Diving out of an inflatable

Ronald L

I do not yet own a rebreather , but I am very interested. A couple of questions. I dive mostly out of my Avon and usually throw my gear over and put it on in the water. I do the same thing in reverse when I get out . If
I did this with a rebreather , would I get water into the system ? Also how restrictive to head movement , compared to OC , is the double hose set up? Thanks----Ron

MHD

Ron

we dive mainly out of RIBS, usually 5.5 to 6.25 m range. We put the units on board first and pre-breath and set PO2 on the boat and do what ever immediate pre dive checks the unit wants. Depending on the person you may put bail out cylinder on in the boat or in the water after you get in. But the unit is no and ensure to be working before you get in the water. You have to spend more time than OC checking the unit to ensure it's right to dive, and if you have a problem it's easier to sort out on the boat than in the water.

Coming back we take them off, Clip them off and then climb in and lift them in. With the DSV close you wont get water into them

Thats off a RIB so all pretty comfortable to do.

As for head movement. Proper length hoses and I can't really say I notice a difference.

Matt

Ronald L

Thanks for the reply Matt , this kind of information will help me decide if a rebreather will work for me. If you have any recommendations on equipment types or brands , I would be glad to here about that too.-----------Ron

nl_carey

The only two really at all different areas are having to carry bailout, and having the double-hose.
Bailout will be simple, just add an extra clip on your line, and bob's your uncle. I find it easier to put bailout on in-water, but normally do it before jumping in just so you don't forget anything!
The hose is a problem sometimes depending on the rebreather and how easy it is to get at if it's sitting behind your head. In-water though, this isn't significant, you can just duck under it or set it up to be out of the way whilst you stuff yourself in.
Two other issues that could be a problem if you dive on your own:
1. Bubble Check - most Rebreather divers prefer to have a bubble check at ~5m or so before continuing, as small problems can cause minor bubble loss. If you're noticing bubbles, it can be very difficult to determine where these are coming from in-water.
2. Weight. Some Rebreather's are very heavy when fully equipped with weights etc. Not heavy compared to big sets of twins, but heavy compared to singles, for example. Pulling these up the side of the boat can be a handful on your own, particularly if you're buggered after a dive. Some units like the PRISM, Sport KISS, Mini-Meg and Evolution are lighter than others though. Some modified O2 rebreathers are really, really light!