Nautilus eCCR report

**4ster** · 20th November 2009, 22:54

For pictures and further information:
Nautilus CCR - closer to nature

While staying in Cabo San Lucas I used the opportunity to take a look at the Nautilus CCR. The following are my impressions from 2 fairly brief appointments to look over the unit. Any errors recorded here about the unit's design or operation are entirely my own. I did not get a chance to dive the unit myself.

The Nautilus is a fully electronic CCR with some interesting design features that set it apart. The company is positioning this rebreather as a recreational unit but with the future capability to do 100m plus dives. They have a training facility located in Cabo San Lucas with a small pool and a classroom space. When I visited there were at least 4 units set up and ready to dive. Training is under ANDI. Unfortunately when I was there no one was qualified to let me take it for a spin in the pool. I also visited with a diver who owns a unit and he briefly took me through the design features.

Overall:
The first impression when inspecting the unit is how the rebreather's design is very organized and clean. The only low pressure hose that is exposed is the BC hose that terminates in a Scubapro Air2 (which feeds off the dil). There is a console that comes over the left shoulder as well (more on this below) and that is it - except for the harness. The rebreather frame looks like it is made out of ABS or similar plastic, it seems well designed and up to the abuses of being knocked about while diving. There is space in frame for non-dump-able weight plus weights can be added to the shoulder harness for trim.

The frame almost completely protects the back mounted counter lungs that straddle the sorb canister. It also provides the attachment points for the cylinders; just about any size cylinder and valve can be used. The cylinders are mounted valve down. A top cover is easily separated from the frame to get access to the top of the canister head. The breathing hoses run through this cover so it can't become separated from the rebreather such as when aboard a dive boat the cover will stay with the rebreather and not go flying around the deck. Under the cover the electronics and the pneumatics are neatly laid out.

Loop:
The lungs are kind of triangular in cross section, tucked between the diver's back and the scrubber canister. They feel like they are made of silicone rubber. The lungs are exposed on the bottom where each lung has a dump valve. The valves look to me like they would be very easy to locate and operate with gloved hands. I think gas flow is from left to right at the DSV (the diver who let me look at his brand new rebreather was not clear about this and I am trying to mentally reconstruct function from what I saw).

Three cells are mounted under the electronics head. It looked like there was room for at least one more cell. The radial scrubber is enclosed in a clear plastic can so any water in the scrubber can be easily seen. The scrubber can is connected to the head with a simple but secure twist lock and double o-ring seals.

The OPV setup is interesting. It can be located right at the DSV on the exhale side or where the exhale hose connects to the exhale lung. By placing it at the DSV the diver can see it activating, if you find this annoying you can move it so it is behind you. The OPV is configured as a ring with vents around the exterior and has a slightly larger diameter than the breathing hoses. The breathing hoses are spiral and the hose weights can be "screwed" up and down the hoses to position them to where the diver wants them.

Diver's Console:
All information for diving the rig is located on one console. It is fixed to the electronics head via a segmented conduit, a large version of the plastic snake style strobe arm supports for cameras. The flexible arm can be positioned where the diver finds it convenient, just like a strobe arm can be positioned for a camera.

All pneumatic hoses and cabling are in this flexible arm. The arm terminates in a console with dil and O2 gauges. Manual add valves for O2 and dil are also located on the console. In addition there is a multiple LED-like display with PO2 represented for 3 cells and additional alarm indicators. This information is transmitted to the console via fiber-optic cable through an optically clear port in the electronics head. No electrical cables are outside of the sealed electronics head (except for the ported cables to the O2 cells in the bottom of the head).

There is an "optimal" row of 3 lights marked on the console. As PO2 increases lights above the optimal row illuminate. It is my understanding that as a diver you can set this optimal row to represent say a PO2 of 1.0 The electronics will maintain this level in the loop for you. You would then dive it manually at say 1.2 using the electronics as a parachute. It also sounds like you can configure it at a higher set point and dive fully electronic if you wish.

