BackMounted Doubles and mixed gas - is that technical?

[lowviz]

... SO many SB threads come down to people angrily claiming "It's personal preference! Do what works well for you". ...//...

The gear configurations and procedures that have been worked out by the technical diving community come from hard earned experience and tragedies. And many of those are applicable to all levels of diving. ...//...

I've been biting my tongue on this thread but the quoted post pushed me online. I don't think that it is possible to distill the essence of this issue any further than what @doctormike just did.

The northeast (US) has a long-standing bad rep of being 'fast and loose'. I believe that this comes from bad sea conditions, poor visibility, and a 'you'll be fine' attitude. We aren't U/W butterflies, we are survivors. I've had my near miss still have a small blind spot in one eye from a burst vessel. Wasn't planned. What a surprise.

@Basking Ridge Diver is one of the truly nicest divers that I have ever met or dived with. I became concerned with a past thread/post of his where he did an inlet dive with an initial gear 'issue'. He thought it out, had a plan, and it cost him an ass-kicking served up by the inlet. I can't seem to find that post now, but I'd bet Carl could. Things happen, when they happen at depth with an obligation then it isn't so straightforward.

So, make you a deal BRD. You take DP/AN from somebody real (like the guy who kicked your ass in sidemount) and I'll supply the hardware, AL40 and a decent regset. See my attached "back of the back room" pic. No real cost to me, I just came off two cataract surgeries and two root canals. Life, for me, is all about a single tank and a Freedom Plate.

 

[RayfromTX]

I love Scubaboard members.

 

[lowviz]

I could do this stealth on Buddy Dive or by private email. BRD and I share both. But there is a message that I feel needs to be sent.

You can fake tech or roll your own tech. That is pretty much how diving, in general, got to tech. Progress, even today, revolves around "keep trying s***t and see who dies of old age". I'm quite happy with being a follower in this particular sport.

Rich on right, neck and left side are safe. Never, ever vary from that. When stuff happens you react, you don't think, you just react. BTDT. I go to my left or neck, both safe. Always will be. You can't get through life by making stuff up for each dive, you need to ingrain 'survival behavior' so that when you react it will be appropriate.

See pic. AL40 with a year left on hydro, nice regs (both out of service), valve on tank is shot. Everything needs attention. Forget "Parts for Life", I'll offer "Parts for Now".

It's all ready to go, meet me at L Street or somewhere more convenient? (I'm still dry, not cleared on eyes yet)

 

[lowviz]

Met some really great divers early Sunday morning! Now all you need is proper instruction.

Remember, "rich on right". Slinging it there doesn't interfere with anything. Long hose? "Tits on a boar hog."

*This point of view is being brought to you by a true solo diver, YMMV. Check with either your lawyer or coroner before personally adopting any 'advice' herein.

 

[AJ]

Rich on right, neck and left side are safe. Never, ever vary from that. When stuff happens you react, you don't think, you just react. BTDT. I go to my left or neck, both safe. Always will be. You can't get through life by making stuff up for each dive, you need to ingrain 'survival behavior' so that when you react it will be appropriate.

I think it is important to mention that you only can do this save if you are trained that way. GUE for instance says "all stages on the left, always". Do as you are trained to do, do not copy other methods without ingraining the right procedure for switching to another gas. Totaly agree with your last sentence!

 

[JBFG]

I read this whole thread and found it extremely helpful. I've learned a lot ouf of it. Thank you all

 

[Cyborg Pirate]

I posted this in Tech and have not gotten a response. But it seems fitting for this thread too.


Well starting my venture into diving doubles and tech diving. I currently use atomic aquatics B2's for singles. Now For my doubles going with atomics M1's. I am curious for my stage/deco bottles will the Z2 be a good choice? I know for the oxygen bottle it won't work... (going with dive rite O2 regs for it) the z2 is ready for up to 40% O2. So should be no reason I can't stick with Atomics for all of my deco bottles correct? Thank you in advance for help.

Btw most of my tech dives will be fresh water above 40F.

 

[Blasto]

The Z2 is factory ready for 40% O2, it can't be fully O2 cleaned to scuba standards due to some titanium parts. Generally the rule of no titanium parts for O2 is conservative, but it's easy to sell a Ti reg to a split fin and buy a non-Ti one (or two) with the money.

Between the small chance you'll get O2 into a non-compatible reg by mistake and the small chance anything happens if you do, the risk can be ignored, but it's there. Since there's plenty of 100% O2 factory ready regs and they're not expensive, why not just use them for deco stages, unless you just have these Atomics lying around already?

 

[Cyborg Pirate]

That's exactly it.... I have them lying around already.as for the 100%.... I was planning to buy the Dive Rite O2 reg set