Trimix diving, CCR or OC

Lord M

I'm not asking anyone for advice here, just personal experience.

I've only recently done my Mod1 on the box, I've been very comfortable with it and never had buoyancy problems. I've been trimix OC for a few years now and get several trimix dives in each year (maybe 20) as well as over 100 other dives. This weekend is looking very good for some wrecks we have been planning to dive for months, U325, UB65 and Ezra Weston.

The wrecks are all around 56-58m. I'm tempted to use the box. I have enough bailout cylinders for it I also have twin 12's with the right mix in, they've been sitting there waiting for this dive.

I'm not going to ask anyone what to do. I just want to know, what would you do (have done)?

Please don't treat this as a 'don't do that' thread, as I'm more likely to do it to prove you wrong or not.

Nicholas von Rosen

Hi

If I was 100 % sure that I had enough OC bail out I would go for it

Nick

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NICK

Decodiver

At the end of the day you will do what you want.

My advice, as you have only recently finished your Mod 1 would be to do it on OC.

The wrecks will still be there when you are CCR Mix qualified.

I believe that there are many differences between OC Trimix and CCR Trimix.

But, of course, I would say that as I am an Instructor.

Ask anyone who has previous OC Trimix experience and has done a CCR Trimix course with me, whether there are any significant differences.

You can find quite a few on here, SimonTW, Silent, mixedangased, nmanfield, Mark E, UKSteve, Megalodonna and DonalWalsh to name a few.


Whatever you choose to do, I wish you luck.

Dive safe.

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

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Beanie

Go OC use the gas up in your twins prior to selling them

You'll enjoy the dive more on familiar ground.

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Ivon

It would all depend on what depths I had been doing previously on the unit, and how many hours I had on the unit.

Also if I have already had a brown trousers moment, as it will come, how I dealt with it.

Me, 50-60 hours
46m max
Bailed out twice, once possibly due to over packing did the deco and came out on O/C and once as a precaution inside a wreck, with algae looking like the Star Trek scenes, stars flying past at a million mile an hour, made me dissy to say the least but sorted it and went back on the unit.

I would 'personally' go for it as I feel confident enough to deal with any problems now, but still have a healthy respect.

I think you have to decide what diving you are going to do and stick with it, I don't think it's the best thing switching between O/C and CCR for deeper diving as your not keeping on top of vital skills.

chrismc

Depends on how recently youve done your course. How many and what kind of dives.

If I had done 20 dives in a quarry max depth 30m not then I'd be OC.

If I'd done 60+ and been to 45m a few times on air then I would do it with plenty of bailout.

Other consideration is who you are diving with (if anyone) and there thoughts.

Padowan

If I was you I'd do it on OC, as I know how long you've had your unit. I did my first trimix dive (Duke of Buccleugh - 58m) on my unit after I had about 30 hours at depths up to 55m in warm water and 50m in cold UK waters.

I would ask yourself the followng questions:
How confident are you at dealing with ANY problem that may occur, have you had to do any problem solving on the unit in anger?
Do you know what your bailout strategy will be, and have you validated that it'll work, and be correct for the dives you're planning?
Will this dive be similar (depth, duration and deco loading) to the dives you've done on OC trimix?
Will you be diving with another diver who has knowledge of CCR buddy procedures, or preferably is on CCR themselves?
Will you be diving the unit in a configuration that you have dived shallower (amount of additional kit carried)?

If you can answer "Yes" to all these questions, then I'd be more confident doing the dive on CCR, if you have a "No" or two, then I'd seriously think about doing it on OC, and spend some time over the winter developing those skills.

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lizardland

My third dive on my KISS was a 60m cave dive without even having done Mod1 I'd been diving homebuilds for a couple of years before that, even so it was not a particularly bright idea. Especially as I managed to flood the loop at 60m and about 1/2km inside the cave. In retrospect, it may have been better to wait a bit. You may have enough bailout but spending the next 24hrs with icecubes on your sphincter isn't pleasant.

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RichClark

My Background was OC Trimix happily diving to 60m - 85m. When I bought my KISS I made the conscious decision to stick within my training limits. That's meant that I've missed a number of dives this year that I could have happily done, had I not sold my twin sets.

If I'm really honest I felt ready to do some of the dives with my KISS and trimix dil but decided not to on insurance grounds - I believe that I have a responsibility to my wife to ensure that should the worst happen, then financially she's taken care of and the house is secure.

I'm looking forward to doing my MOD3 in the New Year and learning a few new skills rather than bailing as the first and only option.... the wrecks will still be there, although some of the splidge may have gone

If you still have your OC kit do the dive OC.

Cheers

Rich

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6Gill

I would imagine you'll survive the dive, but the real point is your not yet qualified for it on CCR. If an incident were to occur it would be another example of an irresponsible ccr diver to blight ccr's reputation.

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