Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
Rich, Since I've only had about one hour on a BMD, I'm not going to pretend I know too much about rebreathers, but from my one dive at 90 feet, I'd be comfortable doing this on my own if I had a pony tank and reg as a backup until I completely relearn all the bailout skills of the system. With either the BMD or the Odyssey, hypoxia is a non-issue. In the units that are closed systems, hypoxia is the BIG danger, and there would have to be a great deal more done to make me comfortable on one of these . For the sake of this discussion, I am ONLY talking about the BMD and the Odyssey, because they are the ones I am familiar with. Since I won't accidentally become hypoxic (unless I am stupid enough to set up the wrong mix--I'm not!), the whole learning curve to me is in learning the failsafe and bailout systems until they become as reflexive as my scuba skills (20 years of deep diving). While I'd have no problem with instruction for 10 or 20 dives (this is what I would want), after a point, the instructor on the BMD or Odyssey would be a waste of my money---I would know the academic portion, I would have been taught all the drills, and experience would be what I need to become proficient. Just as in scuba, its nice to have an advanced open water or DM c-card, but experience is what will make this person good---the certification makes it likely they will survive in a pool by themselves, and probably on an easy ocean dive. With the rebreather (BMD, Odyssey or other similar unit)MANY easy dives will have to be undertaken to develop new reflexes, just like the new scuba diver. Again, I think without an instructor along, a pony bottle might make a great safety move. With the weight and bulk of the units, the tiny bit of drag you'd add would be negligable. Since you could'nt pass out from hypoxia, the out of air failure would be simple to compensate for. And once you became proficient after 150 or 200 dives, you could leave behind your training wheels(pony). So what do you think ? Regards, Dan >> While I can sympathize and in many ways agree with that approach, it simply >> doesn't appear to have any logistical means to be carried out. If say the >> diver has to wait for 50 hours on the unit to receive the card, does that >> person commute to the location where training and units are available? > >The idea would be to spend the actual course time hammering in the fact >that a lot of carefully controlled time in the water is necessary before >going hog-wild on more difficult dives (like 60 feet deep). Then send the >user home with a progressive plan to follow to increase their own skills. > >> Does >> the person take their unit home and promise to send in proof of their dive >> time? (Lot of cheating potential there). > >Sure there is a lot of cheating potential. That's why the actual course >would have to hammer into the students heads' the fact that the only one >being cheated is the student him/herself. > >> Do they get a "learners permit" >> so they can get gas fills? > >That might work. > >When they do complete the at-home training the certification agency would >then send the student a card that says "You are now certified to kill >yourself on a rebreather." > >I don't mean to make light of this, I know the legal aspects are daunting. >I know even less about the legal system than I do about semi-closed >rebreathers, so I don't know what to say. What I do know are these two >things: > >- 50 or 100 hours of in-water time within the framework of a training >course is unrealistic > >- Most divers with less than this much time on a rebreather are probably >not qualified to make rebreather dives at a similar level of complexity as >they used to on scuba. > >You suggested that the critical time is during the initial introduction of >rebreathers to the market. During this time, I think each manufacturer >will have to invent their own rules, and consult with their lawyers about >how much liability exposure they're willing to accept vs. how much money >they make selling rebreathers. I just don't think that 1) rebreather >designs are similar enough, or 2) denominator values are large enough for >the technical diving community and/or training agencies to come up with >accross-the-board enforcable standards. > >So said the ranting ichthyologist fish-nurd, err... I mean fish-nerd. > >Aloha, >Rich > >-- >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 http://www.florida.net/scuba/dive 407-683-3592
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]