Posted by MHK on March 12, 2001 at 12:46:27:
In Reply to: Re: reserve buoyancy posted by Gerry Smith on March 12, 2001 at 12:05:17:
The newer Halcyon BB's do not require a STA, even the old one that did require the STA meant that the STA was ~ 1lb.
The concern I have had seems to me that some people simply want to find some way some how to figure out a fact pattern whereby it could justify a steel and a wetsuit, and I acknowledge the point about the *old* 72's, but the problem with that attempt is as follows:
1) It speaks of a terrible mindset and approach;
2) Most people will not do the required due dilligence to find out bouyancy characterisitics, wetsuit compressibility;
3) This stuff is paid lip- service at best during OW training and many local diver's don't even recognize it as an issue much less something that could kill you if your primary inflation source fails;
4) The standard answer most instructors/shops ( note; not all, but most) give a student/diver when asked how can they get added BT's is to simply buy a bigger tank, and thus ignores the other areas of streamlinning, trim and any potential hazards associated with steels and wetsuits;
I'm glad that by bringing this issue to the forefront instructors such as yourself focused and hopefully you'll continue to bring these kind of discussions up in your classes..
Later