Electronics Head:
The controller is located in a sealed compartment on top of the scrubber canister. Power is supplied by alkaline 9 volt batteries. The electronics are fully isolated from the loop. There are two separate battery compartments and changing the batteries looked easy. At the time I did not think to ask how the controller and solenoids are configured and what level of backup is designed into the controller. (I dive a fully manual CCR so I was not as prepared to ask the right questions about an eCCR.)

What it doesn't have:
There is no HUD. The console is very HUD-like in operation and with the flexible arm can be positioned so it stays in general view.

There is no BOV. There is a very normal looking, lever actuated DSV, the lever was very stiff on the brand new unit.

There is no integrated computer. It looks like a 4th cell computer or PO2 gauge can be added.

I didn't see an off-board connection in the units I looked at.

The diver I talked to said it had very good WOB but I could not test this myself. I have concerns about the shape, position and the relative stiffness of the lungs. I will be interested to hear reports or see any independent tests. I did see a short video clip of Ed Betts from ANDI stating that the WOB was good given that it has back mounted counter lungs.

The unit is sold complete and ready to dive (includes wing and harness) "in the neighborhood of" $5000 USD. I was told that the unit has been for sale for about 6 months.

saveourseas · 20th November 2009, 23:01

Thanks for the write-up.

alephstudio · 24th November 2009, 04:23

Steve and I meet very briefly, actualy I was in the middle of a meeting right before we talked, there for a lot of information was vague or not so detailed. To clarify some of the questions and detailshere is some additional information about the Nautilus Rebreather.

The unit doesn't cost $5,000 any more this was only the promotional price used to introduce the unit. It was only available as a factory direct offer if divers came to Cabo. After additional market research, product reviews and DEMA 2009 the people at Nautilus have decided to support a dealer network. MSRP is $7,485.00 ready to dive.

It is common for a DSV to be stiff if has set in a static position for an extended period of time. Divers should lubricate the DSV if it has been static for more than 30 days, prover and continuos mainance will help the equipment in pristine condition, when I clean my DSV its smooth as long as I use it continously.

The loop flows from right to left. The canister flows in to out.

soon i will post some videos of reknown divers like ED Bets talking about the unit.

PS- Steve it was nice to meet you, sorry wemeet so briefly, next time i could get you to do the pool try out, or Casey if he is in Cabo, just let me know on advance. see you soon.

Eduardo Jaimes Feb · 28th November 2009, 03:00

Hello Steve:

It was a shame that you couldnt tried the unit at Cabo facility, this is a great place for diving with CCR and I love the food too. You did a great resume about the unit.

I want to share with you mi experience with the Nautilus.

This unit for me is awesome! it makes the diving easy for me and I dont have to spend to much time on the Pre and post Checklist, as you saw it this unit is extremely well designed it was development for almost 10 years by Bruce Omholt and Cassey Omholt with the help of Peter Ready, they were looking for the perfection, and at the end of the history you can find a very nice unit.

During the last year ANDI was involved in training material and programs structure. Now the unit is supported by ANDI system.

I have been using this unit 50 hours and never had a problem, everithing was great. I like a lot the amazing WOB of the unit, stability on the electronics and solenoid, the cells I think are great, and everithing in one console package give simplicity to you. Free chest area and no hoses around it is very cool, in my opinion is the by far the best WOB for a backmounted counterlungs CCR.

As Aleph said the unit has a Gas flows right to left and down the canister and then out.
The DSV will be stiff only if it has been left static for extended time. You only need to put cristolube as needed and DSV is very easy to maintain.

If you need some info about the unit let me know, I will help you. But sorry about my english I am from Venezuela.

If you will go to Cabo again contact the Omhold's you will have a very good time, they are very nice people and you will learn a lot of them, and you will eat fantastic food on Mexico.

Regards.-

silent running · 28th November 2009, 19:07

Hello all, I did a try dive on the Nautilus last year and really liked the unit, the WOB was noticeably better than the KISS and Dolphin, which are the other BM CL units I have spent time on.

As mentioned above, the DSV is very easy to use when dived/maintained regularly. I like it better than the Prism DSV as it is easy to open with one hand.

