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From: "Patrick Norris" <pbnorris@bi*.co*>
To: "Tech Diver" <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
Subject: Re: H/Y valves, Pony bottles, Invisible demons.
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 17:18:35 -0400
Jim:

Do you use double 104's with a wetsuit?


Patrick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Cobb" <cobber@ci*.co*>
To: "Tech Diver" <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 3:28 PM
Subject: Re: H/Y valves, Pony bottles, Invisible demons.


> Sure I respect your opinion. Personally I dive rigged the same way north
or
> south, deep or shallow, and that is with double 104's. I do have a single
> tank rig for an occasional Florida rec dive with my wife and for fooling
> around in pools but other than that I have not dove a single since I gave
up
> the H valve.
>
> And please keep in mind that this is "techdiver" and all of my replies are
> oriented in that respect. I have seen tiny Pina hop around a boat, seasick
> as hell with 104's on her back and not even break a sweat (perhaps because
> she had puked out all her bodily fluids [and what a body!]). Therefore I
> have no respect whatsoever to those who can't hoist a set of doubles.
>
> But you will have have to explain that part about executing divers who
don't
> come 'round to your way of thinking, a bit Nazi-ish and Hilter-like if you
> ask me.
>
> Ooops!
>
>    Jim
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------
>  Learn About Trimix at http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/
>
> > From: RDecker388@ao*.co*
> > Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 00:46:12 EDT
> > To: cobber@ci*.co*
> > Cc: techdiver@aquanaut.com
> > Subject: Re: H/Y valves, Pony bottles, Invisible demons.
> >
> > In a message dated 7/9/01 8:06:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > cobber@ci*.co* writes:
> >
> >> I repeat I have nothing to do with GUE or DIR.
> >>
> > Nor do I, but I do have the sense to pay attention to what they have to
say
> > and at a minimum to give it due consideration.
> >
> >>> 1) Smaller profile
> >>
> >> To do what, wreck penetrations? And I can also state that a proper set
of
> >> doubles has less of a horizontal hight than a single any day of the
week.
> >>
> >
> > Smaller profile as in reduced frontal area, as in a general reduction in
> > swimming resistance.
> >
> >>> 2) Reduced weight
> >>
> >> That's funny when I'm underwater (you do dive don't you?) I cannot seem
to
> >> tell the difference in weight.
> >>
> >
> > The dive begins and ends out of the water.  Weight does become a
> > consideration when climbing a pitch, rolling dive boat ladder on a
snotty
> > day.  While it may be somewhat of a surprise, the majority of divers
aren't
> > finely tuned atheletes.  Hell, a fair share of them can't stuff themself
into
> > a XXXL drysuit comfortably.  What's happening inside a diver's body as
he
> > surfaces and exits the water?  (Here's a clue, tiny bubbles....).  How
does
> > post dive exertion affect the formulation of bubbles in the diver's
body?
> > (Another clue, lots of tiny bubbles).  Do you figure some fat slob -
shows up
> > for a dive once in a great while - computer keyboard dive guru is better
off
> > from a DCS point of view climbing that pitching, rolling ladder wearing
one
> > tank or two? (And yes, I do dive.  I did six dives over the weekend,
nothing
> > too dramatic mind you, but 6 dives just the same: 2 @ 110+, 2 @ 70+, 2 @
60+,
> > 4 involving penetrations, 2 requiring deco.... and you dove what
Saturday and
> > Sunday?)
> >
> >>> 3) Decreased drag
> >>
> >> Can you prove this? I doubt the difference is worth noting when you
> > consider
> >> all the other crap, lights, gear bags, etc.
> >>
> >
> > Any difference is worth noting.  Why bother diving a SPG without a boot?
> > That's got to present an insignificant contribution to drag.  Why put
that
> > SPG on a short hose and clip is so the hose runs in line with the flow
of
> > water?  Couldn't possibly add as much drag as an additional tank.  The
> > canister is shielded from flow and potential damage by the shoulder
because
> > why?
> >
> >>> 4) Readily available
> >>
> >> I can drive down to the dive shop and purchase a set of doubles right
now
> > if
> >> I want.
> >>
> >
> > Now fly down to the Caribbean and rent a set.
> >
> >>> 5) Reduced space requirements
> >>
> >> So you have 2 tanks separate or together, don't understand your
reasoning
> >> here. They take up the same room
> >>
> >
> > If most divers showed up with one set for two dives, sure.  But they
don't.
> > Two weenie dives and a set of doubles for each.  That's twice the space
and
> > wieght for the same diving.
> >
> >>> 6) KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid
> >>
> >> My whole point with bagging the H or Y valve.
> >>
> >
> > They are no more complex to deal with than an isolation manifold.
> >
> >> Good Lord I have not seen such frothing at the mouth since the last
time I
> >> said that pony bottles were crap. Pony bottles and H/Y valves are
> > psudo-tech
> >> bullshit and you bone-heads out there need to pull your heads out of
your
> >> asses and try a set of doubles, you bunch of fucking cheapskates.
Doubles
> >> are redundant flasks of air connected by an isolator valve. H/Y valves
and
> >> Pony bottles are just you guys fighting with invisible demons.
Preparing
> >> most for the disasters that are least likely to happen.
> >>
> >
> > If you want to see some real frothing, go look in the mirror.  Speaking
of
