Great Lakes Trip

[rx7diver]

This approach does not provide complete air redundancy, obviously, nor is it intended to. However, it does provide a no-drama solution for a free-flow when recreational diving to shallow or moderate depths and wearing relatively simple gear: Switch to the non-free-flowing reg, shut down the offending post, and abort the dive--while retaining the ability to power-inflate either your BC or your drysuit. Simple. No second tank required.

rx7diver

 

[MrVegas]

I’ve done a lot of Great Lakes diving and haven’t seen anyone with a reg/valve setup like you’ve recommended. The experienced single tank divers sling a pony, often an AL40.

My first season of drysuit and sub 50F water diving was last year, and I used an LP108 with an H-valve. Personally, I decided I didn't want to mess with the pony. However, I did want a redundant first stage. As others have said, it is not true redundancy, but it does let you shut off a free flowing regulator and switch to a separate 1st and 2nd stage. (My family member dive buddy prefers a small pony tank.)

 

[Marie13]

My first season of drysuit and sub 50F water diving was last year, and I used an LP108 with an H-valve. Personally, I decided I didn't want to mess with the pony. However, I did want a redundant first stage. As others have said, it is not true redundancy, but it does let you shut off a free flowing regulator and switch to a separate 1st and 2nd stage. (My family member dive buddy prefers a small pony tank.)

Your choice. My comment was simply I’ve never seen another diver with that valve.

 

[MrVegas]

Your choice. My comment was simply I’ve never seen another diver with that valve.

I think there was a thread on H-valves a while back where someone described H-valve users as being stuck in the purgatory between recreational and technical diving. (For me, it was just a single-tank option for cold water recreational diving.)

 

[rx7diver]

My first season of drysuit and sub 50F water diving was last year, and I used an LP108 with an H-valve. Personally, I decided I didn't want to mess with the pony. However, I did want a redundant first stage. As others have said, it is not true redundancy, but it does let you shut off a free flowing regulator and switch to a separate 1st and 2nd stage. (My family member dive buddy prefers a small pony tank.)

When I was introduced to Great Lakes wreck diving (c. 1993), one of my influencers was an ex-cave diver who was a scuba instructor for my then-local dive shop. He is why I purchased a custom DUI CF200SP drysuit as my first (and only) drysuit, a significant investment for this then-new Assistant Professor. For Great Lakes recreational dives he used a single PST 104 (liberally filled, thank you) with a Y-valve and two Poseidon Odin's. Slick!

Other friends, who did not have Double 104's to split apart, used OMS/Faber LP 108/112's similarly, though usually with OMS H-valves.

rx7diver

 

[rx7diver]

(For me, it [H-valves] was just a single-tank option for cold water recreational diving.)

I now use a Y-valve for solo recreational diving to moderate and deeper depths in freshwater. (I use back-mounted, independent doubles for "deep", rather than "deeper", solo recreational diving.)

rx7diver

 

[EricRS]

From SE Michigan can recommend Double action both MI and IN locations great boats and great crew will be doing a few more this year with them and Divers Inc

 

[Divin'Papaw]

As has been said the Great Lakes are HUGE! It depends upon where you want to dive.

Jitka with Shipwreck Explorers - Great Lakes Scuba Diving Charter Boat runs a great operation. I've used her several times. She typically does full-boat bookings but will trailer the boat to various Lake Michigan and Huron locations.

Osprey Charters for Eastern Lake Erie are great. Osprey Charters

I've used these guys in Munising for diving in Lake Superior in the South Bay area. I had a couple of fun dives with them while visiting the UP. Shipwreck Tours - Glass Bottom Boat in Munising, Michigan

Did anyone ever buy Gary Venet's boat when he retired? He ran a great boat (Rec & Tec Dive Charters) out of Port Sanilac and Harbor Beach, MI.

There are several boats that do the wrecks in the St. Lawrence. That is some fun diving too!!

 

[Marie13]

Jitka is working a full time job now, so this past season she mostly went out of Milwaukee or Port Washington, WI. So she isn’t on the road around Huron and Superior like she was in the past. I think there was one non-local trip, if I remember correctly.

 

[Reku]

I'm in SE MI near Port Sanilac.

The diving here is amazing and if you are up for the cold water you'll be rewarded. In this immediate area we have many <100' depth wrecks and many deeper than that as well. Double Action dive charters is excellent but you may want to start planning and getting everything booked now as spaces fill up quickly and it isn't walk on.