Diver to attempt cross-channel (England-France) scuba dive with scooter.

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

The Tahoe reports are published. If you have questions I'd suggest you download the .pdf and read them.

I have *zero* desire to have this thread devolve into a pissing match about different brands of scooters.

You're the one who started the pissing match about different brands of scooters. I never mentioned the brand of scooter I own in this thread. That's not what it ever was about. You're the one who dragged that into this thread.

I'll point out it was *YOU* that made the claim that operating a scooter at 250 ft / min was "relaxing" I know *nobody* else that would agree. 200 ft / min is pretty easy. The scooters I dive routinely are 200 ft / min in first gear....... 250 ft / min is a whole different story. Maybe only real studs find 250 ft / min relaxing.

Go back and read my post. I stated 200-250 fpm range. I never said I was running it at 250. And yes, it is relaxing. And I know other divers that do the same and agree. So just because YOU know *nobody* else that would agree doesn't mean it's the end all. I'm no stud. Far from it. Don't try to imply that I'M the one with an ego here.

Now you you have walked that back to 245 ft min.

Again, I gave a range. 245 fpm is within the range I initially gave.

That's still faster than the Magnus was shown to be at Tahoe. Is sidemount scootering faster than backmount? I happen to have tested both, and much to my surprise sidemount was slower. Now I'll be the first to admit I have limited time in side mount compared to Backmount, but.....

My side mount config was pretty slippery. 3mm wetsuit + two al 80's. I expected to be faster in sidemount. I wasn't. I was slower. I didn't have a stage or deco bottle either.

Do you have any reliable, repeatable, scooter speed trials to support your claim that sidemount scooter is faster? Please don't waste my time with anecdotal reports. Real, repeatable, data.

I have no interest in trying to prove anything. Since you apparently do, maybe you should arrange to have these trials done at the next Tahoe Benchmark. My recommendation would be to get sidemount divers who are experienced in sidemount, though, not just backmount divers in sidemount configuration.

Bottom line for this thread; the claimed speeds of 160 meters / min are a fantasy IMO.

Wow! We actually agree on something!!
 
Go back and read my post. I stated 200-250 fpm range. I never said I was running it at 250. And yes, it is relaxing. And I know other divers that do the same and agree. So just because YOU know *nobody* else that would agree doesn't mean it's the end all. I'm no stud. Far from it. Don't try to imply that I'M the one with an ego here.

I should have learned by now. You will say anything.

First you claim you have specific knowledge of the effects of scootering at up to 250 ft / min, and now you claim it was a "range" and you don't actually scooter at those speeds.

Tobin
 
I should have learned by now. You will say anything.

First you claim you have specific knowledge of the effects of scootering at up to 250 ft / min, and now you claim it was a "range" and you don't actually scooter at those speeds.

Tobin

Where did I ever claim I've scootered at 250 fpm?? It was always posted as a range. Because the penetration distance is not surveyor verified like in the Tahoe Benchmark, I supplied a range. I'm not seeing how that is such a big deal. I'm done arguing with you Tobin. You only see things as you want to see them. It's obvious from your posts here and on other boards.
 
Where did I ever claim I've scootered at 250 fpm?? It was always posted as a range. Because the penetration distance is not surveyor verified like in the Tahoe Benchmark, I supplied a range. I'm not seeing how that is such a big deal. I'm done arguing with you Tobin. You only see things as you want to see them. It's obvious from your posts here and on other boards.

I find cycling in the 15-35 mph range relaxing.

(Of course nobody should think I've actually ridden my bike at 35 mph, it's a range after all)

Tobin
 
There's a big difference between 30 to 35 mph and 245 to 250 fpm. When flow is up at JB I have gotten to speeds over 250 fpm. In fact, I've probably hit over 300 fpm WITH THE HELP OF FLOW (put that in bold so you don't miss it and think I'm claiming the Magnus can go faster than 300 fpm on its own). It did NOT feel uncomfortable.
 
There's a big difference between 30 to 35 mph and 245 to 250 fpm. When flow is up at JB I have gotten to speeds over 250 fpm.

Your original statement was 200-250 ft / min, not 245-250. Given that the load on the diver increases as the square (2nd power) of velocity very small differences in scooter speed cause huge differences in "comfort"

Scootering in a "Range" of ~190-210 ft per min is easily tolerated by most divers. Two of my scooters will run about this fast in first gear. Get very much above, 225+ that and it quickly becomes tasking. When you reach 250 and above it requires great focus and endurance. Of the dozen or so high time scooter divers I dive with that have long experience with powerful scooters none report that operation much above 225+ is fun for very long.


