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All Here are my answers to a few questions asked of me concerning DIR rigging. This follows on from my email "RE: DS4 Reg in a Hog way?", dated Mon 08/02/99 12:00. I thought the answers may be of interest to those new to Hogarthian/DIR configurations... >1. What is the routing of the long hose from the RHS low pressure port. Us a 7' hose (2.15 m), not a 2 m long hose which is too short. Fit the long hose first stage to the cylinder and then route the hoses. Next fit the backup first stage to the cylinder and route its hoses. The backup regulator's hose sits in front and on top of the primary regulator's wing inflate hose. This sequence ensures that the backup second stage hose is not restrained by hoses from the primary. Note, you should put your backup regulator's sling around your neck before donning the long hose. The backup regulator's sling is surgical tubing with a single cable tie (sorry Jim Cobb), securing both the mouthpiece and surgical tubing sling. The reason for putting on backup first is to ensure that the primary hose lies on top of everything else, thereby ensuring that there is no snags when handing it off. Similarly, ensure the long hose is not accidentally trapped in the waist strap or under the dry suit inflator hose when kitting up or trapped by the light head if this is clipped off. On to your question. Run the long hose from the first stage and down between cylinder and wing, snug in the V formed by the two. Route the hose under the wing and forward under the light canister. The hose should now fit close up to the waist harness, but held in place by the light canister. Pull to snug it into place i.e. create tension in the section between first stage and light canister. Proceed routing across front torso, over left shoulder, around back of neck, forward over right shoulder and into mouth. If you do not have a light canister to lock the long hose in place then use your knife sheath which is on the LHS of your waist strap next to your crotch strap. Alternatively, tuck a loop into your waist strap. >2. How difficult is it to reach/view the HP gauge when it is clipped off to >the left hip D ring, or do you unclip it each time you want to read it? I guess you have seen my posts on the use of an O-ring to clip off the HP hose. The O-ring is on the hose but a little way up from the pressure gauge itself. This tail end allows it to be read and I never need to unclip it to read it, even with two 10 Litre Ali stages on the left. I always clip off the HP hose on the uppermost part of the D-Ring, then the stages, then the reels bottom most. On descent, one of my checks is that the HP hose lies downwards i.e. parallel to the cylinders and is not snagged in between the stages or reels. As it is on the upper most clip on the D-ring, and with a tail, you can reach back and grab the gauge head and lift it over the stages to read, repositioning it afterwards. It does put a little strain on the O-ring but if this breaks, then so what - I have had only one go in 30 HP Hose-connected-via-O-ring-dives so far. Without stages, it is a doddle to read the pressure gauge. BTW, I have a standard length HP hose. >3. Can I use my existing combo gauge console or do I need to pull out the HP >gauge?. Only strokes use a console. They are too heavy causing them to dangle and create a greater snag and drag potential. I've seen people avoid danglies by clipping consoles off across the front which creates drag and worse still, these idiots often clip them to the RHS of the BC/Harness. This creates another clip that has to be undone when removing one's kit which, in an emergency, could be a problem. Never cross clip an item. Put your depth gauge on your wrist or clipped off in your pocket and buy a pressure gauge boot to protect your pressure gauge. BTW, a Hogarthian rig is doffed underwater by pulling it over your head and forward. It can be donned in the reverse manner also. >4. Dry suit coming off of the LHS post implies the drysuit inflator valve >port slopes downwards to the left. Currently, mine (Apeks) slopes to the >right. Is this a problem? Should I be able to reassemble the port the other >way? I like my dry suit inflator valve to point vertically downwards, this allows hose routing either side. Adjust your dry suit inflator valve - this is easy - they unscrew and you can use Aquaseal to make it water tight if there are any leaks. David Shimell Project Manager, Sequent Computer Systems Ltd., Sandton, South Africa. Email: shimell@se*.co* <mailto:shimell@se*.co*> -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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