The 'Switching to a Rebreather' Debate.

[Diving Dude]

Scotty mate.

The point is that if you state something is BS , friendly discussion ends and insults start.

Now come on guys, all of you,

Lets get back to normal.

[Darren27]

So the best advice is to get a rebreather, er hold on, oh yes its not to get a rebreathe.

Oh bugger, I'll have to read all the posts again I can't remember what I asked now.

Maybe that Azimuth is just what I need.  

Cheers all, lots to think about

Darren

[Rob Evans]

I've dived a YBOD for about 18months now and I have to say I love it. However, a lot of Mark's points are perfectly valid and should definitely be taken into account.  It is an expensive bit of kit to invest in to start off with, though as Mark says there is a s/h market. I'm on the lookout for another unit and all the replies I've had (4) have been from abroad.  I'm sure there's a reason for this, be interested to know what it is.
It also doesn't bend the laws of physics & physiology.  It's a little disingenuous of AP to be advertising the advantages of CCR against OC air - very few of the people in the market for one are buggering about with 21% any more and it's a well-documented fact that a well-chosen back gas and deco mix on OC will get you out of the water just as quick as CCR will on a typical squareish profile wreck dive.
There's just a lot more arsing about getting fills of the right mix and hoping that this weekend's 30m dive doesn't get blown out cos the fill you're putting in your twinset now'll be no good for next weekend's 40m dive. Yes you can have several twinsets, agreed, but why bother?
Get a good top on your O2 and Dil tins and you can do a weekend's diving without going near a dive shop.
For me, the main advantages are that it's _very_ quiet, gives me a lovely warm moist breathe even on a strong trimix and enables me to either hover or scoot along 3 inches off the deck of a wreck without any form of breathing control whatsoever. You check your handsets as often as you need to, but gas use is just negligible duing the dive. You check your guages once in a while to make sure you haven't sprung a leak, but normally the sound of bubbles gives that away anyway Oh yeah, a weekend's worth of gas diving sets me back about £15 including lime. That I REALLY like.


However, it's not a toy and it doesn't suffer fools gladly. If you don't strip, maintain, assemble and pre-dive it properly, if you don't respect the fact that it's run by a load of electronic circuit in an environment where electronics don't particularly thrive, chances are that one day very soon it'll try and bump you off.

HTH
Rob
I say bollocks to Scottie and get a YBOD, but I fully respect his right to tell me where to stuff my opinions

[Darren27]

I do like to look of the YBOD(esire), but new is just way out of my price range.  Several people have mentioned a thriving second hand market.  Where is a good place to look for a second hand unit and what sort of price are these units going for.

Cheers

Darren

[Diving Dude]

How ya doing Rob.

Just out of interest why are you looking for another RB?

Added
Dave Aplin skipper of Dive eclipse was selling a YBOD for 2.5K when I dived with him 3 weeks ago.
However since the only thing I know about YBODs is what you've shown me Rob, I don't know the spec.

[Rob Evans]

Wotcher Howard,
mate of mine just qualified on the Insp but £3850 is out of his price range. I call it the Yellow Box of Debt for a very good reason. I'm VERY interested in Dave Aplin's one - have you got a number?
There's not a vast difference between the old units and the new - most noticeable is the newer ones have the nattier case than the old fibreglass units.  Electronics have progressed a bit, you've got backlit handsets, Apeks 1st stages instead of Seamann Sub and the hose routing down the counterlungs is much tidier.
My unit is one of the old bog body originals with a newer case on and I'm perfectly sound with it.  I do get the odd pang of envy when I see nice uncluttered(ish) chest areas on newer units instead of the hose-fest on mine.

The best place I've found to look for S/H units is on the Inspiration list, which is restricted to Inspiration certified divers.  Bit of a catch-22 if you've not already got one, I know.

How was the wedding?

[Angleseyskipper]

i couldn't agree more with Robs views about the ol box
a lot of it also boils down to how much diving you do.
I'f your not that active ie (only dive the odd weekend a month) then i would'nt bother as the outlay and running of the box just is'nt worth it
Our salvage work on wrecks carrying roof slates for example would not be viable without CCR.
The time spent on the bottom ,the rate of chuff humping slates into baskets and size of the unit in tide makes it a gem for this job
All in all its just a more pleasant way to dive.
.
after 2 and a half years on the box the thought of going back to a twin set and shagged back make me shudder.

Darren 27 if you decide to make the move and are  looking for a fresh second hand buddy box have a chat with scott Quest diving Anglesey there may be one for sale that he knows about.
all the best
elfyn jones (juile anne charters)

[Rob Evans]

How do I get hold of Scott quest Anglesey diving, Butty?

[Diving Dude]

Rob.

Beckys wedding day went brilliantly, see my thread "Father of the bride speech" in the non diving section.

Now thats over I can think about diving again.

[Angleseyskipper]

rob you can get him on 01248716923
its one of his customers thats had a bad time  on one and is selling up
all the best elfyn