Spree Expeditions: Rebreathers on livaboard dive boat sport trips

onetime

Fair enough.

From your picture the swim platform looks like a nice enough size and fairly stable (with the exception of rough seas of course). The only question doing work on the Rebreather on the platform then is where would you place the RB? Any chance there'd be a table or something added?

PacketSniffer

We can certainly put in a request.

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Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

onetime

Hopefully one with some sides so that small items don't roll off.

Genesis

BTW, something else I thought of with the buddy policy....

A Rebreather diver with a BOV on a recreational dive may not be able to airshare with an OC buddy, as there may not have any pure OC gear they can donate (e.g. their only mouthpiece is the one with the BOV on it!)

This means the OC buddy has no airshare donor available to him.

The K1, for example, has a BOV currently fitted and thus no "offboard" bailout need be carried where a direct ascent is reasonable and sane (the internal diluent tank is 19cf, which is enough to perform a safe ascent and safety stop on OC, assuming you start with a fully charged diluent tank.)

This would appear to mandate an offboard bailout be carried by all Rebreather divers who are buddied with an OC diver, if the intent is to practice actual "buddy-diving" protocols.

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PacketSniffer

Regarding the oxygen/diluent non-standard cylinders, this was posted today at another forum by Capt. Frank. It still leaves a question to systems such as the Meg which I have asked for further clarification. He's at DEMA now so any responses to questions may take some time.


We had a diver who had modified his dolphin to accept a 40 ft3 o2 cylinder, and a 50 ft3 bailout (or vice-versa) from OEM. The extra weight of the cylinders destroyed the housing on the dolphin and it came apart underwater. All rebreathers must be dived with OEM specified cylinders.


Oh, and here is a closer view of the swim platform.

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Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

Crazyduck

Wow, reading this thread was rather discouraging…

I recently asked Captain Frank also to join this group to get a feeling of what would be acceptable for rebreather divers.
How often does a commercial boat captain ask for suggestions…?

I for one would love access to the Flower Gardens on closed circuit and maintaining the rules that were suggested seem quite reasonable. His boat, his rules.


I agree that would like to see certain things our way but lets give constructive reasoning and then I am sure he would reply with his concerns.

Pouring Sorb-
Pouring sorb (while at sea) would be a concern with past experiences of spills and corrosion on the deck. I have stood on the back swim deck and it is the open area of a six pack boats and above the water line.
I would like to see if Captain Frank would consider allow rebreather divers to us the back deck space from the showers to the back rail? That is a very large and open area. If we put down a spill container that would stop sorb from getting onto the decking. These are rectangular in shape with a 6-1/2” high lip on them to contain spills. That way we would be off the swim deck and even spilling 8lbs of scrubber material would not pose a problem to the deck. We could brush up an excess material and if necessary lift the container and move it onto the swim deck for cleaning and rinsing.
Example- Grainger: Spill Containment Pallets and Platforms: Spill Control Supplies: Safety & Security
Item-5PW01 Cost $70.00

The spill container would make it easier for changing out scrubbers and working on the rebreather scrubber units. Bringing an extra scrubber canister would probably resolve the need to pour sorb while at sea.

On my last cruise we dove 7 dives in two days with my average dive time was spot on one hour with a steel 98 tank. Rebreather divers could be asked to bring a 5 gallon bucket with lid for trash and sorb. You could so far as to use a five gallon lab buckets with screw on lids. That too no problem for me.

Unit Modifications-
In reference to modifications- I think that this is an insurance concern. The same could be said of scuba regulators or dive computers. There is no one checking in every dive computer or regulator. Maybe there needs to be a disclaimer that modifications to manufactured units is discouraged and any modifications are at the risk of the diver. Does IANTD or any other agency have such a prewritten waiver? Again, helping to kept the costs down.

I do believe that any unit that is brought on board for the first time should have a briefing with the boat captain and head divemaster. The boat is ultimately responsible for the diver if they go to court.
Because of recent concerns with electronics, displays, and potential electronics failures; independent O2 monitoring should be considered a ‘strong recommendation’ to the divers.

Addition-
We need a digital search and rescue beacon for rebreather divers. We are talking about a site 100mi from shore and if they lost a diver it would be a nightmare. Imagine trying to put together a recovery team, additional stress, open ocean conditions, and potential for other problems. A digital beacon with an emergency button could be a god send for the diver trying to recover a system and even other open circuit divers that are in distress. Blowing a SMB is great but this could be another element of safety. (Sorry if this sounds like a rant.)
This is a gallery of a trip out on the Spree-
Scuba Diving Gallery - Flower Gardens '04 - Powered by PhotoPost

Thanks for listening...
Andrew

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Presently in a state of transition from Open Circuit to Closed Circuit.

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PacketSniffer

This is the answer to my follow up question to Capt. Frank:

Then, how do you deal with systems like the Megalodon that can come as an option with 20cf, 13cf, or no tanks (select your own)?


Sounds like they build the meg to accept many different configurations. If you dive it in one of those configurations, no problem. Remember, Richard, I am trying to appeal to the rebreather diver who is willing to use his rebreather within recreational diving limits. Divers outside of those limits can come on a tech trip. I am not trying to attract the homemade rebreather diver for sport trips, they will be unhappy with the boat, and so will I.

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Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

jkaterenchuk

Would it be correct to assume this also applies to those with travel frames that fit many size tank options?

jptaylor9

So why both with CC? Just dive OC...

[EDIT] OK to put a limit on total dive time, but not bottom time. Profiles differ between OC/CC, but I guess these guys don't full appreciate that!

Pierre Farrugia

Hello,

Why dive CC when you can go oc? I like diving my rebreather and doing so for an hour in silence and no deco, even when rep. diving is good. Filling lime or doing something to the breather on the platform where water can get in the breather, or loose bits is a no no for me!

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