Size of Inspo/Evo Travel Crate

Dawktah

Hello!

Does anyone know the size of the travel crate in linear inches and its weight, with everything in it? I am going to purchase one of the units once I am confirmed to be moving. Since I must take lessons in the Midwest I will need to move/ship the unit once. So trying to decide to move it with me, i.e. on plane or to put it with all my personal belongings in the shipping container?

My concern is also for the cylinders. Are they steel or Al? If they are Worthington steel cylinders, they must be carried on the plane with valves removed. Will this short duration without valves expose inside to enough moisture to start oxidation so a full oxygen cleaning will be required once I get unpacked? I will be moving to the Caribbean so going to a humid environment. Ship cylinders and carry unit as checked bag, maybe? I will also have by then a 40cf bailout (metal undetermined) MOD 1 and maybe another smaller HP pony for bailout for real use. In my "real" use I will mostly be shallower than 100fsw non-stop.

-Chris

Ivon

In all honesty, if your diving is going to be less than 100fsw no-stop diving is a rebreather the tool to use unless its for photo/video?

Once you start diving it you'll start bumping up the time under water, and you'll need a minimum of a 40cf bottle, a CO2 problem will see you sucking your dill bottle down and a pony to nothing in no time, then once on the surface, you need gas for filling your wing so can't use all of the dill.

Remember, just my oppinion

Dawktah

Rebreather is for photography.

Terry

I dont understand the two responsed offered, (rebreather is for photography) but here's mine - you can use a rebreather for whatever you want to use it for.

Exposing the inside of your cylnders to the open air for a short period of time will not hurt them. Have the dive shop dry them out and they are good to go.

You can pack the entire Vision kit in the travel box - it's actuall the best way to travel with it. Though - with the cylnder inside the box it will be pretty heavy so be prepared to pay 'overweight' airline fees.

Dawktah

Thanks! What I am trying to figure out is this box within the allowed size for checked baggage, excluding the weight? Since its most likely a one time trip I won't be that concerned about excess weight charge.

That was me responding to Ivon since he implied it makes no sense to dive CCR less than 100fsw no-stop. But I agree with you. You can use it for whatever you want.

--Chris

Ivon

The box is over size, too big for them to at the counter so it has to go through as a large item but can be checked in. Obviously when they ask you on the desk how much it weighs it's only 20kg
Take it across to be scanned and they won't be interested in the weight.

If you want the dimensions still i can get them for tomorrow, need to go in the loft were I keep mine for the decorations anyway.

Tino de Rijk

As to your other questions: All Inspo & Evo cylinders off-factory are steel (both 2 & liter). 232 bar.
As to removing valves: yep, may be necesary these days, but solution is simple: just thread them so loose that you can remove them if needed for inspection at the airport. Carry a small penlight torch so they can look inside. After inspection, hand-tighten them back on. Cylinder is now sealed again by closed valve & O-ring from valve, so no moisture gets in. DON'T forget to tighten them better though once on your destination, to avoid the "flying valve" syndrome..... :-)

As to size: never had any problem with it about them claiming it is too big. It is by far the best protection for packaging the Turtle during traffic.

Ciao,

Tino.

paronix

The size of what you can take depends on the type of alllowance you have. If you travel with the piece system (2 bags up to 32Kg then you have up to 62" per bag.) The AP box comes in just over this, but I have never seen anyone at airport checking in have cases measured. I guess this would only happen if what you were trying to check was obviously too large.
Regarding taking cylinders, if you are going through places, always check the security restrictions, e.g., if you go through the states for example, cylinders you check in must have the valves removed, otherwise they may confiscate the cylinders.
Nick..

CharlieT

Chris

Just measured my Vision box as 28 inches long, 20.5 inches wide, 15.5 inches tall. The box itself weighs 6 kilos, about 13 lbs.

Buy an Inspiration because you want to progress to one and enjoy quiet diving. Your no stop times will significantly increase down to 100 ft so that will be a big plus for your chosen type of diving.

Please, as Ivon has already suggested, don't skimp on your bailout. If you had that CO2 hit or if your buddy needed a supply of OC bailout then an ali 40 would provide a meaningful supply.

If you're going to be diving with OC buddies, make sure they are properly briefed on the basics of diving with a CCR buddy. The closing of the mouthpiece is the most important one but there are several others as well depending on how competent the buddy is.

If you have the time, isn't transporting your unit in a container by far the simplest? Airports post 9/11 are very much less relaxed about the transportation of anything they don't understand but there are many postings on RBW about shipping Inspirations around by air.

What will the supply of spares, sofnolime, batteries etc be like where you're planning to go in the Carib? If you're shipping stuff by container then why not take a good supply of stuff with you unless it's freely available at your destination at similar prices.

I buy Fujitsu CR-P2 batteries (the ones AP recommend for my Vision) for £3 each but I have to buy 12 whereas AP charge £7.15 EACH. And that was only after I campaigned to get them to bring this price down from £8.25 each.

If I was being posted to the Carib for 6 months and had any doubts about supply/price for the right battery, I'd take a good supply with me in my Visions box, depending on how may hours of diving I planned/was able to do while away.

I'm very jealous! London is currently very grey, my dive today was blown out and I don't know yet if I will get to dive tomorrow.

If I do, my buddy and I will be groping our way around a 57m wreck with 3m of vis.

Do you need an assistant by any chance?

Charlie

DaveB

I have travelled with the Inspiration crate and not had a problem with the fact that it is just over the allowed linear inches. I now dive an Evo which has a smaller crate that is inside the regualtions.

Dims(inches) 18 x 15 x 28 = 61"

__________________
David