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My wife and I took a two-week trip to Bonaire in
mid-December, where we signed up for Avelo training
offered by Dive Friends. It was indeed an interesting
experience.
The Avelo System is new and innovative diving
equipment that allows you to dive differently than with
traditional equipment. The tank system, called the
Hydrotank, consists of a flexible bladder that holds
the gas inside a rigid outer shell. The Hydrotank can
hold up to 106 cu. ft. of gas if filled to its rated pressure
of 300 bar/4350
psi. The harness, back
plate, pump, and battery
are called the Jetpack.
The system weighs somewhat
less than traditional
equipment with an AL80
cylinder.
The unique feature
is that you don't need a
buoyancy compensator.
The tank has an internal
bladder filled with breathing gas. One controls buoyancy
by pushing a button mounted on the tank that
pumps water into the cylinder, compressing the air-filled
bladder. Their website says that their tank is "buoyant
and can become lighter or heavier by using water
from its environment. Its operating concept is like a
submarine that adds or removes water to maintain neutral
buoyancy." There is no compressible/expandable
bubble with the Avelo System as there is with a BC, the
factor most responsible for changes in buoyancy associated
with changes in depth when using a BC.
Bonaire is one of only three destinations (another is
on Southern California's Catalina Island, the other is
in Sydney, Australia) where they offer training. We took
a one-day, two-dive Recreational Avelo Diver (RAD)
course, and the following day, we made two additional
guided dives. Later in our visit, we rented Avelos for
three independent dives, for seven dives total....
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