Is it really worth the risk?

[Brad_Horn]

Mr. Horn what is the goal here? Would you like to ban rebreathers all together? What caused you to seemingly hate them so much?
Just curious!!

Robert, Quite the opposite but I do want to have a safe rebreather to dive myself. The more I can learn from others the better. Ken above is quite close to the truth. Most of the faults rebreathers have (as flagged in the DL list) are well documented and known and can be easily engineered out! Documenting the problems is the first half of the battle. Have a watch of these presentations to understand the issue a little better https://www2.dan.org/research/conference/2008TechnicalDiving/Rebreather_Workshop.aspx

 

[Robert Thompson]

Robert, Quite the opposite but I do want to have a safe rebreather to dive myself. The more I can learn from others the better. Ken above is quite close to the truth. Most of the faults rebreathers have (as flagged in the DL list) are well documented and known and can be easily engineered out! Documenting the problems is the first half of the battle. Have a watch of these presentations to understand the issue a little better https://www2.dan.org/research/conference/2008TechnicalDiving/Rebreather_Workshop.aspx

Do you not have confidence in your abilities as a Rb diver to perform the proper predive and assess issues you may face in the water, or is this truly just a marketing ploy?

---------- Post added December 6th, 2014 at 09:15 AM ----------

Or do you really care that much about your fellow rb divers? If so thanks for caring...

 

[Bailout]

Well worth it
better diving in everyway
safer longer and cooler

but don't get complacent
dive your unit often
reconfigure & improve it

love your rebreather and it will love you back

hate your rebreather and it will scheme ways to mess your dive up

 

[Taliena]

So,... what do you consider the "good reason" to have one?

I abuse my ccr sometimes to dive in 2-5m depths to take pictures of carp fish. Not a real domain for a rebreather, but because of no bubbles I can see that fish (and I have to go solo of course).
I bought my unit for deep dives, over 100m. So is that a good reason?

 

[tstormdiver]

I abuse my ccr sometimes to dive in 2-5m depths to take pictures of carp fish. Not a real domain for a rebreather, but because of no bubbles I can see that fish (and I have to go solo of course).
I bought my unit for deep dives, over 100m. So is that a good reason?

I personally consider ANY reason a person wants to dive a rebreather as a "good reason". It amazes me though that there are some that are adamant that only dives below, say, 150 ft is the only good reason.

 

[dreamdive]

I personally consider ANY reason a person wants to dive a rebreather as a "good reason". It amazes me though that there are some that are adamant that only dives below, say, 150 ft is the only good reason.

+1

I rather dive CCR anytime than going back OC! I like it quiet. I like the interactions I get with wildlife. I like my Helium bill being so low. I feel "safe" with it in the caves as I don't have the "gas clock" ticking and have options I would not have OC. I don't miss my doubles and the weight. I like that my mouth is not dry. I like that it helps keeping me warm. I like that I can vary my PO2's while diving. I like the control - because I stay in control of the unit rather than the unit controlling me. I like having options.

 

[rjack321]

So,... what do you consider the "good reason" to have one?

When you can't do the dives you want to do without it. Or the reserve gas requirements (or filling) are insane.

I am bringing 2x hp130s of bailout plus 2 or 3 deco gasses for some upcoming CCR cave dives. There is no way I could haul ~700cf of OC bottom gas plus deco gases into the cave (1km from the car, 100s of km for the nearest commercial compressor) then swim, or even scooter. If you are CCR cave diving with 2 little itty bit Al40s I can do those dives on a set of AL80s and a stage. A rebreather (SCR, CCR, whatever) is just increasing your statistical probability of having some sort of failure. Its not actually allowing you to do anything you couldn't just as easily do on OC.

Some people just like diving CCR. Feel free I'm not saying not to. But I think people should chose the right tool for the dive and go for the actual experience of whatever any given dive offers, not just haul along a bunch of unnecessary gear because its cool.

 

[hroark2112]

Ahhh....the "right tool for the job" argument again....

The right tool for a dive is the tool that gives you an adequate supply of breathing gas to do the dive. Is a CCR giving you the minimum amount of gas to complete the dive? Absolutely not.

Dive what you want to dive and dive what you feel safe diving. Anyone who gets on a dive boat with me and wants to criticize my choice of equipment can kiss my a$$...and hope you don't go OOA on the dive!! Don't count on my bailout if you're OOA and you've been a dick to me on a dive boat.

 

[the_dragon_no1]

+1

I rather dive CCR anytime than going back OC! I like it quiet. I like the interactions I get with wildlife. I like my Helium bill being so low. I feel "safe" with it in the caves as I don't have the "gas clock" ticking and have options I would not have OC. I don't miss my doubles and the weight. I like that my mouth is not dry. I like that it helps keeping me warm. I like that I can vary my PO2's while diving. I like the control - because I stay in control of the unit rather than the unit controlling me. I like having options.

You bastard..... lol.
man i hope(!) santa puts a nice RB under my Christmas tree this year!!!! [emoji102]

 

[tstormdiver]

+1

I rather dive CCR anytime than going back OC! I like it quiet. I like the interactions I get with wildlife. I like my Helium bill being so low. I feel "safe" with it in the caves as I don't have the "gas clock" ticking and have options I would not have OC. I don't miss my doubles and the weight. I like that my mouth is not dry. I like that it helps keeping me warm. I like that I can vary my PO2's while diving. I like the control - because I stay in control of the unit rather than the unit controlling me. I like having options.

Yes! I like all the reasons you state. Especially the "gas clock" for cave. I am being trained to carry plenty of bailout, so if I have an issue, I have time to try to solve it. First time in Peacock, my instructor & I went down the Olsen line to the crossover tunnel. We then proceeded to go across the crossover 3 times (he was testing my buoyancy control), then back by the Peanut line for a nearly 2 hr dive. That would have been pushing my gas reserves on OC. Another thing I really like is in my home quarry,... because of the pre- warmed air from being breathed & the chemical reaction from CO2 absorption, it keeps me ever so slightly warmer than OC.