On Thu, 21 Jun 2001, Porter, Greg wrote:

> Given no other relevant issues, it would seem safer to design any system to
> remain in its intended state throughout it's duration of use.
>
> I used to have a poorly designed lawnmower that would die after every other
> row. I seemed to spend more time adjusting it and pull starting it than I
> did actually mowing. Then I bought one with a better design.  Now when I
> turn it on it works until I turn it off.  I'm able to concentrate on the
> task instead of crutching the equipment.  In the same vein it seems that
> post knobs should be designed to stay on until they're intentionally turned
> off.... unless there are other relevant issues to consider.
>
> Hope this helps.

As others have more succintly stated, every OW student should know how to
open/close valves based on "righty-tighty."  As was also well pointed out
by Dell (the dive guy, not the computer guy), you shouldn't be banging
your valves so hard on the ceiling that you have a roll off anyway (I
believe he was more politically correct than me).

What you're trying to do is complicate a simple solution for what should
be a non-issue.  If you have proper trim, attitude (both on land, and
profile while in the water), and are paying attention to what you are
doing, you should not have roll offs, period.  If having roll offs happens
to you frequently enough that it keeps you awake at nights, prehaps you
should quit diving.

The same mentality (fear of the roll off), has created all sorts of silly
things (the OMS "slobwinder," metal handwheels, etc) that really have no
place in the water.

Never having worked in a dive shop, but having good friends that did, I've
been told/shown a number of manifolds people have tried to assemble but
wound up stripping the threads because they couldn't figure out that one
side is reverse threaded and flipped the crossbar around.  If someone can
screw up a manifold assembly on dry land, imagine the person who's used to
"right=open, left=closed," now underwater, in a stressful situation.  Do
you think he'll remember that this new fangled manifold has reverse
threading on the knob?

Ken

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