Rebreather or not?

[Dave Bevan]

Ok Guys I'm looking for some input from experienced rebreather divers on whether or not you think its a good idea to get it rebreather diving or not?

My situation currently (being honest). Please try not to judge me to badly :/.

I have around 130 dives currently and have been diving about 1 and a half years. I am PADI Advanced Open water, Nitrox etc. Recently completed GUE Fundamentals and got a Tech Pass. I'm 31 years old and in reasonable shape. I am very interested in Dive Training and like training hard and I'm looking for a challenge to my diving.

I live and work in Saudi Arabia (where rebreather diving is currently banned).

I'm doing my Extended Range Limited Trimix (OC) and Gue Drysuit courses in the upcoming months in UAE. My current plan was to follow through GUE training to Tech 1/Cave 1 and onwards moving into increasingly more difficult dives until I can do the magic 100m.

I have significant funding set aside I currently do all my tech diving in UAE where I fly once every 3 weeks for a long weekend (there is very little tech going on in Saudi) and also can take courses etc over there. I dive the other weekends OC fun dives on Twinset usually with others on singles in the Red Sea.

I sometimes dive quite deep on air maybe 40m or absolute max 50m (please bear in mind this is in the ideal conditions of the red sea) using NX40 as a deco gas. I don't often dive Nitrox back gas in Saudi as it is both difficult and expensive to get hold of. I always dive it in UAE and it is my preferred method. I'm not a massive fan of going beyond 40m but I'm trying to be honest.

My specific aim is to be able to reach and explore any wreck in the world 100m in any temperature. I am particularly excited about getting involved in projects where I can dive rarely dived or virgin wrecks in remote places and push the boundaries of what has been explored already.

I have around 2.5 years left planned working in the middle east and my aim is to be qualified and confident by the end of that time. Meaning that when I go back to the UK I will have most of the expensive equipment bought and paid for (Drysuit/Scooter etc) and won't need to shell out for to much expensive equipment but just cover running cost and diving costs.

I work in avionics and I am very methodical and technically minded. I'm used to following checklists and I'm very Human Factors aware. I still put my doubles together in a set order exactly the same each time. I weird about cleaning stuff and I have an excel speadsheet that tells me when each piece of equipment I have is requiring service etc. (see anal retentive for more info).



So my big question is do you think I should switch to CC or continue training OC? I believe that the costs are actually similar if I am going to be doing a lot of deep dives. I like the fact that CCR is cost per hour rather than being more and more expensive as you get deeper and deeper. Also there is the rising price of helium to consider.

Do you think diving two days in three weeks is going to be enough to stay confident ans safe in the first few hours or using the unit? Cost is not a massive issue for me I'm looking for the best training and best gear selection for the job as my ultimate goal. I'm interested in challenging diving and I don't mind putting in hours in the pool to get skills right.

Just looking for opinions (please be gentle) and ideas. I can see the massive advantages of RB through a simple google search and to be honest its starting to look like no matter how much I spend on OC eventually I will end up changing over anyway. So I'm wondering what the thought process is.

Would love to hear how you got in CC and how you felt about it. What level you were at when you made the switch?

If you have got this far then I thank you for taking the time to read my little tale. I wish you all safe diving in the future.

 

[DepthCharge]

Do a few "test" or "try dive" with several different RB's and you'll be able to answer your own questions
Later,
John

 

[JohnnyC]

Get some more dives. 130 dives isn't very many when you're entering the tech realm. Adding the complexity of diving a rebreather without having the depth of experience with general tech diving is going to start you off behind the curve and you'll be trying to play catch up while you've got a sleepy time machine strapped to your back.

 

[NAND]

Hey Dave,

I'd recommend to start on CCR now- or as early as you can. I am speaking out of my own experience.

