Switched from surface-supplied air to a rebreather on a 90-foot wreck job last month

I always thought rebreathers were overkill for inshore work, but the difference in bottom time was wild. On surface air I was getting maybe 20 minutes before deco limits kicked in, with the rebreather I had over an hour. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a big jump in how much you can get done per dive?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke7117d ago

Had a buddy switch to a rebreather for a 80-foot wreck chain job and said it was like a whole new world. He used to be the guy hauling tanks up and down, always watching the clock. First dive with the rebreather he got a solid 45 minutes of work time without stressing deco. He told me he actually finished the chain work in one dive instead of three. You ever notice how much easier it is to focus on the job when you aren't constantly checking your pressure?

the_mary17d ago

Doesn't that kind of focus bleed into everything though? @brooke71 it's like when you stop worrying about the clock or the checklist and can actually just do the thing right. Same reason I hate shopping at stores with bad lighting.