Optima CCR
Quality Training
Annapolis, Md  USA
    The Dive Rite Optima rebreather is the first rebreather distributed by an established and highly respected U.S. dive company.

    Unit Characteristics
  • The O2ptima’s two-piece hi-impact plastic case holds all the components of the systems securely in place, has a carry handle, stands upright for storage, and is light
    weight and collapsible.
  • 25 inches high, 13 inches wide, and 7 inches deep (25 X 13 X 7) and the weight (less cylinders and absorbent) is 26 pounds. Although airline luggage restrictions
    vary widely, these dimensions and weight are sufficiently compact to enable the Optima to "carry-on" with many airlines.
  • For diving, a fully configured O2ptima with fully charged LP27 steel cylinders with absorbent cartridge has a pre-dive weight of: 61 pounds. The pre-dive weight of an
    Optima with AL13 cylinders is 47 pounds. NOTE:  all dimensions and weights are approximate.

    The Optima components include:
  • Electronics-driven fully closed circuit unit
  • Hammerhead electronics, including vibrating heads-up DIVA display
  • Full decompression capable dive computer incorporated in dual hard anodized aluminum case wrist mounts
  • 2 – approx. 30 cf hot dipped galvanized DOT/TC-approved bottles
  • 2 - Dive Rite's first stage regulators
  • 2 - Dive Rite's compact SPG
  • Over-the-shoulder style counter lung
  • Dive Rite's transpac harness and single-bladder air cell  
  • Dark red Optima impact housing cover
  • Includes automatic-addition diluent valve (ADV)

    Scrubber
    One of the first things you will notice is the unique position of the scrubber canister. It is placed directly behind the divers head. This position serves many functions;
    decreased breathing loop length, lower breathing resistance, decreased buoyancy, and streamlining of the unit. The mouthpiece is constructed of Delrin and contains
    no O-rings to wear out. This state-of-the-art scrubber canister is also designed to provide simple and quick replacement of the cartridge, and allows easy access to
    the sensors and oxygen solenoid. The weight of the absorbent cartridge alone is 4 pounds

    Electronics
    The Hammerhead is a closed circuit  controller and decompression computer by Juergensen Marine. Hammerhead electronic CCR controllers are in use on nearly
    every model of commercially available closed-circuit rebreather, with over 400 Hammerheads in service worldwide. DiveSafety and Jeff Johnson have been diving the
    HH since 2003 and "partners" in the development and first run.

    Electrical Contact: Clearly, a good battery contact is essential to the proper function of this system. To improve this feature, we machine the Battery Cap out of 316
    Stainless (rather than go the Nickel Plated Aluminum route), and Nickel Plate the entire cavity of the Battery Compartment. The Battery Tab located at the bottom of the
    battery compartment is now Gold Plated to ensure positive contact and full current flow.

    Rev. C Hardware: All new Wrist Units use the latest in our hardware, Rev. C, with improvements in overall performance, power consumption, and reliability. All Rev. C
    electronic modules are now multi-layer

    Immersion Gold plated prior to component assembly to ensure the very best electrical contact and transmission throughout the system. Each PCB is subject to
    Electrical Test which conforms to ISO 9002 standards.


    Battery Cap Seals: We spent a LOT of time working on this. Making a good battery cap seal is a lot tougher than most folks realize. We took the "Belt and
    Suspenders" approach with ours, and came up with the easiest and most secure method for sealing the battery compartment ever. First, a Barrel Seal slides in via
    one o-ring, then a Face Seal o-ring makes contact as the cap reaches the end of it's thread. If you forget or damage one, the other should protect your battery
    compartment from flooding. The new cap screws down with ease and is 316 Stainless with a Stainless Spring for the ultimate in corrosion resistance.

    Primary Wrist Display Unit -- The Primary Wrist Unit is responsible for maintaining the PO2 set-point by firing the oxygen injection solenoid, displaying the
    measured PO2 for the three oxygen sensors, time, depth, and decompression information.
    Digital Pressure Transducer: All new Hammerheads will now use a Digital Pressure Transducer which never needs calibration, and is capable of reading Barometric
    pressure all the way out to deep space. This will allow us in the future to modify our Decompression algorithm to do extraordinarily accurate Altitude Compensation.
    We were able to add two new features to the Hammerhead:
    a) Temperature Display: Temperature is now part of the displayed information.
    b) Barometric Pressure Display: You will be able to access the Barometric information via your Options Screen.

    The Piezo Switches are just a dream to use. Touch them gently, and your screen magically changes. They are hermetically sealed, so depth has no effect on them. No
    more moving parts, no more springs to maintain, no more magnets to corrode.

