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ScubaLawyer
Master Diver
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Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:25 am
First Name: Mark
Location: Laguna Beach, CA

Phoenix off Kona

Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:00 pm

Hi all. It's been a while since I posted. Anyway, I took my Phoenix to Kona, Hawaii last summer. I got lots of weird looks on the half-day tourist boat and ended up answering lots of questions. "No, it's not a new regulator on the market." "No, you can't buy a double hose regulator through Leisurepro.com", etc..... See link at bottom for other pics.

Image

http://s1354.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 5.jpg.html
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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Bryan
Plank Owner
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Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
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Re: Phoenix off Kona

Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:43 am

Thanks for sharing.....Did anyone else get the opportunity to dive your Phoenix?

Fortunately or unfortunately I used a lot of the same gear as you did....Z90 drysuit...AtPac...Scubapro Mk 5....Farallon mask, JBL etc etc. Even some of the places we have in common. I'm sure several of the others on here do as well.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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ScubaLawyer
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Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:25 am
First Name: Mark
Location: Laguna Beach, CA

Re: Phoenix off Kona

Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:12 pm

Funny you should ask. The divemaster was asking me all sorts of questions about double-hose diving in general. She asked if she could try my rig and I let her. Of course, the lawyer in me hastily penned out a release of liability that I made her sign. I used the boat’s waiver form and modified it accordingly. As she goes to put her arms through the straps she knocked the whole tank over and it hit the deck with a mighty thud. Everything looked ok so she picked it up, put it on, and jumped in the water. I immediately saw massive amounts of air leaking out of the inhalation hose right at the cans. She started sputtering and getting water in each breath. I grabbed her, brought her back to the surface and helped her back on the boat. Upon closer inspection we found that the fall had cut/punctured the hose. I still need to replace the hose so I’ll be putting in an order soon. She didn’t seem too keen on vintage diving after that incident. Plus, she was embarrassed because she, the divemaster, had to be rescued by an old fart like me.

Off topic, but for fun here is a lobster video I just took with a GoPro camera. It is head mounted and I still haven't got it pointed properly yet.

Image
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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USdiver
Master Diver
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Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:14 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Re: Phoenix off Kona

Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:15 pm

Nice write-up. Thanks for sharing, and glad to hear that it was only a torn hose and not something more serious when your rig fell over.

Is that an Integrated Air Transmitter mounted to the Phoenix valve? Which computer are you using?

I'm in the process of incorporating one into mine as well, a UWATEC Galileo.
Too DAAM Many double hoses, It's not a hobby, it's an addiction.

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ScubaLawyer
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Posts: 1649
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:25 am
First Name: Mark
Location: Laguna Beach, CA

Re: Phoenix off Kona

Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:57 pm

Hey, USdiver, 'tanks' for the kind words. I have a UWATEC Luna on the PRAM right now. I use it for multi-day dives when I need lots of computing power. I also can put it on the setting for extra large numbers so my old-man eyes can actually read it! If I'm cave diving and using an Atomic reg, and using higher levels of O2 for deco gas, I back it up with a Oceanic Atom 2.0 that I've had for a few years. Otherwise, for a single tank beach dive here in Southern California I just use a J-valve on my steel 72. I don't have enough air to stay down long enough to get into time trouble. You have to get out a shovel and dig to get deeper than 50 feet in most places off the beach. In other words, I just stay shallow. One of my regs actually has a pressure gauge on it so I have the advantage of that if its the one I grab out of the garage. Stay wet.
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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