I also like the drain arrangement, which thanks to their being at the bottom of the CLs, guarantee the removal of all water in the lungs when activated. And they are both easily reached by hand, something not even possible on most BM CL units, which is another reason I don't like most BM CL designs.

A lot of thought has gone into this unit and the production methods and tolerences are of a high quality. It's streamlined mechanics and display are both fool proof and virtually impervious to damage or flooding, which would make it a very good choice for cave/overhead environments and it's certainly no bigger than a Sentinal, probably a bit smaller front to back. -Andy

jrml36609 · 2nd December 2009, 23:25

Hello:

I am a Megalodon APECS certified diver, and I also make a Nautilus CCR try dive a few weeks ago, it was really amazing the simplicity in everything about this rebreather. First the calibration only takes about a minute or so and the check list its short and basic, then under water it's very easy to dive with, you only need one hand to work with everything (check your PPO2, check the gas pressure, add dil, add O2), because everything is in one console that comes over your left shoulder as you could read before, also the DSV is very easy to operate with just one hand. For a back mounted counterlung rebreather, it has a very good WOB, in fact it was almost the same as my Meg. Once you are out of the water, the unit is very light in weight and in surface interval you can simply turn off the unit with out having to open it and having to do positive and negative pressure test again and in this way you save battery.
As I could see the unit is even very simply and fool proof in its desing, the electronics are very well protect against water flood, because its cover doesn’t have any holes to pass switches, wire or tubing, it works with electromagnetic switch and fiber optics. Another advantage that I saw was that the CO2 scrubber canister is translucid, in this way your dive buddy can see during a dive if it is entering water in the loop.
One really good thing about this CCR is that comes complete and for a eCCR with this characteritics, I thick that the price is a good deal.

