Long/thinner tanks - ideal for cave diving??

[andrebasso]

Whazz up everyone? Hope the caves down there are treating you all well, I've been having withdrawals since I came back to NYC. Suddenly, Dutch Springs doesn't seem like much of a spring anymore.

Got a quick question. The other day I was swimming through the Gallery at Devil's Eye and I thought MAN, there has to be a better way to stream line my gear to cut down on the drag! Removing excess ballast will cut down on the drag imposed by an overly inlflated BC, but another thing came to mind - long tanks... Does anyone know if a manufacturer makes a 95-105 cft cylinder that is both very long and considerably thinner in diameter. I think this would be the ultimate for cave diving, alot less drag on your back.

[Caver95]

not that I know of, but you can get alot of gas into Lp 85s they are much nicer that those big tanks,

[Jason B.]

The other day I was swimming through the Gallery at Devil's Eye and I thought MAN, there has to be a better way to stream line my gear to cut down on the drag!

Swimming in the Gallery is tough with all that flow. Were you swimming along the gold line or were you up high and out of the main flow?

[Tegg]

The other day I was swimming through the Gallery at Devil's Eye

Swimming? That's your problem...

I don't own a scooter (yet) and I don't swim through the gallery...

[andrebasso]

Hey jason,

No, I was all the way up at the top... Those 104's on my back are like a sail.

I guess this is why people buy scooters...

[andrebasso]

The other day I was swimming through the Gallery at Devil's Eye

Swimming? That's your problem...

I don't own a scooter (yet) and I don't swim through the gallery...

You mean, you need to pull and glide through the gallery?
C'mon the flows not that strong.

[CaptainSpeleo]

andrebasso:

Thin tanks are about 7-1/4" in diameter and fat tanks are about 8" in diameter, so that's going to have no real effect on drag. What's going to have a noticable effect on drag is body size, swimming technique, and gear configuration.

Frank

[JDR]

The trick isn't in the size of the tanks, it's in the frequency of use. IF you quit your job, move to Florida, and dive every day, the tanks will feel like an AL 80 when OW diving in Bonaire. The cost of living in north Florida is ridiculously inexpensive compared with NYC. So, the solution is: Quit your job and be a dive bum. You will never drive a Bentley, but who needs a Bentley!!


Cheers and safe diving,
Dive Bum

[Rich]

So, the solution is: Quit your job and be a dive bum.

LOL, I can relate to that....

Safe diving,

Rich

[Arnold Mesiser]

andrebasso:

Thin tanks are about 7-1/4" in diameter and fat tanks are about 8" in diameter, so that's going to have no real effect on drag. What's going to have a noticable effect on drag is body size, swimming technique, and gear configuration.

Frank

I perfected the human manatee shape hoping for an equal ability to effortlessly glide through the water.Man did that not work