My reasons for this are:

1) Prior OC experience is overestimated in this regard. In fact- you should concider yourself to be an CCR-OWD after your MOD1 user course. Buoyancy is entirely different and you will need at least 10-50 CCR dives to master it properly in a way not to utilize valuable diluent (its a very limited ressource on any CCR). Crossing over from OC means you control buoyancy by breath- the more experience you had the more difficult to flip the switch.

2) CCR diving means monitoring and planning. Not only prior dive- especially during the dive. Whilst your buddy happily floats over a rock, you start swearing at him trough your breathing loop for doing so whilst swimming around. You will have to monitor your actual PO2 permanently. This means at least every 30 seconds your eyes do a crazy loop onto your HUD or DC. OC divers do not get air if something is wrong and may be automatically alerted. You may breathe your last breath.

3) Agreed, prior TMX experience is a plus. You need this knowledge anyway for bailout planning and usage. Latest that day you meet a dive base charging you all gases on bailout upon checkout (you may not have used some, but some see this as their procedure) its time to use them by surfacing OC and getting back this old-time-OC-feeling. I casually do this when pissed with such rip-off costs and leave with the good feeling of having used what I had to pay for

4) Costs. You mentioned it- not required recalculating He costs....

5) Temperature. On deeper dives the CCR provides significant heat trough the loop which OCs normally need to produce by additional movement, more bouyant insulation or electric means. Not often mentioned but CCR dives are actually much warmer. I dove in 18C just with 3mm wetsuit quite regularly- just because you are really much warmer and my airline charges for every bit of weight. However, when on bailout (OC) you pay the price I still do this whenever my planned deco is below 20mins or on NDL dives.

6) You are planning to reach 100m. Be aware that you should have 100hrs+ dive experience on your rebreather. The training agencies may school you earlier than that and some may say less is sufficient. Well, as said- its just my opinion.

I hope I was able providing an opinion which helps you making your mind- sorry for my written dialect

 

[KevinNM]

Not sure, but consider that the first time you do an open circuit dive to 100+ meters should probably not be when you have to bail out of your rebreather and are facing a multi-hour deco obligation.

 

[Dave Bevan]

Thanks for the input guys.

Depth Charge - Thank you I have some offers on rebreather try dives and I'll most likely take someone up on one. I feel like if I'm being honest with myself I won't go back to OC after a trydive . Thanks.

Johnny C - Thanks for the Input. I will be doing at least 25 Tech dives before I do anything more after my OC course, this is more about planning for the future and deciding where to spend my hard earnt cash to get the best results.

NAND - Thanks for the detailed response. I feel like what you have said is closest to how I feel at the minute. I feel like I have decent buoyancy at the minute and I'm not looking forward to going back to square one but the sooner the better in that regard.

 

[NAND]

@KevinNM

Correct, but it equally doesnt matter if you learn this during bailout training sessions or trough OC dives. The CCR adds complexity to the OC-bailout-deco by requiring additional buoyancy control (releasing loop volume during ascent).

 

[NAND]

hehe, Dave- be aware that CCR diving is addictive.

We may meet during such Rebreatherolics Anonymous sessions in a town near you
First you do a trial dive with a local dealer- next you steal cars to finance your scrubber..... oO

Perhaps we will read about your rebreather choice and training experience...

 

[Dave Bevan]

Kevin NM I totally understand where you are coming from. I would agree with you that and have thought about it. Maybe consider doing the OC up to 65m and get some dives under my belt at those depth before TX gets too expensive? Maybe GUE Tech 1 then move onto to rebreathers? All ideas for consideration.

 

[Dave Bevan]

NAND would love to do some diving. Also bear in mind I have never used a drysuit until my course next week so I have a bit of a learning curve there as well.

My instructor that is taking me for my Trimix course can is a dealer and can train on Triton, JJCCR, REVO and Meg.

I also have access to Posidon Seven/Six in UAE as well.

I want to point out as well I'm not trying to rush it. I'm committed in time, money and effort to training over the next couple of years or as long as it takes. Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on when is the right time.