Aspiring rebreather diver

systematic.entropy · 28th August 2007, 18:20

Hello,

I am considering getting into rebreather diving in the next 12-24 months (hey, I need to save those nickles). I know I will eventually find myself in the CCR world. But, I was thinking of going to a Dolphin SCR to start off with and use it to get a good foundation in knowledge about rebreathers for a year or so, and then move on to a CCR. So people I've talked to say it isn't worth it, other say, it's a pretty good idea. Thoughts?

Most of my diving is Great Lakes wrecks.

Yevgeniy · 28th August 2007, 23:25

I've spent two years on Dolphin before switching to CCR and don't think that Dolphin experience made this transition easier. CCR is completely different animal as my instructor used to say. I would recommend to skip this step.

RebreatherNut · 28th August 2007, 23:32

Hi and Welcome to Rebreather World!

These days you can get for the price of Dolphin a used Sport KISS CCR. So, if you are already now toying with the idea of eventually going all the way to CCR, do so now and skip the SCR step.

This is just my 2 cents.

Again, welcome on board.

cheers,
RBN

**Lake_Tahoe_Diver** · 28th August 2007, 23:42

Welcome to the group.

I would also agree that you might as well look into sport Kiss instead of the dolphin, since cost is not too much more, and the rebreather you will be getting will meet your need better. I know a lot of people that bought the dolphin an was not that happy with it and sold it for a sport kiss with in a year.

Philippe GERIN · 29th August 2007, 00:21

I agree with that 100%. Kiss Sport is the right rig for this approach.
Both Peter and Keith here are talking from hands-on experience here.
Best
Philippe

zoo_diver · 29th August 2007, 00:49

I can't speak on the KISS (cough Meg, cough Meg, cough Meg) but I too agree that you should skip the SCR and go right to CCR.

A wise man once said that if you are going to be a bear...be a grizzly

systematic.entropy · 29th August 2007, 13:44

Thanks for the input. All that being said, some people have told me a few bad things about the Sport KISS. Kind of along the lines of it's a waste of money. Unfortunatly, there aren't too many rebreather clinics that come around here, so I have yet to be able to try one out myself. Agh! decisions, decisions. I'll just bite the bullet and go with the Ouroboros right off the bat. Sound good?

**wedivebc** · 29th August 2007, 14:41

Quote: (Originally Posted by systematic.entropy)

Thanks for the input. All that being said, some people have told me a few bad things about the Sport KISS. Kind of along the lines of it's a waste of money. Unfortunatly, there aren't too many rebreather clinics that come around here, so I have yet to be able to try one out myself. Agh! decisions, decisions. I'll just bite the bullet and go with the Ouroboros right off the bat. Sound good?

I had a dolphin for a couple of years. Did a KISS conversion on it after a few months. I then bought a sport kiss because I needed a cert card, for when I am traveling more than any other reason but the SK was not right for me so I bit the bullet and bought a meg. A year and a half later I have no regrets.
The dolphin was good to me, the conversion process taught me a lot but don't do it for economical reasons. You might benefit from the experience of setting up, cleaning, maintaining a rebreather from the dolphin but from a diving perspective the advantage over OC is minimal. If you go with the conversion route don't forget to check out Ron Micjan's web page for it's wealth of CCR conversion info including step by step instructions.

grandizer52 · 30th August 2007, 10:47

Hea bro,
I started out with a LAR V, went to a dolphin, had the kit to convert it did alot of thinking and went with a used sport kiss. anyone that tells you bad things hasn't used one. there's ALOT of divers here that actually eather went ECCR to a kiss or started on a kiss the returned to a kiss cause of the simplicity of the whole thing. plus it can be fixed in the field
laytah
steve

Quote: (Originally Posted by systematic.entropy)

Thanks for the input. All that being said, some people have told me a few bad things about the Sport KISS. Kind of along the lines of it's a waste of money. Unfortunatly, there aren't too many rebreather clinics that come around here, so I have yet to be able to try one out myself. Agh! decisions, decisions. I'll just bite the bullet and go with the Ouroboros right off the bat. Sound good?

kieranu · 30th August 2007, 10:55

I'd say between the Dolphin and the Sports Kiss, go for the SK. The price diff isn't that much as a few people have said and its fully closed so if you change units later there won't be so much of a difference in the learning curve and dive profiles you do to the same depths. Also, if you decide to move over to a Classic Kiss or another unit later on that doesn't have the scrubber limitations of the SK you shouldn't have too many problems finding a buyer whose in a similar position to you now.

