Posted by Kevin on February 05, 2001 at 17:10:09:
In Reply to: Re: CDN editorial/Ken's response posted by MHK on February 05, 2001 at 16:43:01:
The only thing that Tony Maffatone's death proved is that he would not listed to people who contantly warned him about his homemade gear.
Tony's rig was a nightmare. He called it the Mark Four because it was his fourth make-over of a convoluted, insane set-up that only a fool would dive with.
Seven to nine large cylinders all back mounted and out of sight and unreachable, a high pressure bi-linear, cross connect manifold all plumbed with identical stainless steel Teflon hoses going into two chest mounted manifold switch blocks and feeding his EXO 26 Full face mask. The "thing" was enormous.
And before he died on the USS San Diego he already had some very close calls, like running completely out of air on the Andrea Doria. If could not even follow the MOST BASIC technical diving protocols ( like rule of thirds ) what the heck was he doing at the depths he was at with the gear he was with?
This was not a technical death.
This was not a mixed-gas depth.
This was not a solo death.
First and foremost this was a ego death.
Kevin