    Secondary Wrist Display Unit -- The Hammerhead incorporates a completely redundant, electrically isolated secondary display that can be worn on the wrist, or
    clipped off. The secondary display shows the three individual oxygen sensor values plus the average PO2, any alerts, depth, time and is the controller for the Heads-
    Up-Display. The Secondary Display will now also function as a Depth/Timer. Many of you have asked us for this feature in the past, and we're happy to be able to
    present it to you now. If you carry Backup Tables for your Decompression (which you should) then the Secondary will provide you with necessary information such as
    Dive Time, Current Depth, and Max Depth. It will also tell you the current Temperature, as mentioned above.
    Heads-Up-Display (HUD) – Monitor your loop PO2 hands free
  • Display Integrated Vibrating Alarm (DIVA) -- The DIVA is a Juergensen Marine patent, and the only tactile alert system used in closed circuit diving rebreathers. When
    activated by the computer, the DIVA transmits a distinct vibration and led light to the diver as an alert to an emergency situation.
  • Bühlmann ZH-16 Deco Algorithm with Gradient Factors -- Bühlmann-based algorithms are among the most widely used decompression models, and the ZH-L16
    algorithm is programmed into many of todays dive computers. The improvement of Gradient Factors allows the diver unique and individual control of their dive
    computer decompression calculations.
  • Nitrox / Trimix / Heliox Support -- The dive computer supports any breathing mixture of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and optionally Helium. As many as ten different gas mixes can
    be pre-defined by the diver and selected at any time during a dive.
  • Automatic PO2 Set-Point Switching -- As many as five user defined PO2 set-points ranging from 0.4 ATA to 1.6 ATA can be selected at any time. When the diver is on
    the surface and has PO2 set-point selected above 1.0 ATA, the controller will maintain 0.4 ATA. When the diver enters the water the controller switches to 1.0 ATA at
    depths greater than 3 feet, then switches to set-point at depths greater than 10 feet. The unit switches back to 1.0 ATA at depths less than 10 feet and then to 0.4 ATA at
    depths less than 3 feet. Automatic set-point switching conserves oxygen, because the controller is never trying to maintain a set-point higher than is possible at any
    particular depth.
  • Automatic Activation and Shutdown -- The electronics will automatically activate when the diver hits the water, even if the unit was not activated beforehand. The unit
    automatically controls the solenoid whenever the electronics are activated. The electronics may be set to automatically shutdown at a user-definable time ranging
    between 2 and 30 minutes provided the unit is dry and on the surface.
  • Open Circuit Mode -- The decompression computer also accommodates Open Circuit diving, should the diver switch to open circuit gas during the dive. If open-circuit
    is selected, the solenoid stops functioning to preserve Oxygen contents and power. However, as a safety feature, if the breathing loop PO2 falls below 0.19 ATA then
    the controller overrides the open-circuit mode and begins to fire the solenoid.
  • Imperial or Metric Units of Measure: The computer can be set to display depths in either feet of sea water, or meters of sea water.

    Cylinders
    The Optima includes two low-pressure DOT (US) and TC (Canada) approved steel 28+ cubic foot (4L) capacity cylinders with standard left and right hand wheels
    controlling 200 bar DIN valves. The diluent capacity is sufficient to support on-board bailout for the sport diver, and the low service pressure provides plenty of oxygen
    capacity even with a 2000 psi fill. The Optima will also accepts 2 aluminum 13 cubic foot capacity cylinders, which significantly reduces the Optima total weight but
    requires an separate bailout system. The Optima can support most other size steel or aluminum cylinders such as 19's and 40's when the cover has been removed,
    although operating the Optima without the impact housing is not advised.

    LP27 cylinders are each 18 inches long and 5.5 inches in diameter, with a tare weight of 14 pounds and buoyancy in sea water of approximately four pounds negative
    when full and two pounds negative when empty. Including the valve, the AL13 cylinders are each 16 inches long and 4.4 inches in diameter, with a tare weight of 8
    pounds and buoyancy in sea water of approximately two pounds negative when full and one pound negative when empty.

    Harness and Aircell
    The Optima provides standard 11-inch centers mounting posts which accept any of Dive Rite's buoyancy control systems. The diver may choose from a variety of
    configurations including the unique Trans Pac or Trans Plate systems. The diver may  choose traditional basic deluxe harness systems, incorporating aluminum or
    stainless steel backplates. Choices from a variety of Dive Rite's aircells including the Venture Wing (30+ lbs of lift), Trek Wing (40+ lbs of lift), Rec Wing (50+ lbs of lift),
    or Classic Wing (60+ lbs of lift) are also available.

    Training
    The Optima will be shipped to any address that the purchaser specifies, but requires formal training for safe use. The purchaser must complete a liability release,
    along with proof of certification as an Optima rebreather diver OR enrollment in an Optima training course including the name and address of the Optima-certified
    instructor. Once these materials have been submitted, the Optima diver (or the Optima Instructor if the diver is not yet qualified) is supplied a PIN code keyed to the
    serial number of the Optima. This PIN unlocks the electronics of the Optima, making it operational. The Optima pricing does not include training, and training is solely
    the responsibility of the purchaser. Dive Rite has worked with several diving instruction agencies, including IANTD and TDI, to ensure that  quality training is available.
    We offer the finest Optima user courses and have more experience on the Hammer Head / Optima rebreather than any instructor from Georgia to Pennsylvania
more Optima pictures
Training or
Additional info
Jeff ocean diving the prototype 2005