New forum member checking in

[Half-Fast]

Just thought I'd take a moment and say "Hi." I've been away from diving for a while and am now submerging again. My 15-year-old son decided he wanted to learn to dive, so we got his OW cert this summer and I've started back diving with him. I'm hoping to get back to the caves in the fall.

Meanwhile I'm using the time to refurbish or replace my gear. [Would you believe my nice Fathom wetsuit seems to have shrunk two sizes while hanging in my closet? Oh well - at least it fits my kid.] I'm hoping you folks can help me with gear advice and suggestions and maybe help me find a good deal or two.

I still have a test tube halogen primary light that works fine, but I'd like to upgrade to an LED. My double 80s I'd like to replace, probably with HP 100s since they're the same diameter and I'd be able to reuse my bands.

Vital statistics: I'm IANTD full cave certified (card # 55; it was a while ago). My cave instructor was John Orlowski, cavern was Donna Askew. I rig Hogarthian style with a DiveRite plate and wing. For OW I use the same rig, except I replace my 7' hose with a 5' and use a STA with the plate.

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and look forward to getting back into the swim of things.

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[Herbie]

Welcome back to the underwater world.

[Daphne]

Welcome back! hope to see you in the water sometime.

[BillBowden]

Welcome back. When you get back to the caves, send me an email if you need a buddy. Funny what happens to those wetsuits when they're not in regular use. Just a suggestion- look into OMS/faber 85's and compare to HP100's. With a cave fill they hold slightly more gas and are a little lighter. But, hey, go have fun!

Bill Bowden
ghost908@yahoo.com

[Huntingbigun]

Welcome back, I am in the same boat so just got all my gear squared away, see ya in the springs. Funny time flies for sure. I work in Lakeland so give me a call we can hook up. I going up to paradise springs to work on my trim, drop me a email if you want to play. I run 104's bm & 80's stage

Wayne Bradbury
wayne@dixiejet.net

[Huntingbigun]

BY the way if that is one of the dive rites test tube light they will give you a smoking deal on a led 700, I traded in one of my projector lamp DR rig.

[Half-Fast]

Thanks for the buddy offers, guys. I'll be taking you up on it in a couple of months.

Bill, I'll look into the Fabers. Thanks. (BTW - I seem to have vague recollections of talking with you at a CDS workshop many years ago, but most of my recollections are vague these days.)

Huntingbigun - No, unfortunately the light head pre-dates DR. It's one that was built by Bill Brack about 30 years ago. It originally used a 6V (yep, six) automotive headlight bulb (VW, I think) and was set up on a wet-cell NiCAD battery pack. I converted it to gell cells, and later on a buddy made a socket for it to take quartz halogen lamps. Then we made a new canister altogether, so the basic handle is really about all that's left from the original. I also rigged a Goodman handle onto it. It works great, but it's a 50W lamp so burn time is somewhat limited.

[It's kinda like my great-granddaddy's axe. Granddad got it from him and eventually had to replace the handle, then he passed it on to my dad, who replaced the rusted and worn-out axe head, and then Dad passed it on to me. I'm really proud to have great-granddad's old axe, though. ]

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