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Freedivers Recovery Vest Mark II-S
copyright Oceanic Safety Systems LLC., 2015
We suggest that you make several trial dives to become familiar with the FRV’s functions. You
should do this in shallow water or in a pool deeper than 2 meters (6 feet), and in either case, with
a buddy diver attending to you. Because the FRV moves rapidly through the water after it inflates,
make sure that there are no overhead obstructions such as a boat propeller that could injure you .
Before you enter the water, review your actuator screens. Toggle between the screens and
look for and confirm the following:
•
Trigger time
•
Trigger depth
•
Surface minder option
•
Battery charge
•
Absence of error messages, or a blinking red LED.
Begin by making a shallow dive greater than 2 meters (6 feet) with Surface Minder OFF.
•
Set Surface Minder to “Off” by bringing up the screens and
NOT
leaving the display with the
Surface Minder (Surf) screen visible—any other screen will do.
•
After you ascend, look for the steady remote communicator light.
•
Watch the steady light go out at the end of 15 seconds.
•
Repeat this dive, then return to the surface but this time, after 10 seconds, clear the FRV by
pressing the remote button and confirm that the light goes out. At this point, you are cleared
to make another div
e without going into Premature Dive Mode.
Make a shallow dive greater than 2 meters (6 feet) with Surface Minder On.
•
Set Surface Minder On, by leaving the actuator in the screen with the word “Surf.”
•
After you surface and at the end of 15 seconds, the steady green remote light starts
blinking.
•
In the next 15 seconds, to prevent the FRV from deploying, press the remote button
•
Watch for the blinking to go out.
In either Surface Minder Mode, make a shallow dive greater than 3 meters (10 feet) ,
resurface and then dive again quickly as if you are trying to catch some falling gear. This
will cause the FRV to enter the “Premature Dive State.”
Observe the following:
•
After achieving a depth of 3 meters (10 feet), the remote light blinks.
•
By pressing the remote button within 15 seconds, the blinking light turns solid.
•
When you return to the surface, a new surface interval begins.
•
Failing to press the remote button within 15 seconds will cause the FRV to deploy.
Perform a dive that exceeds your trigger time setting and practice rescue maneuvers:
•
Set your trigger time to a short interval, say 20 seconds and make a dive. Observe the
remote light as it begins blinking the last 10 seconds before the FRV fires.
•
When the FRV inflates, pretend to be disabled and be prepared for a brisk ride to the
surface.
•
On the surface, allow your body to remain limp and notice how your head is positioned well
above the water.
•
Have your buddy position himself for rescue breathing.
•
Also have your buddy grab your vest in the shoulder areas to practice towing and guiding
you through the water as if toward a rescue boat or the shore.
Note:
To preserve cartridges during testing, consider changing only one.
Be careful
to install two full cartridges at the completion of testing.
IX. SUGGESTED GET-ACQUAINTED TRIAL DIVE SCHEDULE