28th August 2007, 18:20	#1 (permalink)
systematic.entropy New Member Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 4	Aspiring rebreather diver Hello, I am considering getting into rebreather diving in the next 12-24 months (hey, I need to save those nickles). I know I will eventually find myself in the CCR world. But, I was thinking of going to a Dolphin SCR to start off with and use it to get a good foundation in knowledge about rebreathers for a year or so, and then move on to a CCR. So people I've talked to say it isn't worth it, other say, it's a pretty good idea. Thoughts? Most of my diving is Great Lakes wrecks. __________________ Trimix, Full Cave Last edited by systematic.entropy : 28th August 2007 at 18:23.
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28th August 2007, 23:25	#2 (permalink)
Yevgeniy New Member Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mill Creek, WA Posts: 11	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver I've spent two years on Dolphin before switching to CCR and don't think that Dolphin experience made this transition easier. CCR is completely different animal as my instructor used to say. I would recommend to skip this step.
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28th August 2007, 23:32	#3 (permalink)
RebreatherNut Rebreather World Greeter Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Ray Other Rebreather/s: Ray Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 677	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver Hi and Welcome to Rebreather World! These days you can get for the price of Dolphin a used Sport KISS CCR. So, if you are already now toying with the idea of eventually going all the way to CCR, do so now and skip the SCR step. This is just my 2 cents. Again, welcome on board. cheers, RBN __________________ "One minute to go, Luck-meister! Then I'll be down on you like a buzzard on a gut wagon." - ALF
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28th August 2007, 23:42	#4 (permalink)
Lake_Tahoe_Diver Enjoying the silence Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Reno, Nv. (Lake Tahoe) Posts: 185	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver Welcome to the group. I would also agree that you might as well look into sport Kiss instead of the dolphin, since cost is not too much more, and the rebreather you will be getting will meet your need better. I know a lot of people that bought the dolphin an was not that happy with it and sold it for a sport kiss with in a year. __________________ Scuba Diving,the only sport where it is good to be in over your head....
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29th August 2007, 00:21	#5 (permalink)
Philippe GERIN ccr apprentice Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2005 Location: Strasbourg, France Posts: 626	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver I agree with that 100%. Kiss Sport is the right rig for this approach. Both Peter and Keith here are talking from hands-on experience here. Best Philippe
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29th August 2007, 00:49	#6 (permalink)
zoo_diver Is it snack time yet? Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Megalodon Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Suffolk, VA Posts: 248	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver I can't speak on the KISS (cough Meg, cough Meg, cough Meg) but I too agree that you should skip the SCR and go right to CCR. A wise man once said that if you are going to be a bear...be a grizzly
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29th August 2007, 13:44	#7 (permalink)
systematic.entropy New Member Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 4	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver Thanks for the input. All that being said, some people have told me a few bad things about the Sport KISS. Kind of along the lines of it's a waste of money. Unfortunatly, there aren't too many rebreather clinics that come around here, so I have yet to be able to try one out myself. Agh! decisions, decisions. I'll just bite the bullet and go with the Ouroboros right off the bat. Sound good? __________________ Trimix, Full Cave
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29th August 2007, 14:41	#8 (permalink)
wedivebc FIGJAM Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Inspiration Classic Sport Kiss Other CCR Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Vancouver Island BC Canada Posts: 1,358	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver Quote: (Originally Posted by systematic.entropy) Thanks for the input. All that being said, some people have told me a few bad things about the Sport KISS. Kind of along the lines of it's a waste of money. Unfortunatly, there aren't too many rebreather clinics that come around here, so I have yet to be able to try one out myself. Agh! decisions, decisions. I'll just bite the bullet and go with the Ouroboros right off the bat. Sound good? I had a dolphin for a couple of years. Did a KISS conversion on it after a few months. I then bought a sport kiss because I needed a cert card, for when I am traveling more than any other reason but the SK was not right for me so I bit the bullet and bought a meg. A year and a half later I have no regrets. The dolphin was good to me, the conversion process taught me a lot but don't do it for economical reasons. You might benefit from the experience of setting up, cleaning, maintaining a rebreather from the dolphin but from a diving perspective the advantage over OC is minimal. If you go with the conversion route don't forget to check out Ron Micjan's web page for it's wealth of CCR conversion info including step by step instructions. __________________ Cheers, Dave.... Man is the only animal burdened with the knowledge he will eventually die
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30th August 2007, 10:47	#9 (permalink)
grandizer52 Sport Kiss & Shearwater Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Sport Kiss Classic Kiss MK 15.X Other CCR Home Build Join Date: May 2006 Location: pearl city hawaii EARTH moving to Iscandar Posts: 254	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver Hea bro, I started out with a LAR V, went to a dolphin, had the kit to convert it did alot of thinking and went with a used sport kiss. anyone that tells you bad things hasn't used one. there's ALOT of divers here that actually eather went ECCR to a kiss or started on a kiss the returned to a kiss cause of the simplicity of the whole thing. plus it can be fixed in the field laytah steve Quote: (Originally Posted by systematic.entropy) Thanks for the input. All that being said, some people have told me a few bad things about the Sport KISS. Kind of along the lines of it's a waste of money. Unfortunatly, there aren't too many rebreather clinics that come around here, so I have yet to be able to try one out myself. Agh! decisions, decisions. I'll just bite the bullet and go with the Ouroboros right off the bat. Sound good?
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30th August 2007, 10:55	#10 (permalink)
kieranu Apprentice Meg Pilot Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: WA, Australia Posts: 229	Re: Aspiring rebreather diver I'd say between the Dolphin and the Sports Kiss, go for the SK. The price diff isn't that much as a few people have said and its fully closed so if you change units later there won't be so much of a difference in the learning curve and dive profiles you do to the same depths. Also, if you decide to move over to a Classic Kiss or another unit later on that doesn't have the scrubber limitations of the SK you shouldn't have too many problems finding a buyer whose in a similar position to you now.
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