Training for Doubles?

[Riger]

Hello all,

I am AOW with 50 dives.

My wife and I are planning another Liveaboard in the Red Sea in April , the problem is that in terms of size we are significantly different (me bigger and taller). Even with me using a 15L tank I need a bit more air in order to extend the dive.

I know that my consumption rate will get better in time, but so does hers and trust me, she is small and she is "very" efficient on her air.

So the question is this: If the LDS provides the twin set and have a suitable BCD, do I require any training to use the twins other than the tech brief on the actual valve system?

Thanks in advance.

Richard

 

[tgsmith]

It'd be wise to practice beforehand with some local divers that are experienced with doubles, or to take an intro-to-tech class. It's really just to know what you're doing/how to set them up. Usually the first few dives for new doubles-users can be quite amusing. If you're spending the money on a live-aboard it'd make sense to spend the money to make it worthwhile, ya know?

Have fun!

 

[battles2a5]

You might be treating the symptom and not the problem. AOW w/ 50 dives is still pretty new. Working with a good mentor or instructor on bouyancy + technique, or doing some cardio will drop your consumption considerably. If you just want more gas, doubles aren't the answer. There are all sorts of new complications that far outweight the benefit of just the additional gas. With the suggestions above, you will likely be on par with the other folks on the liveaboard. And if you do decide to move into technical diving where doubles are appropriate, the skills will carry over.

At the end of the day, it's obviously your call. If you do decide to move to doubles, do the intro to tech class or work w/ an experienced mentor to help you with the transition.

 

[Rainer]

I think Ryan pretty much hit this one on the head.

As a new diver, there are lots of things to consider in helping your consumption rate other than adding heavy gear that will take more effort to move through the water.

Working on trim/buoyancy, streamlining your gear, getting more comfortable in the water, and hitting the gym would all be better ways to address your current issue than strapping on a set of doubles.

 

[halocline]

Just get your wife a smaller tank.

It is good advice to do whatever you can to improve your air consumption, but if your wife is quite a bit smaller and also improving as a diver, it's likely she'll always use less gas than you. So what, as long as you can do a "normal" recreational dive, it doesn't matter if she comes up with 1/2 a tank.

Buoyancy control and calm, efficient movement while diving are probably the most important things you can work on to improve your air, and there's always room for improvement in those two areas.

 

[DoubleHoseDiver]

....and enjoy your dive. Tim

 

[TSandM]

This will start a firestorm, but what my husband and I do is share gas for a little while, early in the dive. He is a bigger person than I am, and will always use more gas, so we just swim along for a while with both of us on my gas supply, and that evens things out.

NOTE: We do this EARLY in the dive, so no one is low on air; we use a long hose setup, so it's easy and convenient to swim while sharing gas. This is also pretty good practice for air-sharing in general.

I do agree with battles2a5, that it's well worth some work on buoyancy and trim and propulsion, to see if you can bring your consumption down.

Doubles aren't hard to dive, as long as you have a set that will trim out for you, but it often takes some time to get your balance sorted out in them, and I certainly wouldn't want to spend some dives of an expensive vacation off kilter because I was trying to learn new gear.

 

[jeckyll]

I think that going for doubles at 50 dives is a bit early. I also think TSandM's suggestion is a good one but it relies on some basic skills and being comfortable in the water, as well as understanding how to calculate minimum gas for relevant depth (search for Lamont's post on calculating Rockbottom).

The other option is to offset the tank sizes used one you understand just how much more gas you are using vs your wife. I.E. perhaps you need a 100 cf for her 80 cf.

Most importantly, get more comfortable in the water, don't make sure you're streamlined when swimming, that your trim is good, that you're not fighting with your gear, that you stay relaxed, dive slowly etc. All of which will help make you more efficient and will reduce your gas consumption.

I think between dive 20 and dive 100 my gas use decreased by about 25%

 

[Riger]

All the advice above is understood and appreciated.

Truth of the matter is that I could do with a little cardio work anyway. This will give me a little more motivation.

Thanks all

 

[Riger]

OK, I am back with more questions related to this.

In the long run, I can work on the issues that will improve my SAC Rates, the problem will always be the my darling wife will always use much less air than me.

So I had a chat with a Techie type this morning and we went through all the different scenario's. Setting aside all the things I can do to improve my SAC Rate, we discussed steel tanks and aluminium tanks and their (significant) difference in buoyancy particularly toward the end of the dive and so forth.

It seems that having a Pony Tank (5 or 7 litre Steel) and either slinging it or strapping it to the main tank, might be the way to go (if I choose to follow this path).

I will have the opportunity to test this configuration prior to the liveaboard, but I was hoping to get feedback from this group first.

Your thought and comments (as always) appreciated.

Regards

Richard