Quote:
Originally Posted by CTSeadog
Thetis-- lots of good advice here about risks and safety concerns. If I might add one anecdotal piece of information. My son served as a US Navy helicopter pilot. As part of his standard equipment he carried a tiny tank of compressed air (supposedly good for 2 minutes). His training included trips to the "dunk tank". There, in a mock up of a helicopter cockpit, they were submersed and inverted. and had to use their micro tanks to help them breath while exiting and surfacing. One of the biggest challenges was that you only got 2 minutes out of the tank if you remained completely calm. It took a lot of training, under realistic disaster simulations, for pilots to learn to stay calm. How could one go through such training for sailing their catamaran? When a person is excited, anxious, exerting physical energy, or under stress , they typically need a lot more air. Seems to me being below when the boat capsizes could be a very stressful situation. Even if the tank worked perfectly and you remembered all the safety rules about breathing compressed air underwater...you might burn through that air too fast...So aa readily accessible escape hatch (in each hull) might be a really good idea. Best of luck; stay safe and enjoy your time on the water!
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I went through the same training and yes it can be a bear, in truth as I have many, many dives and was very comfortable in the water it was more fun to watch others than anything. But its more like 5 min of air than 2 min., but imagine how tough it is with several min of air, now imagine how tough it would be without any air? Having a source of air as opposed to have none at all and knowing your suffocating often is the difference between owning and death and making it out.
I think it’s interesting to see how many are so against something that I can only see as adding a level of safety, sure there is the numbscull that may take a deep breath of air at 5’
depth and surface, and they may kill them selves doing so, but I bet many more people will get a line wrapped around their ankle or come up under the
jib etc.
So I’m left wondering why so many are trying to say it’s a bad idea? Is this the argument many used of try to make against wearing seatbelts, that your better off being thrown clear?
Even if it is only 2 min, sit down and watch a clock for two min, that is actually a very looong time underwater trying it find your way out of anything.
I’ve never rolled a Mono or been in a Cat capsizing, but can only imagine it’s a very violent thing and especially on the bridge
deck being thrown across the boat can rattle your brain, and leave you injured, I sure wouldn’t turn down a few minutes of air and can’t imagine why anyone would?