How to use doubles?

[Jeff Toorish]

True but in the same time I believe no tech dive can be made with a single tank.http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/images/smilies/More Smiles/nonononono.gif

That's not true --if you are certified as an Intro To Cave diver, you are required to use a single tank (NACD) unless you have specific signed permission from your instructor to use doubles. The permission expires after 30 days (if memory serves correctly) and must be renewed. Cave diving is certainly technical diving.

Jeff

 

[Thalassamania]

Thal is right about the consensus of the diving medical community. There is a reason that dive agencies have put a limit on the depths of junor divers, and it is not because they threw a dart at a board and came up with a number. There is nothing definitively known for sure, but there is a belief supported by some evidence that deep diving has a detrimental effect on people who are still growing, and it could lead to permanent problems. Why would you risk that?

That is the medical consensus. But what is the reality? The medical consensus is based (as I understand it) solely on theoretical considerations, I know of no clinical evidence, even anecdotal, that there is actually any problem. The anecdotal evidence that I have (me - age 6, friends that also dove, Sylvia Earle has 5 and Genie Clark has 4 children, all of them dove at young ages) points in the direction of, "no problem." But then, we really don't know, and that's the problem.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

If we are really concerned about gas rather than how many tanks it is contained in, how about going with double AL 40's or double Steel 45's? Bands are available for 5.5" diameter tanks. It would let a younger person get familiar with a doubles configuration whiel not doing overkill on the gas.

Double 50's are also a viable option. I started with a set of them about 20 dives post OW cert and they are quite stable in the water.

 

[dori fish]

If we are really concerned about gas rather than how many tanks it is contained in, how about going with double AL 40's or double Steel 45's? Bands are available for 5.5" diameter tanks. It would let a younger person get familiar with a doubles configuration whiel not doing overkill on the gas.

Double 50's are also a viable option. I started with a set of them about 20 dives post OW cert and they are quite stable in the water.

thanks for the advice, i might just do that i'll speak to my lds and see if i can do that, but i am definetily going to wait, my dad is a doctor and said it could mess up some stuff internally

 

[ucfdiver]

That's not true --if you are certified as an Intro To Cave diver, you are required to use a single tank (NACD) unless you have specific signed permission from your instructor to use doubles. The permission expires after 30 days (if memory serves correctly) and must be renewed. Cave diving is certainly technical diving.

Jeff

The NACD now allows intro students to be trained in doubles, and issued a card that specifically says they can dive doubles. Everyone was going to nss-cds basic cave or had their instructors write and rewrite discretionary apprentice waivers anyways, so really it made no difference what the NACD rule was...especially since Ginnie Springs was the only place that enforced it.

You can also do adv nitrox/deco with a single tank H valve too IIRC there was a thread on this. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to do this.

 

[Jupiter31]

thanks for the advice, i might just do that i'll speak to my lds and see if i can do that, but i am definetily going to wait, my dad is a doctor and said it could mess up some stuff internally

Now you are thinking - good move, smart

Believe me you will not run out of things to do as far as diving is concerned - and if the tech thing is something you want to do in a few years - and a couple of hundred more dives - you will be better prepared.

 

[dori fish]

now that i am deciding to forget the doubles idea, what is my next step towards my goal besides more dives and age. which skills, and courses should i take?

 

[vjanelle]

Just dive, practice your buoyancy, breathing, s-drills. If you're really desperate for courses to take, go get a decent first aid course and do a rescue course.

Otherwise, money spent on expensive training courses can buy a lot of fills, or a lot of boat dives.