Tiny Doubles and Tech question

[waterpirate]

My joints and muscles are well conditioned, but just getting old. I am moving toward a pscr which depending on your goals and ambitions could be a path of training you could explore and never lift a set of doubles and still go tech. It is not the traditional path, but that in itself does not make it wrong.

Eric

 

[Randy g]

Jump into a set of LP85s and call it a day. My dive buddy and better half started down her tek trail this last year and tried several sets. I built a set of what I call BBD's or Baby Doubles that are mid pressure 72 and tiny and light by comparison to my LP108s. She fell in love with the LP85s that her instructor let her use for her AN/DP. The BBDs will end up side mount tanks one day and I'll use the bands and manifold to build a set of LP85s for her.

A good instructor will get you dailed in in a short time. Buy it right/buy it once.

We are both 51 yo and riding a bicycle is the best all round exercise I have found for us to do consistantly. We did almost 20 miles of dirt roads last week and had a blast doing it.

 

[uncfnp]

The BBDs will end up side mount tanks one day

Do you see much sidemount off the Carolina boats?

 

[Tom Winters]

Sidemount on a bouncing, pitching boat is a sight to behold. And not that attractive a sight.

Now you axed about small doubles. Your options are 1) twinned AL 50's; twinned LP 45/50's; twinned LP66's; or twinned LP85's; maybe AL80's.

I don't know how big you are or what your air efficiency is. I use HP120's, and I've been on boats where women with LP66's have matched me for air consumption. Now part of that is that I'm about the size of a small NFL linebacker plus there's the thing about men's brains... my brain in particular... requiring more oxygen than women's brains... but I don't want to open that can o'worms.

I always thought that the twinned LP45's had a nice balance to them. They're not the squatty body profile of the LP66's. The LP 85's twinned will be kinda awkward and damn heavy climbing up a boat ladder. I have a nice old set of the old Fabers twinned that I only used a handful of times since they were a pain to use on a boat. One of these days, I'll get rid of them. One of these days. They sit next to my concrete mixer and hydraulic tubing bender which I also do not use.

The HP130's used to be really popular down here in Floriduh. Damn those things were heavy. I used to load them for lesser men at Fill Express since they could barely lift them in the shop. A single tank, righteously and judiciously overpumped, is a true Blessing Upon Mankind, but getting kinda tough to find.

Good luck with your choices. There's always the rebreather option. There are some nice units out there. Tap into some of that loose Duke money floating around up there for that and the matching scooter.

 

[uncfnp]

Sidemount on a bouncing, pitching boat is a sight to behold. And not that attractive a sight.

Now you axed about small doubles. Your options are 1) twinned AL 50's; twinned LP 45/50's; twinned LP66's; or twinned LP85's; maybe AL80's.

I don't know how big you are or what your air efficiency is. I use HP120's, and I've been on boats where women with LP66's have matched me for air consumption. Now part of that is that I'm about the size of a small NFL linebacker plus there's the thing about men's brains... my brain in particular... requiring more oxygen than women's brains... but I don't want to open that can o'worms.

I always thought that the twinned LP45's had a nice balance to them. They're not the squatty body profile of the LP66's. The LP 85's twinned will be kinda awkward and damn heavy climbing up a boat ladder. I have a nice old set of the old Fabers twinned that I only used a handful of times since they were a pain to use on a boat. One of these days, I'll get rid of them. One of these days. They sit next to my concrete mixer and hydraulic tubing bender which I also do not use.

The HP130's used to be really popular down here in Floriduh. Damn those things were heavy. I used to load them for lesser men at Fill Express since they could barely lift them in the shop. A single tank, righteously and judiciously overpumped, is a true Blessing Upon Mankind, but getting kinda tough to find.

Good luck with your choices. There's always the rebreather option. There are some nice units out there. Tap into some of that loose Duke money floating around up there for that and the matching scooter.

Err, thanks. I think. BTW, it's UNCfnp. No Duke on this dive boat!

 

[lowviz]

Sidemount on a bouncing, pitching boat is a sight to behold. ...

True, but it can be done. Put the second cylinder and your O2 on an equipment line and finish dressing in the water. Reverse for your exit.



Just don't bang anything against the side of the boat when you deploy or retrieve the line...

 

[Randy g]

Do you see much sidemount off the Carolina boats?

No and the only time I have, we ended up rescuing the guy and he went for a ride in the chamber. We do a good bit of shore diving and getting into Caves now. Side mount will come in the near future for us. With my beat up old body and Kate's size, side mount just makes sense in the long run for certain dives. It's another tool in the dive box for me.

When we boat dive, we dive either big tanks (LP120 for me/LP95 for her) w H valves or doubles in NC.

 

[uncfnp]

No and the only time I have, we ended up rescuing the guy and he went for a ride in the chamber. We do a good bit of shore diving and getting into Caves now. Side mount will come in the near future for us. With my beat up old body and Kate's size, side mount just makes sense in the long run for certain dives. It's another tool in the dive box for me.

When we boat dive, we dive either big tanks (LP120 for me/LP95 for her) w H valves or doubles in NC.

Was the divers difficulty something related to sidemount?

 

[waterpirate]

MMMMMMM, Nice marlinspike work. I am a sucker for gear line porn.
Seriously, good job on the gear line.
Eric

True, but it can be done. Put the second cylinder and your O2 on an equipment line and finish dressing in the water. Reverse for your exit.

View attachment 198846

Just don't bang anything against the side of the boat when you deploy or retrieve the line...

 

[ajduplessis]

....... its the repetitive strain on my joints and tendons that worry me more then the strength to lift the rig. Any specific training advice would be appreciated.

Yoga would help getting tendons/joints back into shape. I do a lot of "bodyweight" training (no weights) like squads, skipping, push-ups to help condition tendons/joints. It is important to have strong legs/back and a well-conditioned core (pilates). Stretching (shoulders, arms, legs, back and neck) is another important component and must be maintained year round.