Thinking of changing to A rebreather

[Charley]

I have been thinking of purchasing a rebreather for a few years now and just have never got round to it, due to work and family commitments, but this year i am going to take the plunge and have the oppotunity of buying an Azimuth SCR to test the waters, so to speak and would like to have your opinion is the Azimuth a good unit to learn on??


Thanks

Charley

[Freeflow]

I think the question you need to ask is 'what diving am I planning on doing on the RB, and which one will I need?'. After all you wouldn't buy a single 10L cylinder if you were looking at doing 50m on a regular basis.

If you are looking at deeper than 40m and trimix you need to look at the CCR range [Meg, Boris, KISS, YBOD]. If you are looking at a max of 40m and limited deco then SCR is a better option. Also, be aware that every model has a seperate training course, and if you go from SCR to CCR you will need to do another course.

That said, many SCR's can be converted to CCR, although this is in no way official.

The Azimuth SCR appears to be more flexible than the Dolphin [I wouldn't bother with the Ray to be honest] as you have two gas bottles, so you can have a bottom mix and a deco mix without switching offboard as I have to on the Dolph. The Dolphin is pretty idiot proof [but I am a talented idiot, see my Feb 4th trip report], and I love diving mine. There is also a Submatix SCR onthe market, but for some reason I don't like the look of it.

[ray]

Hi.
Why SCR and not CCR, are you advanced Nitrox qualified?.

[Mark Chase]

To me a SCR has all the problems and few of the benefits of CCR so i would go straight to CCR via the many cheep YBODs that are available or the few KISS units that crop up.

That said if your harts set on a SCR then I here its a very solid unit.

ATB

Mark Chase

[Charley]

Thanks for the replys so far.

To answer your questions.

My diving mainly consists of depths to 40m with the odd dive beyond that, as i am easing my way back into diving after a little break . I have a Trimix qualification, and my aim is to , providing i can save my pennies buy a 'boris, (thanks to the gent who let me salivate over his unit on saturday at the NDAC) so i thought that buying the Azimuth would get me started, the additional courses arent really a problem.

Charley

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Charley

Thanks for the replys so far.

To answer your questions.

My diving mainly consists of depths to 40m with the odd dive beyond that, as i am easing my way back into diving after a little break . I have a Trimix qualification, and my aim is to , providing i can save my pennies buy a 'boris, (thanks to the gent who let me salivate over his unit on saturday at the NDAC) so i thought that buying the Azimuth would get me started, the additional courses arent really a problem.

Charley

I'd have to agree with Mark's post above, seems little point in you going down the SCR route, buy a s/h YBOD and you probably won't lose much on it when you sell it on. Boris is a good one to aim for, an excellent unit IMO (but then I am rather biased)

Ian

[Freeflow]

Originally Posted by Charley

Thanks for the replys so far.
To answer your questions.
My diving mainly consists of depths to 40m with the odd dive beyond that, as i am easing my way back into diving after a little break . I have a Trimix qualification, and my aim is to , providing i can save my pennies buy a 'boris, (thanks to the gent who let me salivate over his unit on saturday at the NDAC) so i thought that buying the Azimuth would get me started, the additional courses arent really a problem.
Charley

I agree that you should go CCR from the off. If you go SCR why not CCR the unit instead of buying a new one? For the SCR experience side I would recommend a second hand Dolphin, when you come to sell it you will get about the same return. But I am biased as well.

[NotDeadYet]

As a few others have said, don't bother with SCR if your goal is CCR. They are two different branches, not stages on the same route. As a homebuilder I also wouldn't recommend CC'ing a semiclosed unit without a good bit of rebreather experience. If your diving is <40m then I'd stick with OC. An Orribleanus is just overkill for that kind of diving. If you are planning more >40m diving then definitely go full CCR, I wouldn't even waste my time doing OC trimix any more.

[Freeflow]

Originally Posted by NotDeadYet

As a homebuilder I also wouldn't recommend CC'ing a semiclosed unit without a good bit of rebreather experience.

I might be looking at an MCCR conversion on my Dolph in a couple of years [and 100+ hours of dive time], would you recommend the KISS course, or a different one? I know a YBOD instructor, but that is ECCR when I wouldn't be diving that type of unit.

As for staying on OC for diving to 40M I find that the duration of twin 12's for the weight [more or less] of a 15 is a big plus point. The downside of Dolphin diving is gas and jet matching if you are adventurous, or lots of gas use if you are not.

I dive OC normoxic trimix below 40m, but use the SCR for most diving above that. If I am planning less than 1½hours dive time in a day I will usually use OC singles or twins as I don't have a half fill adaptor for the Dolph.

[Charley]

i have read your replys and have decided to stick with the OC for now, and once i have saved my pennies buy a ccr, possibly as suggested an Inspiration or if the finances are looking very well the 'boris.

Once again i thank you all for the advice, I hope to be able pick your brains again.

Dive safe

Charley