Inverted Twins - Cave Agencies

[Mark Powell]

I'm not a TDI Cave instructor but on looking at the TDI standards there is nothing in the Cavern, Intro Cave or Full Cave standards that prevents the use of inverts.

[big_si]

If the only thing that dictated the kit set up was the environment then surely there would only be one set up? I've see our rebreather brothers and sisters diving in caves too though so other procedures for dealing with a cave environment with equipment other than 'regular' cylinder set ups exist.

Will be interesting to hear some input from some non-gue instructors (not to specifically exclude GUE but I think we know what the answer is on twinverts in general from previous recent threads.)

Some interesting thoughts so far

[ardhill]

Originally Posted by James The Badger

Agree 100%, no interest in that discussion. What I meant was that the configuration may be governed by the requirments of the environment not any agency rule.

Ah I see!

Sorry I picked you up wrong.

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by James The Badger

I think the question is just one of safe & effecient procedures rather than an agency specific issue. Believe me, its flippin tricky enough down there without making it more complicated!

I can imagine........that's why I'd prefer to bang my cylinder rubber boot on some obstruction rather than my regs

Safe diving,
Steve

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Steve S

I can imagine........that's why I'd prefer to bang my cylinder rubber boot on some obstruction rather than my regs

Safe diving,
Steve

Buoyancy control is another option

I would be interested too in identifying an instructor who will teach a student in inverts as opposed to an agency standard that does not preclude it. The ease with which such an instructor can be found will provide further info to those choosing that route.

In the previous debate I felt the emotion of choice overshadowed the reality ..... which I hope we don't repeat again.
Mal

[big_si]

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

In the previous debate I felt the emotion of choice overshadowed the reality ..... which I hope we don't repeat again.

(hehehe, sorry, might not mean much to many I know Mal will appreciate the humour though )

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by big_si

(hehehe, sorry, might not mean much to many I know Mal will appreciate the humour though )

Nice one fella ... but I always pictured it more like this :




Mal

[Steve S]

This would be better option




Safe diving,
Steve

[Janos]

Although not a tech instructor, I believe that the vast majority of agencies allow independent cylinders, so I don't see why inverts would be a problem.

Janos

[NotDeadYet]

IANTD does a rebreather cave course, most RB cylinders are inverted so it'd be a hard case to justify not allowing it for backmounts.

Personally, I wouldn't bother. If I'm diving OC then I tend to dive in sidemounts. Find an instructor that will let you do the course sidemount, I'm pretty sure Martyn Farr insists on it for his full cave course. Bill Rennaker, if he still teaches, is big into sidemount for Florida stuff. Failing that do it in independant backmounts. Shutting them down is still a nice to have skill as it stops gas pissing out and knocking all the crap off the ceiling but in terms of having gas to breathe then it matters less (if at all). OK, you might die because the vis has gone to rat shit or because you've dislodged something in the roof that doesn't want to be dislodged, but at least you can still breathe.

A lot of it will come down to instructor as a lot have very definite opinions, rightly or wrongly, on what makes the right kit set up. Insisting someone with limited movement uses a manifold seems a bit churlish.

Cheers,

Stuart