As a limey, er, brit, perhaps I can add some additional information
here. Jim is quite correct in pointing out that wearing the bottles
upside down is the best method to use. 

However, you normally find that the hoses to your regs are not long
enough. Rather that just buy a longer hose, we are now starting to use 5
meter hoses for both regulators, contents gauges, ABLJ feeds (I'll come
to that) and Drysuit feeds. This means we are able to totally assist
another diver in the water by providing not only a regulator if he runs
out of gas, but the ability to monitor the contents of the cylinder, and
feeds for drysuit and ABLJ.

We have experimented with wings but found them to be far too floppy in
the water regardless of how much bungee cord we put on them, and how
tight we get it. Having now switched backed to wearing 2 fenzy ABLJ's
has really made a difference to the diving. Having your buoyancy on the
front makes life so much easier when it comes to deflating, the pocket
on the front helps, and in case of a real emergency you can always
breath off the Emergency Inflation cylinder (ensuring that it is filled
from your bottom mix prior to the dive).

The local swimming pool has been of great assistance in helping us set
up our gear since it is equipped with a wave machine. The experiments in
using a zodiac inflatable has a delayed decompression buoy are
progressing well, providing not only a stable bag on the surface, but
also a place to rest after the dive. I hope to post details of this
method of deco to the list very soon.

As for the lights, consider carrying a couple of truck batteries for the
lights. Hanging these from the pillar valve is easy once the twin set is
inverted and will provide a lot of additional oomph for the lights. 

Hope this all helps, and happy diving.