At the Tahoe Benchmark the test divers were only asked to make 4 1/4 miles runs with 2 minutes of rest between each run before being relieved. None of them looked relaxed. None reported operating any of the faster scooters (239 ~ 292 ft / min) was relaxing.

To quote from the Tahoe Bench Mark 2011 report "Not surprisingly, piloting a scooter at speed is actually exhausting, muscle‐numbing work. The more tired adiver, the sloppier (and thus, higher drag) they become. This does not allow the scooter to perform at itsbest, so test divers were changed out after every mile (4 track lengths) underwater."


In fact, I've probably hit over 300 fpm WITH THE HELP OF FLOW (put that in bold so you don't miss it and think I'm claiming the Magnus can go faster than 300 fpm on its own). It did NOT feel uncomfortable.

Ground speed is meaningless in terms of diver comfort. Only the diver's velocity relative to the surrounding water contributes to the load on the diver.

Tobin
 
Alright Tobin, you're right I'm wrong, as usual. How could I ever have doubted you?

:shakehead:
 
with help from google translate:

Schloffel plunges through the English Channel! (29.06.2012)

Diving world record attempt by the English Channel is launched
It is done! The world record attempt is successful!

In the early hours of the morning appeared the famous Achim wants Schloffel technical divers off the coast of Dover in the English Channel, and about eight hours later, appearing before the French coast again.

To clock 04.50 local time (05:50 EDT) this morning Achim Schloffel has launched a new world record attempt. If he manages to overcome the challenge, he is plunged this afternoon became the first man through the English Channel. (See also status messages at the end of the report)

Eight hours or more in total darkness and cold, and 55 kilometers in flow-rich waters, which is also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world lie before him (see also the preliminary report from 06/13/12). But Achim Schloffel is sure in a few hours to have the world record in the bag: "My team and I have worked very long for this moment. Mentally I have planned the project as a teenager, but only two years ago, this technology was mature enough for a dip promulgated by crossing the English Channel appeared to be realistic. Once we had the project last year because of problems with moving the rebreather, I am now technically, mentally and physically well prepared to emerge in a few hours off the coast of Calais with the diving record in the bag. "

As a project sponsor of the international Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society WDCS is the professional divers, the ambitious project also uses this to the increasing noise and pollution of the oceans to point and collects donations for this for the past Dolphins in the North Sea.


About the current trend in world record attempt will be reported here.

Update 18:20 clock: Congratulations! It is done! The world record attempt is successful!

Achim has been about 15 minutes on land - he's fine. The surface crew supplied the fledgling record holder now with drinks and food. The net immersion time of the channel dive was scarce 8 hrs, min, the decompression times about 240th



Achim after the record dive through the Channel


Because the message of Dekoboje (17:06) has been assumed that Achim had reached shortly after five clock the ceiling zone. This proved to be wrong now. At the high end of Dekoboje seems to have been turned off the GPS transmitter. Only at the final appearance of this notice Achim and sent manually, the agreed signal. While the support crew for the dive to the ceiling zone was ready, Achim was already sitting just west of the intended target area on the beach. The strong current in the area of ​​Calais had drifted toward Achim Sangatte.

Update 17:10 clock: The record attempt is in the final phase - and it looks good. At exactly 17:06, received the support team at Calais, the signals of Dekoboje. This means that Achim has arrived and is about 4 hours decompression times are ahead. The support divers go now to the position and will provide support during the decompression times Achim and. At this point, the same first: Congratulations to Achim!

Update 16:15 clock: The support team has arrived in Dover. Meanwhile, there are new predictions about the estimated time of immersion time: Due to strong currents, one expects an immersion time of 11-12 hours If this happens, the planned decompression times increased to about 4 hours

Update 14:15 clock: The Support Team No. 1 is now on his way to Dover from Calais. The primary Diving Team (support team) is on the way to support Achim during the decoration phase.

Update 10:30 clock: By the way - a word to the conditions: The water temperature near the surface is about 10 degrees, in the waterways will go Achim but much deeper and move far below the thermocline - here, the water temperature is about 4-5 degrees. The surface crew must grapple with adverse conditions. It is blowing a strong, cold wind, temperature around 12 degrees ... So the best conditions for these unusual dive.

Update 10:00 clock: Support Team No. 2 has just arrived in Calais. Now it's time to wait - is expected to dip through a period of approximately 8 hours - up to Achim just off the coast Dekoboje sends its top.

Update 08:40 clock: The support team has been No. 2 on the way to France. Team No. 1 remains in England if a problem should occur near the coast.

05:50 clock - EST: Achim starts the dive through the channel of a beach near Folkestone / Dover (England) from Calais (France).


Well done.
 

Back
Top Bottom