> Unless the user has absolute faith in the equipment then they can't help but
> be subjected to those niggling thoughts that something might go 'tits up' at
> any time!  In that regard my faith in the Inspiration has certainly been
> shaken by its track record thus far.  :-)

I don't think that any one of us has "absolute faith" - after all,
that's
why we carry a pony, dive with a set of manifolded doubles with an
isolator
valve, dive with a buddy, etc...  Anyone who does have absolute faith
does
not have a good grasp of reality IMHO.

> >I too used to think that the
> > electronic
> > rebreaters were sort of a "golden parachute" but over time I've come to
> > realize just the opposite - they're more like the silver bullet in a
> > russian roulette game.
>
> Which reminds me of Walter Starck's 'Electrolung' in the late 'sixties. A
> fully closed, electronically controlled rebreather, he and his co-designer
> logged hundreds of hours on the machine without incident.  (Probably
> because, being his own design, he knew every aspect of the machine
> intimately and was able to refine any problems.)  Only when he sold the
> rights to produce and market it widely - and three deaths ocurred - was it
> discontinued.  Walter now lives in Townsville, in far north Queensland, and
> last time that I spoke to him he still maintained that the unit was sound.
> In that regard it probably is, but it certainly put a hex on recreational
> rebreathers for a long while!  :-)

Safe is a relative word.  Like you said, he built it, refined it, tested
it,
and probably logged thousands of hours on it.  Then, they build them,
give
someone a 40 hour course and they're off diving them...

> In some respects though, the faith that some people put in electronic
> rebreathers is not dissimilar to the faith that others have in decompression
> computers.  They believe that it removes them from any obligation to think
> for themselves.  And that's where - like you, I think? - that I see a
> major problem!  :-)

We agree 100% here!

> I've only as yet seen the Halcyon itself.  I have little doubt that it's
> reputation is well deserved and that it does the job that's expected of it.
> But it's so B-I-G that I'd have to throw out all the junk that I've been
> collecting in my garage just to make room for it!  :-)

I have to agree with you on that.  For a picture of the RB80, take a
look
at:

http://www.halcyon.net/rebreather/index.shtml

The RB80 is smaller than a single 80 and designed to carry tanks on the
side of it.  This is one slick rebreather and if I ever did decide to
pony up the change, find a dive buddy and go for it, it would be the one
unit I'd consider.

> Carl!  You've probably already read it anyway, but for the benefit of those
> who may be interested in rebreather fundamentals there's a good book called,
> "The Simple Guide To Rebreather Diving", by Steve Barsky.  It's an easy read
> supported by some good diagrams and well worth looking at for those who want
> to know a little more about the things.

I don't think I have seen that one but I've read a lot of other
information
about them.  Where is this one available though, I'm always up to get
a glance at what others have to say about this stuff?

I almost hate to admit it but I did do the Draeger certification course
several years ago.

Carl