Trimix diving, CCR or OC

Mark Chase

Edited because I forgot the camera bit.


Defiantly not giving advice, he asked for opinions, thats my one. I wouldn't advise any one to do any deep diving whats so ever. Its bloody dangerous.

On the other hand I personally don't see the importance of depth relative to diving CCR. It will kill you just as easily at 10m as several incidents will attest. If you rack up 60mins of deco at 40m or 60mins of deco at 70m whats the difference? I built up deco commitment rather than building up depth.

To me if the CCR did something i didn't like then Id go OC. I still have this opinion. Some of the high end CCR skills are only relevant to me if I don't have enough bailout gas.


50 hours hours? Maby its necessary i don't know, it wasn't for me. I did my first 50m dive after 13 hours on the unit and my first 60m after 18 hours on the unit but that was in blue water easy conditions. My first 60m UK dive was after 32 hours on the unit.

Maby I am reckless but I have to say i couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. Andyp and I spent a stupid amount of time in 10m deep puddles trying to "build up hours" for doing the mix cert. At the time the damed thing just kept working perfectly be it in puddles or in the sea. I cant say I learned anything about dealing with an incident until it Finlay happened about months later. I knew what to do I did the drills but its not till it actually happens that you find out if your up to the job.

I still worry about my ability to recognize and deal with a C02 hit. In two years it has never happened. I fitted a BOV just in case but I have to say apart from that comfort blanket I don't feel any better equipped to deal with it now than i did 18 months ago.

ATB

Mark Chase
ATB

Mark Chase

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Is it supposed to make that noise ?

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Ivon

I know what your saying Mark but it's less stressful sorting out a problem at 30m than 60m, even if it is a physiological thing.

Like I say it would depend on the hours on the unit and gradual depth progression, that's how it worked for me anyway. You have to have the basics nailed before moving on.

James

You need time on the unit to get used to how it operates (in normal operation) and how it feels when it is running normally. Once you have this experiance you can detect problems early on (such as a CO2 hit coming on). Also you need time to develop the muscle memory of where everything is.
The fact you have asked the question suggests that you aren't ready.

Enjoy your dive, which ever method you go for.
Personally since I'm a tight Yorkshire man, I'd go CCR and save the cash!

James.

Mdemon

I reckon a cunning plan for you, "Lord M", is to make sure you come back up the shot. Assuming the shot's a good one, it'll take the edge off any unexpected buoyancy control issues and will also put you in the neighbourhood of other people who might be able to help you out in the event of mad flap and panic.

The Inspo will just work. (Make sure that it does.) If it doesn't, you've got your bailout so there you go. Will you? Course you will. Probably.

I didn't want to post on this. Don't know why. Quite happy to do it myself but I've had mixed feelings about encouraging you to do it. Really weird and very hypocritical, but then again, I've met your kids.

Have you got as many hours as Doug had when he did the Quarry? If you have, then I would do it. I've always felt safer on CCR than OC and the Inspo is a superb piece of kit.

Sorry, drunken ramble. Bored beyond belief at work and no prospect of diving, unlike you you lucky sod. Enjoy!

Have fun, whatever you decide.






(And leave the f*****g camera at home!!!)

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Lord M

Basically my thoughts have been very similar to what Mark Chase and Mdemon have indicated, we're on the same wavelength. I would have reeled off the shot and taken more bail-out than a boatload of DIR'ers on an expedition.

Ron Young has asked me for some photo's of UB-65 for his book and I do think that as I will be taking photo's while down there I need a clear head without any worries. So back to good old OC and air.

Lord M

Just to let anyone interested know, I did it on OC, bloody noisey that stuff. I restricted myself to 25 minutes bottom time as it was a spring tide and slack window is only about 30 minutes out there.

I thought afterwards, I should have left the box on the shot at 40m to deco off of

I managed to get some half decent photos, I'll wait until next summer now and get a decent neap tide to dive it. If the box is on trimix then I'll use it, if not OC was fine really, just noisey.

AM

I wouldn't rely on this.


I also wouldn't rely on other people.

I *definitely* wouldn't rely on this.

I can hardly believe it. You're developing a moral conscience! That very thing you berated your good friends for when they refused to validate certain plans of yours, Mr Mdemon!

Now I absolutely wouldn't use that as any basis for a decision!


If you have the dive skills and enough bailout, the depth is inconsequential - WITH THE CAVEAT that you are not also using the camera and adding a new task load AND the depth together.

My first UK wreck dive was 65m on mixed gas closed circuit without a mod 1 ticket OR OC trimix training. BUT - with the caveat that I had built up a truckload of hours when I first got the unit, doing deep dives every single weekend in winter.

I won't say do it or don't do it. It's your choice entirely. But it's worth weighing up the risk/benefit ratio. If the risks outweigh the benefit then that's a good basis for the final decision. If you do choose to do it, it's worth making sure the bailout strategy is rock solid, including optimised deco gas choices.

Alternatively if OC deco is less of an obligation, there's your answer!

Regards

AnneMarie

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Allan_o

Lots off bailout and i would do the dive, without the cam...

/Allan

CharlieT

When I dive this weekend should I wear thermals under my undersuit or not?

Should I eat my sarnies 1 hr, 2 hrs or 3 hrs before my dive or not at all?

Should I put jam or honey on my toast at breakfast tomorrow?

Charliet

Moray Brown

A sound choice my son! You'll know when you're ready!

& when it comes, enjoy! It's a scream executing your first deep gas dive on the unit.

be safe

DS