What is needed vs. what people bring

[mstudley]

I guess you could call me a DIR wannabe. I subscribe to a lot of the ideas DIR brings to the table and one of those that I strongly support is minimalism when it comes to gear configuration. If you don't need it, don't bring it. Extra crap just gets in the way.

Anyway, about a week ago I was checking out the conditions at Ft. Wetherill in Jamestown, RI and spotted someone gearing up for a dive. Those of you who have been at this site know that it's a great spot for classes, interesting dives without going very deep (let's say 80fsw max for the basic coves although it does get much deeper in the middle of the channel where there's -nothing- to see but mud), etc. I usually dive with a 98cf low pressure steel tank and have never had a want for air doing any dives here. Back to our diver gearing up... his setup looked pretty technical so I took a second to look a little closer.

Drysuit... OK, lots of people use a drysuit year round. OMS BP/W setp... OK, I love my BP/W... Doubles of trimix with a 40cf slung stage. Er... what?

My fault for not asking him directly (and I thought it may come across as rude) but why on earth would someone need that kind of gas at a site like this? Granted the tanks could have just had air in them but again, doubles AND a 40cf stage?

If I am missing something here, please enlighten me. Also, what other disproportionate gear/need situations have you come across?

 

[pants!]

Maybe he was training or practicing?

 

[pants!]

Why do you say "doubles of trimix" anyway?

 

[mstudley]

Maybe he was training or practicing?

This guy was solo so maybe, but for what? I imagine you would use trimix at a much different site even for practicing. It is plausible though.

 

[mstudley]

Why do you say "doubles of trimix" anyway?

There were two steel tanks setup as doubles (with a manifold) with large trimix stickers on them. How else can I say it?

 

[pants!]

Just because they had big trimix stickers doesn't mean that's what was in them. Besides, wouldn't you rather practice with this type of gear in relatively shallow water before, say, taking it to 150'?

 

[mstudley]

Just because they had big trimix stickers doesn't mean that's what was in them. Besides, wouldn't you rather practice with this type of gear in relatively shallow water before, say, taking it to 150'?

If you read my original post I did state that he might have had air in them... still quite a bit of air to drag along with you.

anyway, no I think he'd go somewhere else to practice... and bring someone along in case they had trouble with the gear out of inexperience.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

anyway, no I think he'd go somewhere else to practice... and bring someone along in case they had trouble with the gear out of inexperience.

Then I'd say you might be a bit confuzzled. What if he was making work-up dives, or trying a new bit of gear, and all his 'normal' dives were solo. Wouldn't it make sense to practice in the same buddy situation, with the same gear, as the real dives? Furthermore, I don't know about you, but if I had doubles with trimix stickers, I wouldn't scrape the stickers off each time I put air in them....

 

[Wayward Son]

Some divers like to dive what for them is a standard configuration. He may have been teched up, trimix, etc, doing a prep dive. Or just shaking out a new configuration prior to using it deep. Or he may have just been doing a fun dive, but since his normal setup is doubles & a slung pony, that's what went over the side. Without asking, no way to know.

Without knowing what he was actually up to, I have a hard time being critical, just bc his described rig seems excessive for the site.

 

[pdoege]

I routinely do easy dives with all of my cave gear.

Double 104s, AL80 stage, AL40 deco, etc.

Keeps me in practice.

If I am diving with a buddy I don't bring the extra stuff because I don't want to slow someone else down, but when I'm solo I bring the full kit.

Peter