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On Fri, 5 Jan 1996 JOHNCOMLY@de*.co* wrote:
> I would like to comment on the recent post regarding the long hose method and
> the pro's an con's. I must admit that I reluctdent to do so for fear that
> personal attacks or other non-topic issue will be posted. The long hose
> method is a topic that has been discussed many times in the past, but
> one I feel never hurts in discussing again so I'll give it a try.
I hope you don't get flamed to badly :)
>
> Safety is really not a issue,
shouldn,t it alway be an issue?
I don't believe having a long hose neatly stowed away (not stuffed)
would create an unsafe situation. Where as the long hose that was wrapped
under a light canister and then crossing over the
> chest and finally around the neck is any "safer" "Safer"in what way?? I
> don't think any method is safer than the other ( "free from risk, danger,
> harm, or injury")
I agree...I don't think one method is really "safer" than the other.
>
> >Stuffing is not optimal<
>
> "Optimal" is certainly an issue: for favorable or desirable condition of use
> would have to come down to personal choice and task at hand. The diver who
> does not have a light canister or other item on his waist that the long hose
> can easily be wrapped under might feel that stowing the long hose behind his
> head or along side his cylinder would be more "optimal". Where as the
> diver who routinly shares gas with his dive partners and then switches back
> to a stage bottle might feel that breathing from the long hose would be
> opitmal.
If one wanted to use the long hose as their breathing reg and did not have
a light cannister etc at the waist are there other ways to wrap a 7ft
hose around your body?
>Unstowing the long hose<
>
> If the long hose is stowed neatly the time difference in deploying is minute
> if any. If a chest strap or other piece of equipment where to be placed over
> the long hose by accident this could hamper the deployment, if the donor
> where in fact breathing from the long hose.
depending on the technique used to stow the hose it can be a pain to
unstow...
>
> >Stressed diver ripps yours from your mouth, now pinned to you because of
> the shortness of the hose<
>
> So what! The hose isn't any shorter than what 99% of all divers learned
> their basic air sharing skills on. The merits of the long hose is for ease
> of sharing gas while passing threw retrictions and to make moving easier
> for both divers. Once the stressed diver calms down the correct regulators
> can be switched (how much time is really lost?). I think there would be a
> serious problem if the diver also stowed the second stage behind his head or
> along side his cylinder (which would be stupid, but yes I have this). But if
> the back-up regulator is stowed on the chest area than there shouldn't be
> problem.
just because 99% of divers do something this doesn't make it right!! In
general a long hose makes sharing gas a more pleasant experience and less
complicated. Any diver in an out of air situation is most likely to go
for the reg in your mouth so why not have it on the long hose?
> > >Stuffed hoses get caught on things< > > What THINGS? It would be
very difficult to catch a hose on anything that was neatly place along
side a cylinder and almost impossible if it were > stowed on inside of the
back-plate. If the hose was stowed behind the head > with big loops that
ran beyond the divers shoulder width then there "might " > be a problem.
True. If you stuff 'em right they shouldn't get caught.
> > > They are hard to free up, they are confused and messy<
> > That could go for just about any piece of equipment.
I hope not! I try to keep my kit as neat and uncomplicated as possible
> > >It generally takes two to restuff< > > True but not always. But who
says the hose has to be "restuffed"? Why not > simply run the hose under
your arm, around your head and put the second stage > back into position
on the right side why not have it that way in the first place? , the
excess hose can be put under your > waist strap.
Doesn't sound like a good place to keep the hose. Waist straps need to
be adjusted occasionally and having to tuck your hose in each time
sounds like a pain in the ass.
> > >Back-up reg should be a lower performance model, so as not to lose
gas< > > Now that's a safety issue. If anything the back-up reg should be
the best > performer or the two, not the least.
If you give the backup to your buddy in an emergency this is true. In the
configuration discussed the backup is the one YOU use after giving the
"high performance" reg to the person in trouble.
The diver could use side exhaust > regulators and have them both set for
peak performance without the worry of > freeflow that is common with front
exhaust regulators.
side exhaust regs can freeflow too!
Or the diver could > install an inline shut off valve located at the
second stage,, and keep the > second stage off when not in
use.
this sounds like a bad idea! If someone grabs your octo when they
are out of air and don't realize it is turned off they are going to be
very unhappy!!
> > >causes excess drag< > > I doubt that with all the gear technical
divers are carrying hose placement > would be a concern of "drag".
It never hurts to streamline your rig when possible though.
>
Bob Favorite RVT
UC Davis VMTH UC Davis SCUBA The Octopus' Garden
VMD 490 Instructor safety diver safety diver
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