air ) , 9 1/2 hours plus , started to freeze, got neurological problems ( but they were in expected norms ) and started chucking up regularly from vertigo caused by ME barotrauma with 8 hours to go. Of course the reason is was because it was there and he could. Getting back to regs I obviously prefer to dive with my own regs I know them ( and they know me :-) ) , know what to expect from them and their history. I don't think I would do some of the dives I do ( and they are not major tech or fighter pilot dives ) on hired regs/gear. For your normal rec dive they are great and I have no qualms as long as you are not worried about a reg that may breathe a bit hard >>>> >> As for the regulators: Maybe I'm more sensitive than others, and I >>> have [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > normal rec dive they are great and I have no qualms as long as you are not > worried about a reg that may breathe a bit hard I agree. I don't want to shlep everything, but bringing your own reg, spg, computer, etc. ain't a bad idea when you dive somewhere. > I realize I'm only a novice, and I respect your bringing that up, but > maybe because I'm a novice I had a chance to go through a lot of > regulators in a very short time and noticed there really is a difference. > Even in a pool or a crater you will have a lot more fun when your > equipment is working well, and you can concentrate on learning or > sightseeing. Your point is quite true, but does not negate Al's comments. His point is that any major brand regulator and all but a few no name brands, will work well in almost all recreational situations provided it's well maintained and properly adjusted. The reverse of that is that any regulator, not properly maintained or not properly adjusted, will not work well. A good case in point is my primary Scuba Pro. On the first dive of my Dry Tortugas trip, earlier this month, my second stage bubble continuously for the entire dive. It was annoying enough that I used my alternate, letting the primary bubble somewhere other than right in my face, and changed out the second stage at the end of the dive. I suspect that the problem may have been the new Scuba Pro Mk 25 first stage I used with a second stage adjusted for my old Scuba Pro Mk 20 first stage. The Mk 20 was set up by a tech shop that I would bet set the IP a bit lower than normal and adjusted the second stage to match. I'll know as soon as I can get both regulators back into the shop. Lee >> I realize I'm only a novice, and I respect your bringing that up, but >> maybe because I'm a novice I had a chance to go through a lot of [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Lee My instructor, the shop owner, said that regulators start to wear at the seal. You can rebuild them or adjust them, but there are ways to make them breath easier. I'll probably be picking up my setup this week. I've found what I'm sure most of you have found: If it doesn't work well out of the water it won't work well in the water. Maybe a bit noisy on land, sound like a whoopee cushion, but I've found they pretty much breath the same above or below the surface. Also nice when they have a new or newer mouthpiece. I had one that I almost had to duct tape to my face. > My instructor, the shop owner, said that regulators start to wear at the > seal. You can rebuild them or adjust them, but there are ways to make [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > sound like a whoopee cushion, but I've found they pretty much breath the > same above or below the surface. I once had a regulator that made odd noises when I breathed from it. I got someone to correct that problem as quickly as possible. I sounded like a goose honking with every breath. > Also nice when they have a new or newer mouthpiece. I had one that I > almost had to duct tape to my face. That brings up an interestig point that I've not seen mentioned for some time. Several people in this group have indicated that they buy a new mouthpiece to use with rental regulators. By the time I became aware of the idea, I had long since quit renting equipment, but it sounded like a good idea for those that are a bit more sqeemish than I am. Lee > That brings up an interestig point that I've not seen mentioned for some > time. Several people in this group have indicated that they buy a new > mouthpiece to use with rental regulators. By the time I became aware of the > idea, I had long since quit renting equipment, but it sounded like a good > idea for those that are a bit more sqeemish than I am. When I was in Charlotte, NC, there was a health inspector who had some sort of issue with the way the rental regs were being cleaned. This led to the removal of their mouthpieces, and students were required to bring their own personal mouthpieces. If I didn't know what was going on, I would have thought it was just another dive shop scam. BTW, the mouthpieces that come with most regs suck right out of the box. I have been using Rite-Bite mouthpieces since I bought my first reg. Most who try them never go back, but of course this is a matter of personal preference. YMMV. > You could have opted for a bottom timer or, as most of us do, put your watch > on over your wetsuit. That works fine with my 3 mil, but even with the extra link let out, the watch will barely go on over the 7 mil. The gloves come up high enough to completely conceal the watch, anyway. Ah, the joys of cold water diving... Though I'm a technophobe, I gotta say I like the dive computer. It's easy, it stores info I'd forget to write down, and it tells me just how cold the water is. It's a great toy. <snip> > Now, if he comes up with an easy breathing regulator that I like, I may > build a setup around that I can take with me on trips -- regulator, octo, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > long as I stay safe, I'll learn more about different brands and types of > equipment as I dive more. ANY modern regulator should breathe just fine at the bottom of a swimming pool. A better one will breathe the same at 100'. A really good one will breathe the same at 150' or deeper. John Eells
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