On Thursday, October 31, 2002 5:31 PM, Carl Heinzl wrote:

> Interesting...  I was talking to an instructor who had personally taken
> the Megalodon
> class with Tom Mount and he loved the machine.

I guess, like all rebreathers, a person's likes or dislikes concerning any
particular machine depends on two main factors; (1) The purpose for which it
will be used? And, (2) What meaningful comparisons they're able to make with
other models, based on their own experience?  In both of those regards, I
have no valid opinions either for or against the Megaladon. :-)

I had a play with the prototype UT240 and quite liked its compactness.
There was no water nearby - even if the IANTD guy had been able to drag me
kicking and screaming into it!<bwg> - when I was shown the Megalodon.  My
first comment to him, however, was, "It's a bloody re-vamp of the UT240!"
Having said that, however, I'm quite certain that there are many subtle
differences, especially in the engineering and electronics.  :-)

> I'm very curious as to
> why you
> think it's not in the same class as the RB-80.  They're very different
> machines,
> the RB-80 being a SCR and the Megalodon being a full CCR with available
> intergrated Trimix Computer.  The interesting thing is the price - $6500
> versus
> $7885 for the RB-80.  Of course, there's also a HUGE difference in diving
> an SCR vs CCR as well (I"m not saying which one is better if indeed
> either one
> is better), just that the difference is huge.

Granted!  It's probably the Luddite in me but, (apart from the fact that for
the sort of diving that I intend to do from here on in, a CCR represents
unnecessary expense and added risks) I prefer to exercise a greater degree
of manual control over my safety and well-being - and being at several
hundred feet on a machine that makes the decisions for me about what gas to
breathe isn't my idea of a real good time!  :-)

> How did you discern that the Megalodon was a revamped UT240 - components,
> design layout?

My comments were based purely on the design layout and configuration.  (And
bear in mind that it's over six years since, I've seen the UT240.)  But that
was my take on it when you asked had anyone "seen" it!  :-)

Strike