> > cheapskates, wouldn't that be the guy not willing to have all the tools
at
> > his disposal?  I own singles and doubles, along with several bottles
> > dedicated as stages.  Seems to me the tight ass is the fellow diving
doubles
> > even when they're not called for because he isn't willing to invest in a
> > couple of decent singles.
> >
> > And talk about fighting with invisible demons, what the hell do you
think
> > insisting on the level of redundancy provided by a pair of doubles for a
> > weenie dive is?  Catastrophic gas loss is so rare as to be virtually a
> > non-problem.  If one were to occur, as long as there's a qualified dive
> > partner along it's still not much more than an inconvenience.
> >
> > There are dives that can be done as well, if not better, using a single
tank.
> > If one is going to use a single tank then a dual outlet valve simply
makes
> > sense.  Why in the hell would anyone want to have to change hoses around
to
> > accomodate the switch between doubles and singles?  How could anyone
with any
> > brain matter left in their head that hasn't been damaged by incorrect
> > stage-decompression and deep air horse pucky not understand that
redundant
> > regulator systems are superior to betting the entire farm on a single
> > first-stage?  Single tank dives happen.  They should happen with a dual
> > outlet valve. (Now pony bottles are an entirely different animal and we
> > happen to agree on that subject).
> >
> >
> >> Reg failures are exceeding rare. Needing more air than you've got all
the
> >> time. So what do you bozos do? Do nothing about your air supply and
strap
> > on
> >> 2 regulators. That really makes sense. And then you defend this shit to
the
> >> death.
> >>
> >
> > Gas supply is always a finite quantity.  Whether one is wearing a single
or a
> > set of doubles, there is only so much gas at their disposal.  The answer
is
> > employing a reasonable gas management scheme, not increasing the gas
volume.
> > Without proper management the bozos simply push that to close to the
edge as
> > well.  Want more time underwater, try working on improving RMV.  More
volume
> > is not the end to all ends.
> >
> >> There are always particular circumstances for this or that. Ice diving
may
> >> be one of them, I don't know as I've never done it. But the point is
that
> >> putting a H/Y valve or strapping a pony does not a techdiver make.
> >>
> >
> > I have done ice dives, and a fair share of dives in near freezing water
minus
> > the ice.  Perhaps that's part of my partiality towards redundant
regualtor
> > systems on single tanks, perhaps not.
> >
> > An H/Y valve or pony does not a technical diver make.  Nor does diving a
set
> > of twins.  Technical diving has to do with selecting the correct tools
> > (TECHnology) for the job at hand and then employing the right TECHnique.
> > It's not about how deep you go, how macho you look with your big, bad
doubles
> > it's about extending time, depth and/or distance while keeping risk at
an
> > acceptable level.  There are different levels of technical diving.
Every
> > diver isn't making "the big dives."  Fact be known, most of them
shouldn't
> > be.  For limited penetrations or short, decompressions a large volume
single
> > with an H/Y valve is sufficient (assuming, of course, the presence of a
dive
> > partner and the application of gas management rules).  People need to
learn
> > to walk before they run.  Strap a pair of doubles on their backs and
they're
> > going to be faced with the temptation to penetrate further, dive deeper
and
> > stay longer than they're ready for.  Let em dive their singles and build
some
> > experience for Christ's sake.
> >
> >> Doubles are balanced, redundant, comfortable (both on the surface and
in
> > the
> >> water) and anybody who says otherwise has not tried a set of properly
setup
> >> doubles.
> >>
> >
> > Never said they weren't balanced, redundant nor comfortable.  And yes,
mine
> > are set-up quite properly thank you.
> >
> >> And for those of you who travel, simple, don't overhead dive. There is
> >> nothing down there worth dieing for, why take the risk?
> >>
> >
> > Where's this invisible demon "risk" you keep talking about?  A
penetration
> > dive properly conducted with a competent, experienced, trained teammate,
> > whether using doubles or singles is not particularly laden with risk.
Leave
> > out the buddy, ignore gas management, break the rules of accident
analysis
> > and risk starts getting out of hand, with or without the twin set.
> >
> > You're not a bad person, Jim.  Nor are you a dumby.  Our opinions simply
> > differ on this topic.  While you're a gifted debater, you're no more
likely
> > to change my position than I am to change your's.  I'm a minimalist by
> > nature.  "Less is more, more is less."  I don't believe in diving a pair
of
> > 120s when a pair of 80s will do.  I don't lug around an 80 of O2 when
all I
> > need is a 30.  And I don't strap on a couple hundred cubic feet of gas
when
> > all I need is 100.  You're welcome to disagree with my thinking, debate
my
> > logic and express your point of view.  Hopefully you'll respect my right
to
> > do the same concerning your's.
> >
> > Personally, I think this is one dead horse well beaten.  Both sides have
been
> > expressed, perhaps even eloquently at times.  Maybe it's time to let the
> > peanut gallery digest the discussion and draw their own conclusions?
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Bob D.
> > www.SportDiverHQ.com
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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