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Rod, Have dived the BMD in ocean to 90 feet, but was not impressed by it. Have dived the RBC Odyssey in Pool and found it excellent in all areas I did not like BMD performance. I have not purchased a rebreather yet, but will be using/borrowing those of people I know (its like a boat---best way to have one is to have a friend with one :-) In the next month I will be doing extensive open water ocean work on the RBC unit . Regards, Dan >Dan, what rebreathers have you dived? in the ocean? Do you own? Rod > >On Mon, 29 Jan 1996, Dan Volker wrote: > >> Rich, >> >> As to safety and Responsibility of the manufacturer regarding reliability >> and safe use of its units in the field, RBC does not stand ALONE. I have >> been so caught up in specific item based arguements so far, it has been hard >> to cover general information. >> >> Please add to this list the Cis-Lunar-- because of its far more >> responsible appoach to redundancy and electronic reliability , as well as >> taking the proper view about limiting "who" should use a rebreather, and >> what training they MUST have..... >> ....and also a rebreather company called Grand Bleu---they have made a >> system for use by far less skilled divers (people more like advanced >> recreational divers), and made it safe by not putting it out till it was >> ready, and then limiting its use to recreactional depths with conservative >> total bottom time built in....Its users can not mix their own gas---the >> tanks are like a modular pack that is removed and replaced with new tanks >> filled with the factory specified mix. Because it is depth limitied, PO2 >> dangers have been largely removed, and its general training plan will allow >> the recreational market to experiece the silent world of the rebreather for >> somewhere around $3000, in considerable safety compared to most rebreathers >> on the market.. >> >> I would go so far as to say that the CIS Lunar is the only electronically >> based unit which is built with adequate safety features to be used "safely" >> in the technical diving field today. The entire concept of electronics in a >> rebreather demands the approach they have taken in redundancy and >> reliability, and this requires a price tag at least as high as the $15,000 >> fee you quoted as the expected retail on the unit when it becomes available. >> >From what I have seen, there is very little similarity between the Cis Lunar >> and the other closed circuit systems which showed up at Tek and DEMA, >> regarding how they handle PO2's or any failure in the unit, and I would >> expect a far more rigorous training program out of Cis-Lunar than any of the >> other brands just referred to. >> Because there is so much activity by these "other" closed circuit rebreather >> companies right now, and because of the basic flaws to their "failsafe >> systems", I have been generically talking about closed circuit vs >> semi-closed. This was more because of the difficulty in explaining the >> theoretical differences, which were complicated enough without adding in the >> new twist (i.e., simplifying with anologies like the mechanical BC vs a >> conceptual electronic BC)....now we have the new twist----yes, there IS a >> way to make an electronic system safe....but the closed circuit units I >> have been discussing so far have not utilized these technologies in the >> manner Cis Lunar has. >> >> Perhaps, in the next go round here on tech diver, you and I should post the >> differences between how Cis Lunar has handled Closed circuit electronics and >> redundancies, and how each of the other closed circuit manufacturers >> have---and in so doing show the real picture in diver safety with each >> system....and who should be treated as a responsible rebreather >> manufacturer, and who should be treated as just catering to techno-weenies >> without thought as to consequences. >> >> So right now I see three specific markets. Cis Lunar and RBC Odyssey should >> each get a piece of deep tech and commercial (high end $$$ and mid priced). >> And the third market should go to Grand Bleu for the lower end recreational >> market $3000 approx). >> What do you think? >> Dan >> >> >> >> Dan Volker >> SOUTH FLORIDA DIVE JOURNAL >> "The Internet magazine for Underwater Photography and mpeg Video" >> http://www.florida.net/scuba/dive >> 407-683-3592 >> >> -- >> Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. >> Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. >> >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. >Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. > > Dan Volker SOUTH FLORIDA DIVE JOURNAL "The Internet magazine for Underwater Photography and mpeg Video" http://www.florida.net/scuba/dive 407-683-3592
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