swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Sun Dec 08, 2013 4:39 pm

I took the Kraken out for a test dive in Lake Michigan this morning. Conditions..... Air temperature.. 10 Fahrenheit. Light snow. Wind about 10 knots. Water temperature during dive. 32 Fahrenheit, waves 1 foot.
Image



Image




Image
33 on the ancient computer I just picked up.


Image
32 on my new Hollis. Dang cold no matter what. The Kraken never missed a beat. I observed ice protocol. Pressuring your reg, but not breathing on it until actually under the water.. etc. In a couple weeks I hope to have this reg under some serious ice in Upper Michigan at Fortune Pond.

Image
My dive buddy and safety man Eric.

Image
The Kraken in action!


Image
Eric making sure I'm not another stat. Ha.


Image
This dive was on a pier crib in Lake Michigan that used to serve a limestone quarry. Pictured is one of the wheels from one of the carts that would go from the quarry out onto the dock to deliver the limestone to the ships.

I dove this regulator down in Cozumel where it performed very well. IMHO that's not much of a test as most anything can perform well in 84 degree water. That being said I was very encouraged by what I experienced in Mexico. The Great Lakes on the other hand separates the men from the boys. The Great lakes with their extreme conditions will take the highest tech regulators to their limits where they often fail. Double hose regulators in general are very well suited for cold conditions. I think the Kraken will not disappoint!

Jim

User avatar
luis
VDH Moderator
Posts: 1747
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:28 pm
First Name: Luis
Location: Maine

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:47 pm

swimjim wrote:
Dang cold no matter what. The Kraken never missed a beat. I observed ice protocol. Pressuring your reg, but not breathing on it until actually under the water.. etc. In a couple weeks I hope to have this reg under some serious ice in Upper Michigan at Fortune Pond.

Jim

You have a lot more experience under the ice than I do, but I believe that ice protocol is much more important with single hose regulators. If your mouthpiece valves are working OK, moist air should never reach any moving parts.

In a single hose regulator, if you exhale into the regulator out of the water, in below freezing temperatures, the moist air will freeze on the moving parts.

I am sure it is good practice to follow proper ice diving procedure, but last year I intentionally violated all good regulator ice diving practice to see if I could freeze my Argonaut. It didn’t. I only did it on the surface (or near the surface) and the worst was as I was at the end of the dive. I intentionally induced free flows and stopped it when I wanted to.

Even my all metal Scubapro 109 did far better than I expected, but a double hose definitely does better (unless there is a total malfunction, which I did encounter once years ago).


Thanks for the report and the pictures.
Luis

Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.

User avatar
SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:40 pm

- Take care up there in that big cold lake Michigan, SwimJim. It comforts me to know you've got Eric watching out for you. But, it ALSO comforts me to know it's you and not me out in the cold! Ha! Ha!
- There's a test I'd like to try for First Stage Freeze-up. Take a regulator that's been sitting out in the cold. Bring it in the house and let the insides get some condensation from the temp change. Then, take the regulator out in the cold and dive (or just breathe it) in freezing temps before the insides have had a chance to dry. The LDS has done under the ice vehicle recoveries in which his single hose regs had first stage freeze-ups from taking them in and out of the house overnight. I don't think a DH would have any advantage if the first stage had condensation freezing up inside.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

User avatar
sitkadiver
Master Diver
Posts: 458
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:30 pm
First Name: Dave
Location: Sitka, Alaska

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Thu Jan 09, 2014 5:37 pm

I like it.... So much so, that I'm giving Swimjim a video response:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3svW8PM_jc[/video]

Thanks for sharing.
I do not believe in taking unnecessary risks, but a life without risk is not worth living. - Charles Lindbergh

swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:27 pm

I dove the Kraken in the harbor at Port Washington Wisconsin this morning. We had a mid winter warm up. The temps rocketed up to almost 30! Myself and a few fellow members of the Port dive rescue team took the plunge so to speak. Here's a few pic's
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Not really a challenging dive. 20 minutes in shallow depths, 32 degree water. But the near zero viz made it fun. Ha. February 1st, Fortune Pond is on the schedule, if there isn't a blizzard going on! Hopefully, I'll have some cool underwater pic's and video from that one.

Jim

User avatar
Bryan
Plank Owner
Posts: 5279
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Sun Jan 19, 2014 6:57 pm

Great Job Jim. I am going to look for a blanket and my slippers before I look at those pictures again.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:28 pm

Rum works pretty well Bryan..... :lol:

User avatar
1969ivan1
Plank Owner
Posts: 1646
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 12:15 pm
First Name: rob
Location: CINCINNATI, OHIO

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am

Well, that is some hard core testing of the Argo for sure. Nice work and report Jim. I am looking forward to diving my Argo with you up there this year.

User avatar
SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:38 pm

- When is Eric going to break down and buy a double hose regulator? That son-of-a-gun HAS to be thinking about it... Especially on these extreme cold water dives where his single hose regs are more likely to freeze up than a double hose!
- Is he at least drooling a little over the new Argonaut? :roll:
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: The Argonaut Kraken in Lake Michigan

Thu Jan 23, 2014 4:26 pm

SurfLung wrote:- When is Eric going to break down and buy a double hose regulator? That son-of-a-gun HAS to be thinking about it... Especially on these extreme cold water dives where his single hose regs are more likely to freeze up than a double hose!
- Is he at least drooling a little over the new Argonaut? :roll:
Eric is pretty set in his ways. Even with a single hose, he's a great guy to have around though. A rock solid diver! My dive team leader on the other hand, he's starting to drool pretty well. He thought the Kraken was VERY interesting. He's got a sweet round label DA I've been gently nudging him to let me rebuild. I'm really close to getting him infected with the double hose virus.

Return to “Modern Era Double Hose Diving”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests