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A couple of years ago I started advanced diving, went out and bought all the wrong gear big time at great cost. Then went on an expensive liveaboard and training holiday, again at great cost, thinking I would come back a "tech" diver etc etc. I know, what an asshole. Now with hindsight, I realise the most valuable thing I got from that holiday was a slip of paper with the techdiver list email address (given to me by one of the American Cave Divers on the trip). I returned to the UK, got Internet access and subscribed. What did I read ? Every bit of my equipment and its configuration indirectly slagged off. I was taken back a bit, but stuck with the list and over time, as the arguments for the Hogarthian approach revealed themselves, I rationalised my rig. Constrained by costs, as I'd blown a lot of money starting off, and with little or no advice available in the UK on the subject, I'm fairly pleased with what I now have. I started with a DUI CF200 suit, 2 x 12 ltr 300bar (high pressure) manifolded (with face seals, not barrel), two short hose regs and an octopus, other hoses coming out everywhere, redundant Zeagle wings etc etc. Now... I have an OMS SS backplate, one piece webbing (as per George's video) SeaPro wing, Spectrum 14 light, Argon bottle, regs all configured and routed correctly etc etc. The problem now... the suit and the twinset. Since using the backplate and SS bands, the set sits a couple of inches higher than it did with the Zeagles, thus tilting me forward. If I drilled holes lower down the backplate I would end up with the 1st stages too low for routing the hoses. So I thought I'll get another set, 2 x 12ltr 232 bar (low pressure) and thus distribute the weight further down my back (also get rid of the HP aspect). This worked well on a trial whilst on holiday in the Red Sea using two Aluminium 12ltr cylinders with a wet suit. The buoyancy characteristics of my current set are just right from full to empty for staying at the surface and being able to stay down in low on gas deco situation. If I move to the LP 12ltrs the buoyancy difference is drastic so a V weight ain't going to help and I don't want to go back to using a weight belt. I've looked at the various cylinder types available in the UK and the ones that will give the weight distribution down the back and the right buoyancy characteristics are 12ltr 300 bar cylinders, just fill them to 232 bar though. As for changing the suit... apart from the cost, the main reason I bought the CF200 was because DUI told me it was tougher than a membrane suit and since my diving involves rummaging inside wrecks there was a high chance of getting a rip. Its not because I believe it offers any greater insulation, and I'm sure its less flexible. Has anyone out there managed to make the Hogarthian approach work for them using a CF200 whilst diving in cold (7C) sea water? If so I'd really appreciate some help here, before I go and blow another load of hard earnt cash on a new set. I'd just like to take this opportunity to say thank you to George, Carl Heinzl and Michael Dunning for their help in getting me thus far. Best regards Lawrence D. Orchard Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1483 568435 Email: DiveBase@ms*.co* -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send list subscription requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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