Finished CCR Class(es)

[Rick Inman]

Last week I finished 8 days of 24/7 class. I did both normoxic and full trimix to 200’, but still have to log 25 hours above 160’ to get the full the trimix card.

The eight days of class was as intense as I had guessed it would be. It took place at a campground on my local lake, with my instructor in the trailer next to mine, so I was really living the class 24/7. The instruction pretty much began at wake-up (about 6am) and went until bed time.

We did all the usual drills, bailout to oc (from 180’), sccr no-computer, assessing issues, flushing for hyper/hypo/etc, passing bottles, ascent and descent buoyancy drills, and everything else. The instructor recommended tons of changes to my kit, which I made.

I did about 800 mins of water time, and countless hours of academics (just because the day is done and you’re at the pizza place eating dinner does not mean the teaching is over!).

As usual with this instructor's classes, it was fun, exciting, challenging, and highly educational.

Now that my classes are over, the real learning begins!

[Hyper-limits]

Congratulations Rick, you're right the real learning is just beginning.

Cheers

Al

[Gill Envy]

congrats Rick, I finally got my full trimix certification this summer too! I've converted 6 of my old 80's to bank bottles and have a couple of standard mixes lined up for cascade trans filling. Now if only my 5 month old daughter had an on off switch so I could go diving more!:duck: just kidding :D all good things in all good time!!

[Rick Inman]

congrats Rick, I finally got my full trimix certification this summer too! I've converted 6 of my old 80's to bank bottles and have a couple of standard mixes lined up for cascade trans filling. Now if only my 5 month old daughter had an on off switch so I could go diving more!:duck: just kidding :D all good things in all good time!!

Yeah, someone told me that once I got on my rebreather I wouuldn't need all those doubles and stages anymore.

Wrong. One set of doubles with 21/35 for about ten dives, the other with 18/45 for another ten, a couple 80's with O2 to top from the T's... I figure that every six months or so I may need to visit the dive shop. :eyebrow:

[TSandM]

Congratulations on a good class, Rick! Is this your same instructor?

Dive safely, please . . . I don't want to read about you in the A&I forum.

[Gill Envy]

Yeah, someone told me that once I got on my rebreather I wouuldn't need all those doubles and stages anymore.

Wrong. One set of doubles with 21/35 for about ten dives, the other with 18/45 for another ten, a couple 80's with O2 to top from the T's... I figure that every six months or so I may need to visit the dive shop. :eyebrow:

Yeah, it's nuts how long you can make that much gas last... and definitely for those considering the cross over, don't get rid of your OC bottles! It's a strange paradox that this sport takes so much capital up front but once the initial investment is made it's remarkably economical. The ability to be this self reliant has so many advantages.

and yes, we all need to be safe. As far as I can tell the divesoft analyzer is the best, but you pay for it. "always know what's in your cookies before you eat them!"

[sea2summit]

oops.

[sea2summit]

It's a strange paradox that this sport takes so much capital up front but once the initial investment is made it's remarkably economical.

No joke, my last dil fill for a dive to 200'x35min cost me $7 in gas and I only used about 1/3 of that. Compare that to my last OC dive to that depth and I don't even want to think about it with todays HE costs.

[Elonna]

Congratulations :o)
Dive safe!