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new breathing apparatus

It has been quite some time that I wanted to change my regulators but there wasn’t enough reason to do so. Besides, I’ve not been diving deep waters for quite a while and thought I wouldn’t have to, so why bother spending money on it.

Good regulators are often very expensive and they last a lifetime, while cheaper regulators like mine require calibrations frequently after several years in service.

When Javier told me that he’s letting go his Scubapro MK20 and G200B regulators, I thought he was pulling my legs. For those who are not in the know, the MK20 first-stage is a limited model that’s no longer available on the shelves anywhere in the world and G200B second-stage is even more rare, a collector’s item by today’s diving standards. Both of them were still in mint condition with less than 10 dives logged on them. In addition to that, it’s a DIN setup, so it’s good in both diving world – technical and recreational.

I don’t know what he was smoking when he made the offer but he was certainly very cheerful and in very good mood. For the price (which I’ve promised not to disclose), it’s actually a steal and I told him that he must be out of his mind to let me have these gears. Anyway, I accepted the offer without hesitation.

So we went into his shop’s little lab and helped him assemble the setup. I got to choose the accessories to go with it too and managed to get the authentic swivel installed. I could sell it again three times the price I got it for, *heh* good deal I got and I doubt I would ever sell it off.

So, why bother with the new setup? well, simply because I want to stay alive on my next dives in Komodo soon. Komodo is not like any other places, especially during this time of year when water is winter cold and currents are in a few knots. But that’s the best part about diving Komodo islands, it’s like no other place in the world.

The regulators are my most important lifeline underwater, little mishaps or malfunction can mean a lifetime of regrets or even death, so I don’t take it lightly when my Mares MR12 regulator starts acting strangely. The IP fluctuates at variable depths and so does the WOB. For easy dives around the islands within Malaysia, I can live with that but for high adrenalin dive profiles at places like Bali, Nusa Penida or Komodo, there’s no compromise on equipment functionality.

The MR12 is an excellent 1st stage and the Atomic B2 2nd stage is also well known for its excellent build quality with constant WOB at any depths. It had served me well for many years and a couple hundred dives, but since last year it has been getting off its track on the interstage pressure and erratic when delivering air at 3 or 4 ATM deep. I’ve always had to calibrate it before each trips and I’ve lost my trust on its reliability. I guess it’s time to send it for an over-haul and parts replacements.

So, the MK20+G200B regulators was a blessing when I was really in need of a good replacement for a very important trip. But what am I going to do with the MR12? heh, stage-tanks, what else, since that’s all it can be used for right now until all the parts are replaced. I thought of selling it but that would put someone’s life on the erratic equipment, couldn’t live with that.

The Atomic B2 is recycled as the secondary air-source and I’m still working on fixing the Suunto SPG. I managed to fix the leakage problem but the pressure needle refuse to move beyond 150bar regardless of the tank’s actual pressure. Will see if I could get a used SPG as replacement.

The MR12 and SPG are not the only thing that failed on me lately, the Suunto D6 keeps on going into diving mode and lately it’s getting worse when it starts recording 0.7m on land and 89degree celcius temperature. It’s been sent back to Suunto Finland for rectification, hope Farouk send it quick. Luckily, I still got my good old Stinger working flawlessly but I’d have to settle with the extra conservative RGBM100 algorithm… but it’s better than without any divecomp at all.

What a preparation eh? with so many gears failing when preparing for Komodo. I’m beginning to have second thought on accepting Amin’s offer to use his Aquatica housing for my Nikon D200. I just don’t want to add more into the list of faulty gears that I need to fix or replace. It’s a RM15k housing, certainly not in my range if something goes wrong with that stuff.

Equipment now are all fixed and ready for Komodo and just waiting for the day to come.

Just when I thought everything’s in place and got the approval from my beloved sweetheart, signed the office’s leave form and packed the dive bag… my throat starts to fail me. I caught fever and cough. The fever lasted only for 2 days but the coughs, boy it’s a real pain in the neck.

I’m wondering now… what else to go wrong, is all these some kind of signs that I shouldn’t dive Komodo? or it’s all just plain coincidence? whatever… I guess we could only plan the best and the rest I’ll leave them to God to decide.

For now, all I need to do is rest and recover my health so diving Komodo will be a reality… else, I’d probably just stay on the boat with sulky face throughout the entire trip, bugging the heck out of the rest of dive buddies with my incessant coughs ;-)

Anyway, will see how it turns out next week.

p/s: guess what? just as I was grumbling on what else will go wrong, my server suddenly went offline and I couldn’t post this entry up. sigh. will keep trying, must’ve been the office building’s stupid frequent power blackout again.

PSAI, SCR and CCR

I was often asked about which diving agency I’m certified with, perhaps due to my strange way of answering their questions on scuba diving principles, theories and also the way I dive.

Well, to answer those questions – I am a PADI, SSI and PSAI certified but would prefer to consider myself as the PSAI diver rather than the former two agencies although they’re much larger and more recognized diving agencies in the world. PSAI is much smaller and less known to most people.

Why PSAI? It was during my PSAI course that I discovered a lot of things, also during that course that I learned to discover myself and had a different view of things underwater. It was during that certification that I discovered the truth on how the other diving agencies were more interested in marketing their certification products rather than producing truly capable divers with in-depth knowledge in scuba diving and its principles.

In summary – a diver is a diver, it doesn’t matter whether it’s PADI, SSI, NAUI, BSAC, CMAS, PSAI or whatever. The fundamental maths, physics and principles of diving is just the same no matter which agencies you learn them from.

Now, for my next adventure that I’ve been studying and researching for a few years – rebreathers. I won’t say much about it at the moment… not until I’m firm enough on which one to go for, although two names keeps on popping out; the Azimuth and KISS.

The tough part of this is not on the mechanics or which one to start with, but its about finding the right instructor. I’ve located a good one but he’s in Perth, the next best bet is in Thailand (last I heard of him) and next to that is about a few kilometers from where I work. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ranking them as in knowledge and their ability to teach well… it’s just my preference ranking for the certification course. That is if I get to pursue the course in the first place lah.

Anyway, enough ramblings, time to get back to work.