Well, some of you know that I decided to sell my inspiration new vision and go for the new Hammer CCR! Gerhard (my partner in crime....err diving:) ) is in the States at the moment fetching it and getting the training, so I thought I would post his comments after meeting Kevin Juergensen and personally getting a tour and picking up my new baby.
FROM GERHARD :)
OK! This is the best piece of engineering I have seen so far. I had a nice meeting with Kevin Juergensen. Did you know the guy has mk15.5's coming out of his ear - (try 4 NEW ones still with labels and paperwork on them and yes, they are for sale at least 13 000 US with complete hammerheads etc. But in their boxes....too cool). I saw mk 16's for Carleton technologies for the military, anti magnetic with the newest displays etc, was not allowed to photograph it but Kevin showed me some amazing stuff. Those crazy compound plastic and carbon cylinders that weighs noting and rated 300 bar etc... he has infrared in the handsets and other things I am not allowed to mention. What i can mention is the fact that the new hammer handset will be as flat as the vision ones with ability to rotate the display 90 degrees at a time and all sorts of goodies (the wire will become ribbon type encased cable etc...).
One of the pluses of visiting in person (other than getting to drool over Kevin's workshop) is the that I will get a course on doing repairs to the Hammer handsets, so I can replace circuit boards, pressure transducers , lenses , displays etc without having to post the hammers back to the States (costs a small fortune). How cool is that? All approved by hammerhead, warranty NOT void....
Now for engineering, this is the BEST I have ever seen.(Kevin is a perfectionist - as he explained it was all out or bust,the best or nothing) Everything is made in Czechoslovakia and it is PERFECT - all hand machined, every part fits like a glove, solid delrin, high flow a.d.v. (similar to the meg/cis), anodized aluminum scrubber canister, axial/radial scrubber (takes 3.5kg sorb) AND I saw the first extend air cartridge that kevin had made, thing will give you easily 12+ hours! HUGE, looks like a little cylinder. I am attaching photos ( low resolution) for you of the the canister , locking lid, lungs, GOLEM Box (included). For those people in South Africa we have negotiated a special deal - the units will ship with the storm case AND cylinders for the same price and of course we get metalsub connectors for the cylinders, c+ handsets, a.d.v., flow stop, big canister (you can get a half one for baby dives if you want) etc etc.
I have to say I was a bit worried about the thing until I got it. Bloody hell, my inspo is up for free at this point. Its got nice manifolds, they use apex 1st stages. I have been promised 4 week turn around on the machines, 2-3 weeks on an inspo hammer head.
The worst was leaving there as I did not want to bugger off - the amount of spares that guys has! Cis lunar , mk15/15.5/16, his 1st circuit boards...was just crazy, a machine that looks like darth vader, an 800 liter a minute compressor... o yes, and they just landed a 15Milion dollar contract for the military....
A complete hammer is US $ 10 700 excl deco on secondary, and 3450 for an Inspo Hammer replacement excl deco. Also (much against kevins will, but me being a persistent) I can also now do a proper liquid fill off the handsets...
O yes, did I mention my machine is up for sale... 5 bucks :)
Will post pics on http://www.tekdiver.co.za/ (and no, Verna's new hammer ccr is not for sale)
About Me
- Verna van Schaik
- Northcliff, Gauteng, South Africa
- My claim to fame is the world record for the deepest dive by a woman (221 meters) set at Boesmansgat, a cave in the Northern Cape (South Africa). My passion is exploration and not only underwater. Exploration is about fun and learning. It creates a level of empowerment in your life and finding and creating EMPOWERMENT is my true passion. Without it life is a series of inexplicable events that blow you were they may. With the ability to choose what you want and who you want to be you have control in any moment of any day. Which is why I had to find out what my world record meant. The answer ? Mastery of Myself. Imagine what your life would be like if you had complete control over your actions ? Imagine how your life would change if you changed how you reacted, how you behaved ? Now, what if changing your behaviour is something as simple as a conscious choice ? Something that does not require your thoughts and emotions to be aligned ? Imagine who you could be if you could Master Yourself ?