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I just have to jump in here!!!

I currently use my short hose as my primary regulator hose.  I "bungie" the
secondary long hose to the side of my right hand double tank and have the
regulator located on my chest strap.  "I" find this works very well.  

From my cave diving days (approx. 1976) I was taught to use the long hose
for my primary regulator hose and give it to the out of air diver.

THEREFORE I HAVE TRIED BOTH WAYS!!!

The problem with giving the regulator out of my mouth to the diver out of air
is that now (even for a short moment) I'm also out of air, as I pass
my working regulator (the one I had in my mouth) to the diver who is
having the gas problem.  Should my secondary regulator not work 
(for some unknown reason).  I have given my working regulator to the
other diver, he has the regulator, I got the gas supply! this is not a good
situation. Now you got two divers stressed out! and a serious fight underwater.

If I give my long hose backup regulator to the other diver and It doesn't
work for some unknown reason.  Well! He was out of air anyways, he is the
one with the high stress.  I am still in controll,  I will now do other safety
means to help the diver who is out of air.

I have not found any reason why both divers should be out of air because
one diver has had a gas/reg problem.  It is better to have one diver in 
complete controll at all times then to have both diver out of air/gas for even
the shortest of time.

Other reasons why I stopped breathing from the long hose as my primary reg.:
When you wear the long hose around your head you have to duck your head
in order for the hose to come off best (some diver don't duck there head). 
When you duck your head you take your eyes off the diver in trouble, not good.

I have also seen where the out of air diver in the dark shined his dive light
in the face of the diver wearing the long hose, blinding the diver, as he took
the regulator out of the divers mouth, not good.

Must of us know not to shine the dive light in the face of our dive partners.
If we shine the light towards our dive parner we shine the light near his chest.
Where did I say "I" where my backup regulator on the long hose? Yes, in my
chest area.

NOTE:
I have seen divers who claim to be hogarthian style divers wear thier
regulatorsin different places.  for example:  There are some wreck divers and
active cave
divers (they drive down to Florida often) from the Michigan area.  These divers
claim to be hogarthian style diver and use their long hose regulators as there
primary reg's.  The long hose regulator comes over the right should, down the
front of their dry suit, the loop is held in place by the waist band of their
back plate, then back up to there mouth.
There claim is it is very easy to tuck the long hose back in place when done.


ALL -N- ALL:
However you choose to rig your regulators make sure your dive buddies agree
on a common style that works best for the team.

Try out other rigging ways.  Practice in a controlled body of water,
then you choose for yourself what is best.

Gary McGee
Detroit,  MI   USA
Great Lakes Wrecker


   


  



 

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