From rec to tec - a noob's reflections

[battles2a5]

Agree about colour issues at depth. But lean left and rich right seems good to me, as a gas switching protocol - as opposed to reading stickers or MOD? I don't see how marking MOD is helpful at depth?

Left lean, right rich breaks down after 2 bottles. Where do you put your third/fourth/fifth? Does your 50% become rich and move to the right when you add an intermediate gas (35/25 or 30/30) and a bottom stage? I think it is ok for diving 2 bottles, but you will have to change your system around when you start carrying more gas. And then there are the other reasons to sling left (scooter, long hose deployment, etc.).

MOD is certainly helpful at depth, especially when moving bottles around. You can confirm and your buddy can confirm that you are switching to the appropriate gas. It is also useful to have a tactile reference on your deco regs (different second stages, zip ties on the second stage purge, etc.) to id regs in case of no viz during deco. I have the same regs on my 50% and intermediate bottles so I have a zip tie on the purge of the 50% so I can tell what it is w/ the lights out.

 

[rjack321]

What's wonky about that?

As others have said its limited to 2 bottles, doesn't work so great to deploy the long hose (but do-able), doesn't work so great with a scooter, and provides no way for you or your buddy to confirm what you will be breathing at depth.

MOD is all you need. Simple, clean and verifiable by both you and your buddy.

I sometimes dive in horrendous vis (we've had 3ft) and in about 750 dives have never ever seen a no vis ascent. In a cave you wouldn't be bringing bottles below their MOD, so in both cases a variety of positioning or tactile "backup" identification protocols are unnecessary and can just generate confusion.

 

[Blackwood]

Left lean, right rich breaks down after 2 bottles. Where do you put your third/fourth/fifth?

I originally mentioned 3+ in my previous post but removed it since I don't really know how they handle the issue.

I assume that they'd keep additional bottles on leash and replace them accordingly. So if you have four, start off with the deepest on the left, next deepest on the right. Before the third switch, replace the left with the second shallowest and the right with the shallowest.

Or maybe two per side. Leftest leanest, rightest richest?

Can anyone who is advanced trimix trained by a RRLL perspective comment?

 

[battles2a5]

I sometimes dive in horrendous vis (we've had 3ft) and in about 750 dives have never ever seen a no vis ascent. In a cave you wouldn't be bringing bottles below their MOD, so in both cases a variety of positioning or tactile "backup" identification protocols are unnecessary and can just generate confusion.

I also dive in places with horrendous viz but it will go to zero and no light is going to help you. I also dive at night, and there are caves where you can't always leave your gas above its MOD so tactile back-up is just that, back-up. I'd rather have it and not need it, but I'd like to hear how a zip-tie will cause confusion.

 

[rongoodman]

If the vis is too bad to read a MOD sticker, how do you read your gauges to determine your depth in the first place?

 

[Web Monkey]

Doing a mid-water bag-shoot without changing depth or blowing the dive plan (time) is very humbling.

Terry

 

[battles2a5]

If the vis is too bad to read a MOD sticker, how do you read your gauges to determine your depth in the first place?

It depends on where you are and what you are doing. Familiar tie-off points will give you depth. A knotted reel or spool line will tell you depth, etc. etc.

 

[rjack321]

I also dive in places with horrendous viz but it will go to zero and no light is going to help you.

What are you looking at on the bottom? What is getting stirred up in mid-water?

I'd like to hear how a zip-tie will cause confusion.

When you put your special O2 reg on your 50% bottle and you find a zip tie on it when its not supposed to there you'll be confused. Or you accidentally (or intentionally have to) put your deco reg on your bottom stage.

I have a mishmash of deco regs. And certain regs that I like on certain bottles (cause they work well for me in those places) but I don't rely on them in any way to ID the gas inside.

 

[shoredivr]

It occurred to me that if I go to trimix I'll have to learn how to blend it myself first. Heck, we don't even have nitrox out here yet unless you homebrew it...

Excellent, you've got a niche market then

 

[battles2a5]

What are you looking at on the bottom? What is getting stirred up in mid-water?


When you put your special O2 reg on your 50% bottle and you find a zip tie on it when its not supposed to there you'll be confused. Or you accidentally (or intentionally have to) put your deco reg on your bottom stage.

I have a mishmash of deco regs. And certain regs that I like on certain bottles (cause they work well for me in those places) but I don't rely on them in any way to ID the gas inside.

Putting the wrong reg on the wrong bottle is like putting 100% in your 50% bottle. I don't know about you, but that just doesn't happen with me. And if it did, it would be addressed way before I got in the water. You system works for you, mine works for me. If you want to debate the merits of either one, start a new thread.