Ranjit

>----------
>From: 	Jim Cobb[SMTP:cobber@ci*.co*]
>Sent: 	02 December 1998 00:04
>To: 	StrokeMe; Techdiver
>Subject: 	Re: Looking for New Gear
>
>Let me be the first to welcome you over from rec.scuba. And I am also 
>impressed at Randy's high qualifications for his ex-employees.
>
>As far as your rig is concerned the only problem I can see is that you 
>are wearing your tanks with the valves on the top. Over here on TechDiver 
>we only use the latest techniques. And in this case the Limeys, er, Brits 
>have once again paved the way in practical methods and techniques and 
>developed the proper way to wear your tanks, i.e. with the valves on the 
>bottom.
>
>This way reaching your valves is no problem at all. There are a couple of 
>techniques to putting your tanks. If you are a lazy, fat slob you can 
>bolt a bracket to the necks of your tanks so that you can put them on 
>while sitting. But most Limey's, er, Brits are in excellent physical 
>shape so they cut a "U" in seat of the diveboat and don their tanks 
>whilst standing on their heads.
>
>Also remember that another latest technique is to use flavored amoeba 
>scuba guards to avoid confusion in which reg to use. According to the 
>latest IANTD regulations you use strawberry for 02 and Banana for trimix. 
>Or was that peach for 02 and guava for trimix? Definitely don't use 
>Banana for 02 as this could explode... Randy, some help here?
>
>So have fun reconfiguring and remember to try this new setup in a bathtub 
>or jacuzzi so you will be ready for your "real" quarry dives.
>
>   Jim
>
>Sender: StrokeMe  Date: 11/30/98 4:43 PM
>
>>I just finished my trimix diver and trimix instructor course. Boy it was
>>hard week! But I got to use a lot of different gear, because I kept having
>>to return the stuff I borrowed, then find someone else that would loan me
>>gear so I could finish the course. Now that I've had an entire week to try a
>>number of gear configurations, I'm pretty much an expert on gear
>>configurations. I'm ready to buy 3 complete tech diving setups (one for
>>myself, and two for students to use). So here's what I'm looking for:
>>
>>1. Doubles: I'm looking for those really heavy humongous steel ones that
>>hold lots of air (especially when overfilled). I'll also want some of those
>>burst disks that won't blow, no matter how high the pressure goes (I think I
>>can cut them myself from steel shim stock, but I'd rather buy them from
>>someone who knows what they're doing).
>>
>>2. Manifold: It's really hard to reach the valves, so I think a manifold of
>>any kind is a bad idea. Instead I'm going to train my students to use
>>independent tanks. Then if there's a freeflow you don't have to worry about
>>shutting the reg down, just switch to the good one (if you're not already
>>breathing it), and end the dive when you reach thirds. You also have
>>protection from a manifold failure that dumps all of your air faster than
>>you can shutdown a reg -- I've heard about this problem. I wish there were a
>>way to make the left-hand tank have its valve stick out the left side and
>>rotate counterclockwise -- any ideas?
>>
>>3. Harness/BC I'll be looking for something like a standard ADV with lots of
>>D rings added to it. I like soft cummerbunds and the ability to get out of
>>the rig quickly by several different methods provided by multiple
>>disconnects. Any ideas on how to add another bladder to one of these Tec
>>BCs? I'll want two power inflators, O2 clean of course.
>>
>>4. Regulators: For each rig, I'll need one reg with a right-handed second
>>stage, and one with a left handed second stage, each with gauges. I'll need
>>a two BC inflator hoses on each (a total of four - primary and backup BC,
>>drysuit, and bag inflator/airtool).
>>
>>5. Stage bottles: I've seen the DIR tape and I that think their way of
>>attaching clips to the stage bottles is dangerous. That rope looks flimsy,
>>and what if it comes untied or unravels in the water? I'm going to use steel
>>stages, and weld clips directly to them. That way, the bottom clip can't
>>slide around like they do when attached with hose clamps, and the top one
>>can't slip off the tank valve. The clips should be the extra large gated
>>snaps, because they're much easier to attach that the slide "dog" type
>>snaps.  I'm looking for steel 72s for this, O2 clean of course, with the
>>green bumper stickers.
>>
>>6. Stage Regs: Looking for just about anything. I'll color code them and put
>>hose wraps on myself. On the high O2 one, I'll use either a little bag to
>>cover it up or a piece of surgical tubing on the mouthpiece. I'll give the
>>students ample opportunity to try several methods of coding the regs for
>>easy identification. The high O2 mix will go on the right, and the lower
>>will go on the right. That way, the student need only remember that the
>>first mix will be the right tank at his left hand and at the 30 foot stop he
>>should switch to the right tank near his right hand. Of course the left tank
>>valve will turn counterclockwise with this orientation.
>>
>>7. Lights: Helmet mounted lights, five of them. The primary will be in the
>>center and of 50 watt power. There will be two wide beam lights and two
>>narrow beam lights. All will burn at the same time. This is the best way,
>>because if one fails, you're not in darkness trying to fumble for a light
>>clipped to a tank D ring that's nearly impossible to reach anyway.
>>
>>8. Mixes: I'll teach trimix using the poorman's 17% helium mix, but only to
>>about 240 feet. This gives a narcosis depth of about 190. Since most people
>>are good on air to about 220, that should be good. I'll give them a checkout
>>dive on air to 220 first. That will tell me if they'll be ok on the
>>poorman's mix at 240, and will give them an appreciation for the mix. We'll
>>switch to air for deco at the first stop or at 180, whichever is shallower,
>>then to EANx75 at 30 feet. I don't want to use EANx80 at 30 feet, because if
>>the students have bad buoyancy control and drift down to 40, they might tox.
>>
>>I'll also be teaching an "expert" deep air course. It will be really cool.
>>For safety, we'll train in the pool, simulating narcosis, by smoking reefer
>>just before getting in the water. Then we'll do shallow open water dives,
>>reducing the number of bong hits as we increase the depth. Before you know
>>it, my students will be experts at diving to 270 on air, without drugs or
>>alcohol, and to intermediate depths either way.
>>
>>Boy, my students are going to be the best!
>>Sincerely,
>>StrokeMe, Former Administrative Assistant
>>Underwater Applications Corp
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
>
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