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Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:28 pm
by frogman63
I was able to give my Argonaut with DSV a good salt water vacation this past October in Palau. They worked great and the DSV came in handy on a couple of the drift dives. Some of our dive masters commented that they liked the "bubbles out the back" feature of the reg and of course I told them about this web site. I also got a number of questions on where I got that wet suit (beaver tail 2 piece, shark skin texture, yellow stripping on seams). I had to tell them that it is an old USD super sport model, made back around 1980; still working after all those years.

Brian

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Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 9:12 am
by thomas8294
Finally took the plunge . . . . . now the waiting begins! Cannot wait! Happy Holidays to all.

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:38 pm
by Boiler81
I received one for Christmas from my wonderful wife. I am going to be in FL at the end of January and first of February. I plan on taking it on it's break in dive at the Blue Heron bridge and then do a drift off shore of Jupiter.

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:11 am
by Bryan
Boiler81 wrote:I received one for Christmas from my wonderful wife. I am going to be in FL at the end of January and first of February. I plan on taking it on it's break in dive at the Blue Heron bridge and then do a drift off shore of Jupiter.
I'd recommend doing a pool dive or two before your trip just to be sure you have placement on your back correct and your hose/mouthpiece adjusted for comfort and maximum performance.

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 10:49 am
by Boiler81
I will probably get into a pool in FL prior to diving in the ocean if my schedule allows it. I can't do it here in MI as all my gear less the Kraken is in FL. If I don't get any pool time, I don't think it is a big deal in my case. The plate is already adjusted correctly for my Phoenix. So that shouldn't be an issue.

The Blue Heron Bridge site is almost like a pool anyway. It is difficult to get deeper than 15 feet without a shovel! Ingress and Egress is also pretty easy there as well. So, if I need to make some adjustments it should be relatively straight forward to get out and make a tweak and then get back in and check it.
Bryan wrote:
Boiler81 wrote:I received one for Christmas from my wonderful wife. I am going to be in FL at the end of January and first of February. I plan on taking it on it's break in dive at the Blue Heron bridge and then do a drift off shore of Jupiter.
I'd recommend doing a pool dive or two before your trip just to be sure you have placement on your back correct and your hose/mouthpiece adjusted for comfort and maximum performance.

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 11:15 pm
by Fibonacci
First pool dive of my new Argonaut Kraken at Blue Pool Bermagui NSW... a salt water pool replenished in rough weather by the ocean.

I didn't have the VDH backplate, so just jury-rigged my DiveRite TravelPac BCD to fit the Kraken can... was still sitting a little high and off my back more than desirable but anyway good enough for a first pool dive!

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Evidence of a little too much Christmas cheer :wink:

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Max depth about 3m... surprising number of nudibranchs.

First impressions:
Great to have the bubbles behind you at last!

Position is certainly very important but breathing efforts were very good once I made a few minor adjustments... it felt more natural, like a 'lung full of air' vs a single hose 'mouth full of air'.

The only small drama was when I tried rolling onto my back, head slightly up... LOTS of air unexpectedly delivered so I was like a chipmunk for a few seconds!

Underwater the hoses are quite buoyant and greatly reduce the effort to turn your head (which I initially found a little disconcerting on land as gravity made the Kraken's exhaust hose corrugations occasionally start to 'mesh' with the wing's corrugated inflator hose routed over my left shoulder)

I practiced clearing the DSV and then purging via holding the hose above my head Sea Hunt style... it certainly purges HARD that way :shock:

Overall very impressed and I can't wait for the first sea dive... once I get a VDH backplate and wing :D

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 11:57 am
by ScubaLawyer
Fib, great post. I believe all of us have "chipmunked" a time or two. Once you get the cans lower and closer to your back with a VDH plate you will be amazed at the difference in ease of breathing at the different attitudes of body position. Keep up the reporting. Mark.

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:09 pm
by Bryan
Great Post! I really appreciate when divers share photos and info on their Argonaut Kraken adventures.

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:57 pm
by Bryan
From Argonaut Kraken Diver Keith in Scotland.......

Hi Bryan,
It was my 40th dive with the AK and my 2,500th dive overall. Taken in Loch Fyne, a sea water loch on the west of Scotland on 8th January 2017. Water temperature 9 degrees centigrade, underwater visibility around 6 metres
Keith in Scotland.jpg

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:53 am
by ScubaLawyer
Out with the Kraken on my boat. A friend of mine wanted me to recreate last year's JYC look-alike pose so this was the best I could do! Mark
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Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 11:20 pm
by CAP2ND1961
Love my new Argonaut Kraken! The Chesapeake Bay is usually much clearer this time of year. But for some reason she's not cooperating much this year. Ill be up at Willow Springs Quarry in PA in about two weeks. Not the clearest of quarries, but better than what I have in the Chesapeake right now.

Cheers! Clete

https://vimeo.com/219456893

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:35 pm
by CAP2ND1961
CAP2ND1961 wrote:Love my new Argonaut Kraken! The Chesapeake Bay is usually much clearer this time of year. But for some reason she's not cooperating much this year. Ill be up at Willow Springs Quarry in PA in about two weeks. Not the clearest of quarries, but better than what I have in the Chesapeake right now.

Cheers! Clete

https://vimeo.com/219456893
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Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 10:53 pm
by Bryan
Go Kraken!!! Videos, photos from Argonaut Kraken divers is part of what makes it worthwhile! :D

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 6:49 pm
by CAP2ND1961
Messing around in my sister's pools doing some lift bag, and dsmb training and spending more time breathing off my Kraken is always a good thing. Spent about an hour or so underwater, which was a great place to be considering it was 90 plus degrees out. Heading up to Myerstown PA this Friday to dive up at Willow Spring quarry. We have around 20 students getting OW, AOW, and Rescue. Weather looks to be very nice, cant wait to use the Kraken at the quarry. :D

Cheers~ CLETE

https://vimeo.com/221210220

Re: New Argonaut Kraken Owners Post

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:01 pm
by CAP2ND1961
Good thing I was in the pool yesterday, discovered a small leak on my QD hose to my Proplus 3 computer. I was up at my LDS for DM lectures.. and we took it apart. There are 3 different sized O rings for this connection. Turns out it was the last one we replaced that was the issue. LOL

Cheers~ Clete