Update on my Dolphin

CEStanley

Hey all,
Well, this is probably not the correct place to post this, but I figured it was close as this is an update to my opening "Hey to all".
I've been diving my Dolphin SCR for 3 years now. A few issues up front and then only user error for not telling the boat handlers to keep their hands off my gear.
So, the first problem I had was the Demand valve was open just a little. Not so much that I could hear it but I sure could measure it. The flow rate of the 60% jet was equal to the spec of the 30% jet! I dug around for a while before I found the issue and once corrected I've been fine with it.
The second issue was the "Draeger Mouthpiece leak" which I was able to correct after locating the “Un-official mouthpiece leak repair” at http://www.airheadsscuba.com/rbrsprt.html.
The third issue was that I was not told that the Dolphin has weight pouches. My first dive was a very miserable dive with the rebreather floating above me by 8 to 10 inches. This I will accept as my own error. I should have known that such a large air volume would have much more lift than the Dolphin weighs. Sure is nice to have soft weights
My forth problem was that I needed a way to eliminate some of the task loading while I was getting comfortable diving my drysuit and rebreather at the same time. I’m very comfortable in the water in a wetsuit, however the drysuit has just recently became my friend. I was in Nanamio BC on a wreck dive and loved it, however, no Rebreather due to the depths, lack of bailout and need for Nitrox as main gas.
So, this brings me to my last problem. My Dolphin (as is) will not take me where I want to go. That is a real issue for me. I've looked at the Buddy systems and the Megladon. I'm not sure that the Buddy syetems will take me deep, but the Meg will. Anyone seen a comparison of the Meg and MK?

Mixaddict

Both the Inspiration and the Meg will both take you "deep". Both are top quality eCCRs and would serve you well. I dive an Inspiration and regularly dive it in the 300' range. Hope this helps.

Regards,
Randy

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Randy Thornton (MixAddict)
Inspiration, Evolution,Hammerhead & Sentinel
CCR Instructor

RebreatherNut

HI CEStanley,
Welcome on board here at Rebreather World!

cheers,
RBN

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"One minute to go, Luck-meister! Then I'll be down on you like a buzzard on a gut wagon." - ALF

Freef

How 'deep' do you want to go?

For theory behind SCR trimix have a look at

http://www.rebreatherworld.com/semi-...ix-diving.html

On nitrox the depth limit for the Dolph is 40m no matter which gas and jet combination you use.

Bear in mind I haven't had the chance to trimix my Dolph yet.

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David.

Currently owner of two differently sized ankles.

CEStanley

My first two desires are to dive the Continental Shelf off South Carolina and the Andrea Doria, both of which are around 250 fsw (if my memory serves me correctly). I want to dive the Doria before it completely falls apart. I remember reading a story on one of the rebreather sites where a guy dropped to around 450 feet and found what was described as a beach scene with wavy sand and all. I’ll bet that not many people have seen such a site or will see such a site in their lives.
I have also talked with a few people around the Nanaimo BC area that talked about Sixgill sharks which come up to the 300 foot zone at some times of the year. It might be interesting to visit a group of those in their area.

CES

Freef

As the theoretical max depth on the Dolphin in SCR is 81m, you could either close it or choose another unit then!

450 feet for a wavy bottom that you can see at 20 feet? Sounds like he either missed the wreck or was there for another reason. Deep for the sake of it isn't a good enough reason for me.

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David.

Currently owner of two differently sized ankles.

4ster

You don't need to go to 300 feet to see sixgills around here. You can shore dive in Seattle city limits and see them in less than 100 feet.

There are areas in BC where they are shallow as well. So the Dolphin is a good tool for sixgill sighting, since you can hang out longer than on open circuit.

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Steve
"My problem is that I have trouble reconciling my gross habits with my net income." Errol Flynn

CEStanley

My interest is not seeing something I can see at 20 feet, rather something that was set down during the last ice age, from 14,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago. It is a way of seeing something that interests me greatly and if going to 150m or 266m, I am more then willing to pay the dues to see those things.
If the "beach" were created from wave action, the sand should be smooth like the beaches around the world. If they are wavy as stated, the water level would be changing much as a creek or stream level changes over the duration of a day. The story stated wavy, so my guess is a stream near by. That could have been cold water dropping over the shelf underwater, becoming trapped and flowing along the wall. I just gotta see for my self.

Cheers -
Charles

CEStanley

I was in Nanaimo a few weeks ago. There were reports on the web that sixgills could be seen around this time of the year at recreational depths. Alas, I saw none. Even at 100m (300 feet), it is not guaranteed that I will see sixgills. However, I believe there is a much better chance on any given dive.
The wall off Snake Island dropps to 1800m. I was told that there are undercuts in the wall below recreational depths. I wonder if those were created my wave action? Many reasons to go deeper then recreational depths, some are man made (ships), some are living (plants, fish) and some are part of the Earth itsself. I want to see a larger part of the world than I have available to me now.

Freef

Wave and curent action can create a rippled sand effect at many depths. Is seeing it at 100m any better than 10m? Going deep should be for a better reason than going deep. The Doria is a good reason for going deep, my most recent deep dive was to a wreck I have wanted to do for about 2 years and was well worth the training and cost.

There are a couple of divers I know who go deep for the sake of it, often on air. Why bother? Trimix mean you can rememer the dive and are safer, hitting 63m on air is a bit silly.

If your interest is on seeing ice age formations then that is a perfectly good reason for going deep, and there are many rebreathers that will let you get there, but 266m is a bit beyond a Dolph...

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David.

Currently owner of two differently sized ankles.