20th November 2009, 22:54	#1 (permalink)
4ster Steve Sprague rEvo Dolphin Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Soviet of Washington Posts: 404	Nautilus eCCR report For pictures and further information: Nautilus CCR - closer to nature While staying in Cabo San Lucas I used the opportunity to take a look at the Nautilus CCR. The following are my impressions from 2 fairly brief appointments to look over the unit. Any errors recorded here about the unit's design or operation are entirely my own. I did not get a chance to dive the unit myself. The Nautilus is a fully electronic CCR with some interesting design features that set it apart. The company is positioning this rebreather as a recreational unit but with the future capability to do 100m plus dives. They have a training facility located in Cabo San Lucas with a small pool and a classroom space. When I visited there were at least 4 units set up and ready to dive. Training is under ANDI. Unfortunately when I was there no one was qualified to let me take it for a spin in the pool. I also visited with a diver who owns a unit and he briefly took me through the design features. Overall: The first impression when inspecting the unit is how the rebreather's design is very organized and clean. The only low pressure hose that is exposed is the BC hose that terminates in a Scubapro Air2 (which feeds off the dil). There is a console that comes over the left shoulder as well (more on this below) and that is it - except for the harness. The rebreather frame looks like it is made out of ABS or similar plastic, it seems well designed and up to the abuses of being knocked about while diving. There is space in frame for non-dump-able weight plus weights can be added to the shoulder harness for trim. The frame almost completely protects the back mounted counter lungs that straddle the sorb canister. It also provides the attachment points for the cylinders; just about any size cylinder and valve can be used. The cylinders are mounted valve down. A top cover is easily separated from the frame to get access to the top of the canister head. The breathing hoses run through this cover so it can't become separated from the rebreather such as when aboard a dive boat the cover will stay with the rebreather and not go flying around the deck. Under the cover the electronics and the pneumatics are neatly laid out. Loop: The lungs are kind of triangular in cross section, tucked between the diver's back and the scrubber canister. They feel like they are made of silicone rubber. The lungs are exposed on the bottom where each lung has a dump valve. The valves look to me like they would be very easy to locate and operate with gloved hands. I think gas flow is from left to right at the DSV (the diver who let me look at his brand new rebreather was not clear about this and I am trying to mentally reconstruct function from what I saw). Three cells are mounted under the electronics head. It looked like there was room for at least one more cell. The radial scrubber is enclosed in a clear plastic can so any water in the scrubber can be easily seen. The scrubber can is connected to the head with a simple but secure twist lock and double o-ring seals. The OPV setup is interesting. It can be located right at the DSV on the exhale side or where the exhale hose connects to the exhale lung. By placing it at the DSV the diver can see it activating, if you find this annoying you can move it so it is behind you. The OPV is configured as a ring with vents around the exterior and has a slightly larger diameter than the breathing hoses. The breathing hoses are spiral and the hose weights can be "screwed" up and down the hoses to position them to where the diver wants them. Diver's Console: All information for diving the rig is located on one console. It is fixed to the electronics head via a segmented conduit, a large version of the plastic snake style strobe arm supports for cameras. The flexible arm can be positioned where the diver finds it convenient, just like a strobe arm can be positioned for a camera. All pneumatic hoses and cabling are in this flexible arm. The arm terminates in a console with dil and O2 gauges. Manual add valves for O2 and dil are also located on the console. In addition there is a multiple LED-like display with PO2 represented for 3 cells and additional alarm indicators. This information is transmitted to the console via fiber-optic cable through an optically clear port in the electronics head. No electrical cables are outside of the sealed electronics head (except for the ported cables to the O2 cells in the bottom of the head). There is an "optimal" row of 3 lights marked on the console. As PO2 increases lights above the optimal row illuminate. It is my understanding that as a diver you can set this optimal row to represent say a PO2 of 1.0 The electronics will maintain this level in the loop for you. You would then dive it manually at say 1.2 using the electronics as a parachute. It also sounds like you can configure it at a higher set point and dive fully electronic if you wish. Electronics Head: The controller is located in a sealed compartment on top of the scrubber canister. Power is supplied by alkaline 9 volt batteries. The electronics are fully isolated from the loop. There are two separate battery compartments and changing the batteries looked easy. At the time I did not think to ask how the controller and solenoids are configured and what level of backup is designed into the controller. (I dive a fully manual CCR so I was not as prepared to ask the right questions about an eCCR.) What it doesn't have: There is no HUD. The console is very HUD-like in operation and with the flexible arm can be positioned so it stays in general view. There is no BOV. There is a very normal looking, lever actuated DSV, the lever was very stiff on the brand new unit. There is no integrated computer. It looks like a 4th cell computer or PO2 gauge can be added. I didn't see an off-board connection in the units I looked at. The diver I talked to said it had very good WOB but I could not test this myself. I have concerns about the shape, position and the relative stiffness of the lungs. I will be interested to hear reports or see any independent tests. I did see a short video clip of Ed Betts from ANDI stating that the WOB was good given that it has back mounted counter lungs. The unit is sold complete and ready to dive (includes wing and harness) "in the neighborhood of" $5000 USD. I was told that the unit has been for sale for about 6 months. __________________ Steve "My problem is that I have trouble reconciling my gross habits with my net income." Errol Flynn
(Offline)

20th November 2009, 23:01	#2 (permalink)
saveourseas Matthew Addison Mk15.5, Prism Ray, Dolphin, Mk15 Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York, Los Angeles Posts: 319	Re: Nautilus eCCR report Thanks for the write-up.
(Online)

24th November 2009, 04:23	#3 (permalink)
alephstudio RBW Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Cabos Posts: 1	the diver that showed steve the Nautillus Steve and I meet very briefly, actualy I was in the middle of a meeting right before we talked, there for a lot of information was vague or not so detailed. To clarify some of the questions and detailshere is some additional information about the Nautilus Rebreather. The unit doesn't cost $5,000 any more this was only the promotional price used to introduce the unit. It was only available as a factory direct offer if divers came to Cabo. After additional market research, product reviews and DEMA 2009 the people at Nautilus have decided to support a dealer network. MSRP is $7,485.00 ready to dive. It is common for a DSV to be stiff if has set in a static position for an extended period of time. Divers should lubricate the DSV if it has been static for more than 30 days, prover and continuos mainance will help the equipment in pristine condition, when I clean my DSV its smooth as long as I use it continously. The loop flows from right to left. The canister flows in to out. soon i will post some videos of reknown divers like ED Bets talking about the unit. PS- Steve it was nice to meet you, sorry wemeet so briefly, next time i could get you to do the pool try out, or Casey if he is in Cabo, just let me know on advance. see you soon.
(Offline)

