Opinions on my new equipment

[nikyyo]

Just had a chance to dive my new equipment while I spent a week in Ft. Lauderdale. This is my first set of equipment and my 7th 8th 9th and 10th dives.

Reg: My SP MK25/S600 w/ R380 octo.breathed incredibly easy at all depths. No difference whether I was 110 feet or on the boat testing it. Very happy with it and it was the easiest part of my equipment decision making process.

BC: Now for this I did a lot of thinking, and reading on this board. Rear inflate or jacket. We all know all the arguments. I went with the Seaquest Balance W/Surelock. I had never dived a rear inflate bc before so I went in blind. First off, the "pushing forward" on the surface was non-existent. I was expecting to have to compensate for it but it was fine. As far as underwater was concerned, I felt very unencumbered and was able tomaintain good trim. I like the weight intergration and prefer it over wearing a weight belt. The only thing that would make this bc better, this is very minor, is if it had a handle sewn into it to help ypou caryy it. Can't understand why Seaquest didn't put one in.

Computer: another difficult decision. wrist or console. I decided to go with a console w/ airintergration. I went with the Sherwood wisdom. I know they say never buy anything the first year it comes out in case it has any bugs and what not, but i liked the way it worked when I was playing with it at LP. I never felt it was difficult to look at the puter underwater. Never affected my trim. ANd I love the air intergration. I prefer having my air, compass, and info all in one place as opposed to a spg, compass. and puter separately. The only thing I think I may regret is the QD. Not so sure yet if I really needed that. There are some questions that I still have about the computer but generally it is very easy to use and I am happy with it.

Did 2 2 tank dives w/pro dive. A friendly and efficient dive op. Only downside is it was a bit like a cattle boat. 19 divers one day 15 the other. Didn't feel crowded on the boat but the safety stops sure did. I also did my deepest dives to date on the wreck "hog Heaven" at 70 feet and "tenneco Towers" at 110 feet. I enjoyed those dives but hope I am able to feel a bit more relaxed in the future. I was a bit apprehensive because all my previous dives (all 6 of them) were much more shallow.
All in all islamorada and key largo seemed to have more life on the reefs than lauderdale, but these dives were still enjoyable and I would dive with pro dive again if i was down there.

[Mverick]

I agree..

You shouldn't have been diving to 110feet when you only have 8 dives.

Loose control of that new BC and go ballistic and your dead...

Sorry but that's to deep for only having 8 dives. You shouldn't go past 60 feet till you take a deep diving class. Or have alot more then 8 dives...... And did Prodive check your log book? If they did they're nuts. They would be liable for you. If they didn't they're nuts. They'd still be liable for you....

But yea, the ScubaPro MK25/600 is a sweet reg. I don't use that BC so I couldn't comment on that. Nor do I use that computer. But I like mine on my wrist. So it doesn't drag in the mud. I hate things on my wrist and never wear watches. But I do wear a wrist computer... Some like it the other way though....

[raviepoo]

I'm really surprised that Pro Dive let your dive Tennaco Towers with less than 10 dives under your belt. Did you have a guide with you? Pro Dive focuses on training DMs and instructors. They like to get patrons to sign on for guided dives with their instructor candidates. If you did have a professional guide, I wouldn't be TOO concerned. But if they just let you jump in the water and explore on your own, I would think twice about diving with them again.

I don't like their operation. Their boat is huge and it was overflowing with divers the day I dove with them. They thought nothing of putting divers in for a drift dive during an electrical storm. THey said it was safe and "we do it all the time." If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn't have done that dive (despite the once in a lifetime experience of seeing lighting hit the water from below.)

[MikeFerrara]

Pro Dive...Another one to warn people about.

Why stop at 110? There's probably a few real good dives close by in the 180 range.

[nikyyo]

Although I had a guide, they did ask me when the last time I dove to those depths were. I told them that I never had. They then put me with the DM. However, there were about 5 other people with the same Dm. There were times at the towers when I really felt like I was on my own for a spell and one time I couldn't find the DM briefly. I kept thinking to myself that if something happened I was dead. I still enjoyed the dive though. I guess my apprehension was well founded. I'm glad I didn't realize I was in as much danger as you guys are telling me. Again, they positively new my level of experience! I'm not bashful about telling people how new I am.

[Wendy]

I have a question about the computer (I don't dive with one):

If its an air intergrated computer, what do you do if it stops working during your dive? How will you know how much air is in your tank? Or am I not understanding what the computer does. Do you have a separate spg from the computer?

Oh and I agree with everyone else: one DM with 5 divers is not good. At one point you lost the DM? Where was he? Wasn't he supposed to be watching you?

Don't rush into diving deep since you are a newbie. Take your time. And if you don't feel comfortable doing something, don't do it. If someone tells you that its ok, to trust them, don't. Those are famous last words. In the future try out new gear at shallower depths.

[medic13]

in response to your guestion
" have a question about the computer (I don't dive with one):

If its an air intergrated computer, what do you do if it stops working during your dive? How will you know how much air is in your tank? "
first if the computer goes out you do the same as if your regular gauge goes out you abort the dive , second most computers have two modes a dive mode and a gauge mode most are set to default to go to gauge mode if something happens but if it totally fails then you abort dive as with any major mechanical promblem.

and my dear I have to admit you shouldnt of been diving that deep, heck if its was DM and cadets you should of hit them up for few more dives and book and did your advance open water , but over all you shouldnt of been diving that deep with out the training !!!!!!!

[scubatexastony]

I started out with a j-valve years ago and had it drilled in me to have a good handle on air consumption. (i.e, the "reserve" was for dummies that didn't track it too well.) Only a couple of the guys I dove with could afford a SPG after purchasing a depth guage and watch. (Is your bottom timer digital?) ;)


If its an air intergrated computer, what do you do if it stops working during your dive? How will you know how much air is in your tank? Or am I not understanding what the computer does.

I use an AI computer now and have a back up computer on my right wrist. Since we all look at our SPG/(AI computer) every 5 minutes or so and we all should have a good grasp of our air consumption, should it fail, (SPG/AI computer) we should know, within a couple hundred pounds, how much air we have. At this point, (failed SPG/AI computer), signal your buddy and do a controled accent and saftey stop with your back up computer/depth guage/timer. (and buddy) :D

Computers are nice in that you can retrieve your profile to as little as 10 second increments, calculate SAC and more accurately track N2 and O2 loading while multi-level diving. They are bad in a sense that new divers become dependent on them to track air comsumption and do their dive planning.

Just courious, do you have a back-up SPG?;)

tony

[aquamann]

I like your chose in BC, I dive with one myself and love it. Your question about the carrying handle, and I'm surprised that wherever you bought it didn't tell you that you can purchase as an option for around $10 the handle and it hooks into the backplate in about 2 minutes. It is only available for the Balance and not the Libra(the womens version). Try and figure Seaquests thinking on that one. Ask your LDS and they should be able to get you one very easily.

[mars2u]

Mverick once bubbled...
...If they did they're nuts. They would be liable for you. If they didn't they're nuts. They'd still be liable for you....


I've been reading quite a few replies similar to the above. I suggest all of you make a copy of your dive release agreement the next time you go. Then, show it to your neighborhood lawyer.

News Flash...You and ONLY you are liable...period, end of story. If the Peter Hughes incident got away scott-free then a certified diver signing a release is definitely not going to make things difficult for the D.O.

D.O.'s have their hind sides covered.

[wreckchick]

I've talked about this before and I'm gonna do it again. IMO a Deep Diving Specialty is NOT required for a diver to go past 60'. I'm a little tired of people saying it is. Is any further training good? Yep, sure is. Should nikyyo been to 110' without a solid buddy? Probably not. A divemaster that's supposed to have 6 buddies is not a buddy at all, that's barely not solo diving. I don't think the specific depth of this dive made it dangerous, it was not having a 1 on 1 buddy to go to in case something went wrong.

I just did a quick little tally of my post certification dives. I have 16 total, 4 <60'; 10 60'-100'; and 2 >100'. I was uncomfortable on precisely one of those dives and it's no surprise it was the deepest one of them all. I wouldn't have been nearly as uncomfortable if the divemaster and the rest of the group wasn't 20'-30' below me AND MY BUDDY for most of the dive (I was at about 122' for most of the dive). If the divemaster had been my buddy, it wouldn't have been easy to stay that far above instead of being down at 150' like everybody else.

Is deep training a necessity? Nah, being comfortable in the water is. Having a buddy you can trust to be there for you if you need them is. Do I recommend that everyone play follow the leader and do dives they aren't comfortable with? Emphatic NO!

Rachel

[nickjb]

Biscuit7, I know exactly what you mean, I felt the same when I was at a similar stage to you.

I think this quote from Richard Pyle sums it up. For rebreather substitute Open Circuit Scuba and for hour substitute number of dives and the figures are prettry good:

"I have learned some important lessons. After my first 10 hours on a rebreather, I was a real expert. Another 40 hours of dive time later, I considered myself a novice. When I had completed about 100 hours of rebreather diving, I realized I was only just a beginner."

It is very easy to push the limits when you start out. Take it easy and dive safe.

[large_diver]

Nick,

I think that was about the best post I've seen around here in quite a while.

-LD

[runvus4]

The reality of a 60' limit is IMHO too shallow a buideline for a beginning diver. Certainly there is plenty to do and see below 60', but the fact of the matter is that most dives that a "beginner" can and will sign up for are just at that level or deeper. I realize that 66' or 2 atm is the suggested save limit for narcosis and I do feel that 60/66' is a good limit to try to adhere to.

Most dive operations I've been to do not offer many if any shallow dives and usually leave those to the domain of snorkeling. They believe that people whom have taken a vacation and spend the time/money to certify and buy/rent gear want to see and do much much more than they could when snorkeling due to the greatly increased inconvenience, time and costs associated to Scuba.

Aside from my very first dive which was 45', I've never been on a dive, cert or fun, that hasn't broken the 60' suggested limit, even if only by 5 to 10 feet.

110 feet dive as a new diver, especially with new gear and a non-dedicated (experienced) buddy is, as the orignial poster suspected, not a dive that should have been made. If the dive community/dive training organizations want to continue to push a 60'/66' reccomended limit prior to "deep diver" training, then they really need to convince dive operations to develop and offer more dives in that depth range.

[nickjb]

large_diver once bubbled...
Nick,

I think that was about the best post I've seen around here in quite a while.

-LD

Thanks LD, When I read it in one of Richard's papers it really rang true.

[wreckchick]

nick,

I agree with you completely as far as my dive experience goes. I think I am more conservative now than during those first couple dives. I think my conservatism plays more in the realm of having the courage to disobey a divemaster and dive the plan, not the divemaster who wanders from the plan.

Understand that I could swim before I could walk, I've always loved the ocean and snorkeling, I haven't had any problems with any skills related to diving, and I'm not prone to panic in any situation. The dives I counted above include 14 lovely caribbean dives and 2 off the coast of south carolina. The caribbean dives were deep, the SC ones were not. I wouldn't have gone too deep there because the water was cold, the gear was clunky and constricting, and I wasn't as comfortable. I'll probably be diving quarries this summer and I have no intention of hitting anything particularly deep. The limited visibility and the cold water make those dives more challenging for me, even at 50'.

Maybe there should be some sort of formula that takes into account the water temp and vis when figuring max depth. I think everyone would agree that 60' in Lake Michigan is not the same as 60' in Cozumel, but according to PADI rules, they should be treated as such.

Rachel

[MikeFerrara]

I would like to hear about the gas management plan that was used for the 110 ft dive.

[Waterlover]

According to PADI rules she only needs to be back on the boat with 500psi. She doesn't need a gas management plan for that:):)

[sheck33]

:drown:

[Big-t-2538]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
I would like to hear about the gas management plan that was used for the 110 ft dive.

welll, I have only had ove dive below 110, but all of my dives share a common plan....

deep as we can for as long as we can, when we run out of air...we inflate our BC and shoot to the surface like a rocket

[mars2u]

Big-t-2538 once bubbled...


welll, I have only had ove dive below 110, but all of my dives share a common plan....

deep as we can for as long as we can, when we run out of air...we inflate our BC and shoot to the surface like a rocket

Man, no wonder my dives have always seemed short!!! I just need to adopt a new plan.

:stupid:

;)

[nikyyo]

Been away from the board a while. Thanks aquamann for that info on the seaquest balance handle. It seems to me, as a new diver, that I am going to have to use my own judgement about whetehr or not to do a particular dive and not necessarily trust the dive op. I was reluctant when they told me what they were diving that day, and I should have listened to myself. I don't think anyone would agree that it was appropriate for a person with 6 dives to be diving the towers, with new equipment and no dedicated dive buddy. Next time if it doesns't feel right, i won't do it.