Travelling CCR Newbie

[Padowan]

Hi Folks,

I am about to take the plunge and am doing my YBOD course next month . I am then taking the unit out to the Red Sea for a week on a Liveaboard and wondered what peoples recommendations are as far as how you go about travelling with the box.

How much do you take it to bits?
What bits do you check and which bits do you carry-on?
Any recommendations on a case to pack it all in?
How much does it all weigh (minus tanks and Sofnolime as I can get these out there)?
Has anyone ever had any trouble in the airport with it?
What spare parts would you recommend bringing, being isolated on a boat for a week?

As I've not yet got the thing, so any other information that would be useful to someone just getting into it, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all,

[beanie]

take the head in your hand luggage

spare batteries (www.mx2.co.uk / www.7dayshop.co.uk) and the standard ap spares kit (orings etc)

[PrettyFishies]

yeah as beanie says definitely take the head in your hand luggage. Buy a big crate from B&Q (make sure it's big) and then at the airport they can't weigh it on the normal machine so it's easy to get it shunted on without being weighed if you just waffle a bit about how light it is.

You can also strip other bits off it (your choice) and put them in hand luggage. When they ask how much is your hand luggage, hold it up while trying to stop your arm shaking and say it's 5 kilos. Two of us managed to get over 150 Kilos out to the Red Sea using these methods. We took two tubs of lime as well as two RBs and all the detritus plus luggage. If you PM me I can give you more info or email me at am23uk@yahoo.co.uk also the list has absolutely tons of stuff about travelling with the turtle, cheers AnneMarie

[beanie]

they come in big boxes now anyway

[PrettyFishies]

that's for sending it back in! Sorry I couldn't resist

[Padowan]

This'll be a silly question to you lot, but I've not got my box yet, so I'm excused - when you say take the head in the luggage I'm guessing the handsets are non-removable - ie. there aren't some sort of Fisher-type connectors connecting them to the lid? And all the electronics, sensors etc, all come off with the head?

I was quoted 25kg for a standard unit in it's crate without cylinders - minus the head must shave quite a few kilos off this figure, as all you're left with it the case, harness, regs, empty scrubber and hoses?

[beanie]

yeah the head and handsets ar permantly connected and about 3kg

sounds about the right weight the box is about 5kg and the unit prob 15

i think you'll just have to wait and lob the lot on the bathroom scales and bung stuff in till you reach your limit

[PrettyFishies]

yeah you really don't wanna go trying to separate them! You can take the head, controllers, sensors etc all in hand luggage - this is essentially the "hub" of the unit, it will all be clear when the unit arrives.

[Padowan]

Perhaps I could remove the harness and bungee a small carrier bag to it, and wear it like a rucksac AS my hand luggage, then there's no allowance wasted with unnecessary things like bags themselves!

I'm quite looking forward to the challenge now! See if I can beat any of my OC buddies on minimum luggage weight!

[PrettyFishies]

it's certainly easy to remove the harness and then you can just clip on loads of bits and travel like that on the plane, it'll get you some weird looks but i'm long past caring about that, just be inventive there's loads of ways to carry a ton of gear abroad. if you're taking decent lights you can just stick them on a helmet and take them on your head on the plane