28th November 2009, 03:00	#4 (permalink)
Eduardo Jaimes Feb RBW Member Megalodon Nautilus Join Date: May 2008 Location: Caracas Posts: 14	Re: Nautilus eCCR report Hello Steve: It was a shame that you couldnt tried the unit at Cabo facility, this is a great place for diving with CCR and I love the food too. You did a great resume about the unit. I want to share with you mi experience with the Nautilus. This unit for me is awesome! it makes the diving easy for me and I dont have to spend to much time on the Pre and post Checklist, as you saw it this unit is extremely well designed it was development for almost 10 years by Bruce Omholt and Cassey Omholt with the help of Peter Ready, they were looking for the perfection, and at the end of the history you can find a very nice unit. During the last year ANDI was involved in training material and programs structure. Now the unit is supported by ANDI system. I have been using this unit 50 hours and never had a problem, everithing was great. I like a lot the amazing WOB of the unit, stability on the electronics and solenoid, the cells I think are great, and everithing in one console package give simplicity to you. Free chest area and no hoses around it is very cool, in my opinion is the by far the best WOB for a backmounted counterlungs CCR. As Aleph said the unit has a Gas flows right to left and down the canister and then out. The DSV will be stiff only if it has been left static for extended time. You only need to put cristolube as needed and DSV is very easy to maintain. If you need some info about the unit let me know, I will help you. But sorry about my english I am from Venezuela. If you will go to Cabo again contact the Omhold's you will have a very good time, they are very nice people and you will learn a lot of them, and you will eat fantastic food on Mexico. Regards.-
(Offline)

28th November 2009, 19:07	#5 (permalink)
silent running Mature mouth breather Prism Dolphin Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: U.S.A. Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,995	Re: Nautilus eCCR report Hello all, I did a try dive on the Nautilus last year and really liked the unit, the WOB was noticeably better than the KISS and Dolphin, which are the other BM CL units I have spent time on. As mentioned above, the DSV is very easy to use when dived/maintained regularly. I like it better than the Prism DSV as it is easy to open with one hand. I also like the drain arrangement, which thanks to their being at the bottom of the CLs, guarantee the removal of all water in the lungs when activated. And they are both easily reached by hand, something not even possible on most BM CL units, which is another reason I don't like most BM CL designs. A lot of thought has gone into this unit and the production methods and tolerences are of a high quality. It's streamlined mechanics and display are both fool proof and virtually impervious to damage or flooding, which would make it a very good choice for cave/overhead environments and it's certainly no bigger than a Sentinal, probably a bit smaller front to back. -Andy
(Offline)

2nd December 2009, 23:25	#6 (permalink)
jrml36609 RBW Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Caracas Posts: 1	Re: Nautilus eCCR report Hello: I am a Megalodon APECS certified diver, and I also make a Nautilus CCR try dive a few weeks ago, it was really amazing the simplicity in everything about this rebreather. First the calibration only takes about a minute or so and the check list its short and basic, then under water it's very easy to dive with, you only need one hand to work with everything (check your PPO2, check the gas pressure, add dil, add O2), because everything is in one console that comes over your left shoulder as you could read before, also the DSV is very easy to operate with just one hand. For a back mounted counterlung rebreather, it has a very good WOB, in fact it was almost the same as my Meg. Once you are out of the water, the unit is very light in weight and in surface interval you can simply turn off the unit with out having to open it and having to do positive and negative pressure test again and in this way you save battery. As I could see the unit is even very simply and fool proof in its desing, the electronics are very well protect against water flood, because its cover doesn’t have any holes to pass switches, wire or tubing, it works with electromagnetic switch and fiber optics. Another advantage that I saw was that the CO2 scrubber canister is translucid, in this way your dive buddy can see during a dive if it is entering water in the loop. One really good thing about this CCR is that comes complete and for a eCCR with this characteritics, I thick that the price is a good deal.
(Offline)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode