UTD Recreational Equipment Questions

[Kevrumbo]

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It's not so much having dives that require them, but I have met a couple people (one of them GUE trained) who always dive doubles, primarily for redundancy but it also makes gas management a little bit easier if you do multiple dives on the same set of doubles. I don't really know how difficult it is to haul or dive with doubles or anything like that, and maybe I'll find in the future that I'll want to use single tanks unless I absolutely need doubles. Which I guess brings up an interesting question, do most people who are trained and own doubles, dive with them all the time or only when necessary?

I own & use double AL80's (twin 11L/bar tanks for 22 litres/bar total) all the time for recreational diving here at home in SoCal, just because it happens to match up well with my cold water SCR (Surface Consumption Rate) of 22 litres/min*ATA.

22-divided-by-22 equals a One bar/min*ATA SPG translation, so it makes my on-the-fly gas management tracking & calculations at depth that much easier. . .

 

[nwbrewer]

What regs do you have? Many can be converted with too much expense to DIN quite easily.

It sounds like most of your introduction to team based diving has come from the internets. When you're in Seattle take rjack up on his offer to dive. Real diving is different from internet diving.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

What regs do you have? Many can be converted with too much expense to DIN quite easily.

Really? I figured the shapes were too diffferent to do this. My regs are Zeagle Flathead 6's, any idea who you'd contact about this?

It sounds like most of your introduction to team based diving has come from the internets. When you're in Seattle take rjack up on his offer to dive. Real diving is different from internet diving.

Ya I'll try to set something up once I'm back.

 

[rjack321]

It's not so much having dives that require them, but I have met a couple people (one of them GUE trained) who always dive doubles, primarily for redundancy but it also makes gas management a little bit easier if you do multiple dives on the same set of doubles. I don't really know how difficult it is to haul or dive with doubles or anything like that, and maybe I'll find in the future that I'll want to use single tanks unless I absolutely need doubles. Which I guess brings up an interesting question, do most people who are trained and own doubles, dive with them all the time or only when necessary?

I have 6 sets of doubles at home and 4 single tanks (a ton of Al80 and Al40 stages too). For shallower dives there's really no reason to put the wear and tear on your body to dive doubles. Sometimes I do to use up leftover gas, sometimes if I am helping out someone else in class or practicing in doubles etc. But its not really using the best tool for the job to have the maximal fun on an otherwise benign recreational dive IMHO. I definately wouldn't rush into doubles if you don't need them. A few single 95/100/119/130s will do you fine out here for awhile.

The thing I like the most UTD and GUE (from looking at them externally) isn't so much DIR itself (although a lot of it does make sense), rather than agencies teaching recreational diving who aren't in the "race to the bottom" it seems every other agency is. Basically PADI lowers the standards to get more profits, then the others all follow just to try and keep up. It's refreshing to see agencies following their own path gaining popularity. And on the DiveMaster page the requirement "Minimum of 200 dives beyond open water" is great to see!

I think I might be UTD divemaster #1, assuming the first aid/CPR/AED course I have this weekend has enough students to finally happen. I have a little less than 800 dives, trimix, full cave, and scooter. I'm most definitely not an instructor, but I can help you get started out here.

 

[rjack321]

Really? I figured the shapes were too diffferent to do this. My regs are Zeagle Flathead 6's, any idea who you'd contact about this?

Any Zeagle dealer can order & install the DIN outlet for you. The yoke unbolts and the DIN screws on - pretty simple. If you travel then get a DIN (reg) to Yoke (tank) adapter. That's the most versatile combo. Pics on page 8
http://www.zeagle.com/product_manual/pro_manual_1058.pdf

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I have 6 sets of doubles at home and 4 single tanks (a ton of Al80 and Al40 stages too). For shallower dives there's really no reason to put the wear and tear on your body to dive doubles. Sometimes I do to use up leftover gas, sometimes if I am helping out someone else in class or practicing in doubles etc. But its not really using the best tool for the job to have the maximal fun on an otherwise benign recreational dive IMHO. I definately wouldn't rush into doubles if you don't need them. A few single 95/100/119/130s will do you fine out here for awhile.

Alright, from the few replies sounds like that's my best bet

I think I might be UTD divemaster #1, assuming the first aid/CPR/AED course I have this weekend has enough students to finally happen. I have a little less than 800 dives, trimix, full cave, and scooter. I'm most definitely not an instructor, but I can help you get started out here.

Well if UTD takes off, that will be kind of a neat card to have with the #1 on it I'll send you a message once I get back to Seattle though, thanks for the offer.

Any Zeagle dealer can order & install the DIN outlet for you. The yoke unbolts and the DIN screws on - pretty simple. If you travel then get a DIN (reg) to Yoke (tank) adapter. That's the most versatile combo. Pics on page 8
http://www.zeagle.com/product_manual/pro_manual_1058.pdf

Oh cool, didn't know it was that simple. Only thing is that reg is no longer in production, hopefully they still have the parts (or maybe the Flathead 7 is compatible for the switch, so it may not be an issue). Because it does seem like I made the wrong choice, not sure why yoke is considered the standard in recreational diving.

 

[TSandM]

I own single tanks and doubles. I love the way doubles dive, but I hate schlepping them around, and I really hate negotiating difficult entries with them. If there's a steep trail, or big round rocks, or moving water, I'd much rather be in a single tank. It's a lot easier to get up if you fall!

The big advantage, gas-wise, of doubles for recreational dives is that you get to use on the second dive, all of the gas beyond rock bottom that you didn't use on the first. This can result in having a little more gas than a second single tank would give you -- or, if you use the doubles to get a really long first dive, you could be worse off for the second one.

Take Richard up on his offer, or PM me. I'm not a UTD divemaster, but I've had a bit of training, and I'd certainly be willing to go diving with you if you're out here in Seattle.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I own single tanks and doubles. I love the way doubles dive, but I hate schlepping them around, and I really hate negotiating difficult entries with them. If there's a steep trail, or big round rocks, or moving water, I'd much rather be in a single tank. It's a lot easier to get up if you fall!

Is it mostly just the total weight that's the problem, or is there something with the wider distribution?

The big advantage, gas-wise, of doubles for recreational dives is that you get to use on the second dive, all of the gas beyond rock bottom that you didn't use on the first. This can result in having a little more gas than a second single tank would give you -- or, if you use the doubles to get a really long first dive, you could be worse off for the second one

Ya that's exactly what I was referring to actually. And the "really long first dive" can even be advantageous if you're first dive is much deeper than the second (for example, one day I was diving on a boat, first site was around 80 feet, second was about 20, due to the limited rock-bottom requirement of a 20 foot dive, using up a full tank or even a little more on the first dive isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Take Richard up on his offer, or PM me. I'm not a UTD divemaster, but I've had a
bit of training, and I'd certainly be willing to go diving with you if you're out here in Seattle.

Okay thanks. You're not a UTD Divemaster, but from on here I know that you know your stuff First step is just getting me and my gear to Seattle though (it will be nice not to have to move back and forth every 4 months though, so looking forward to getting back).

 

[fisheater]

Or, you can convert your Zeagle yourself. I did mine and it took less than five minutes.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Or, you can convert your Zeagle yourself. I did mine and it took less than five minutes.

I'm intrigued, but uh how? (and where did you get the part(s)?