Diver one of sixteen to die using high-tech gear

[DiverMole]

But DRE, your whole premise that OC will get out faster than CCR is bunkum, and its easy to prove. I can get out at the same time as you every dive

If we were to do the same dive together, I can set my box to run the same PPO2 as you at all times, hence I could do exactly the same profile as you, on every dive, if I wanted. I have complete control over my PPO2, you only have the ability to pick a few set mixes. So a CCR can ALWAYS mirror ANY OC dive exactly (unless you want to use a PPO2 over 2.5)

If I choose to use the advantage of a CCR (which I do on every dive) I can leave my unit to run an optimum PPO2 throughout the whole dive and therefore will off gas faster than you who will only run higher PPO2 at the MOD's for each gas you carry

I can run at any PPO2 between 0.18 and 2.49 that I choose at any time, so at a minimum I can always mirror your deco. I look at each dive before I do it and if I was to start clocking up a serious CNS% I would do the dive on a lower setpoint. I can also do the equivavlent of air breaks and all the other stuff you do

Now you have chosen to listen to the GI3 WKPP oxygen window theory. A theory that has a rather small test group that are not exactly representative of most divers (No beer guts) and who have had a HUGE incidence of DCI (minor I must admit) while running it.

You say most divers do too much deco, I say good, rather too much than too little.

Ask yourself why Weinke and the other deco masters out there dont subscribe to the profiles WKPP do. The whole WKPP operation would be shut by the Health and Safety Exec if it was done in the UK due the bend rate they have (mind you they wouldn't be allowed to use RB80's as they are not CE approved either). I hear that Jarrod lost the use of his arms last week for a while, thats doesn't sound like a working deco theory to me

I'm older, fatter and wiser than the days 20 years ago when I did 50m No Stop dives, and 70m on a single 12L of air. I'll do my conservative profiles thank you. But like wearing a rebreather thats a personal choice I consider reasonable after knowing the facts. And 3000 dives later with a max of 143m I've still to have a hit (and I intend to keep it that way)

Also ask yourself why your hero "speedo man", uses a rebreather to do his big dives if they offer no deco or other advantages over OC. Or why the great Halcyon sells a rather nice SCR if they are so bad.

Over here in the rainy Isles, RB's have a much greater take up than in the US, you see them at every dive site now and there are 1 or 2 on virtually every boat that is going out. People that have them are normally very active divers doing on average 55 dives a year to a ave max depth of 70m. The average RB diver is a mature male (93%) of age 39, who has 15 years diving experiance and 1500 dives under his belt (Source Inspiration users survey 2002). These folks tend to be very experianced mature divers who can think for themselves and have the mental attitude to safely run a RB. Virtually every RB owner I know (several hundred) states that they feel safer on their box than on OC

I dont think we will ever convince you that a CCR is a viable way to dive. Likewise you wont convince me its not. What I want is that folks on these forums get to see the FACTS and the arguments so they can make their own informed descisions. I will be the first to point out the negatives of an RB and particularly the Inspiration. What I wont tolerate is the half truths and lies spread by certain individuals who have a vested interested in promoting a unit manufactured by their main sponser, a unit that has a rather major single point of failure that is undetectable and will (and has twice now) kill without any warning, unless you modify the unit by fitting an electronic PPO2 meter, but which of course gets no mention in any of his normal rebreather rants.

Folks the Inspiration manual is downloadable and open to ALL divers, it holds no secrets and will teach you a lot about rebreathers in general. Its availble from my site and the APD site, so I suggest you go download it. The Dolphin SCR manuals are also downloadable on the Drager site as are the Azimuth manual. Go read, learn and be informed, make your own descisions

If you wish to know more, feel free to ask me any questions, there are also several general RB books out there (reviewed and details on my site) and its possible to do "Try Dives" on most units