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Very thoroughly explained - thanks for taking the time to write such a long message. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Chapman" <dougch@at*.ne*> To: <techdiver@aquanaut.com> Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2001 9:30 AM Subject: Re:Long Hose Placement > >While preparing for a dive in Pot Hole last week I over heard two scooter > >divers discussion the post placement for the long hose. One diver insisted > >that it be placed on the left side so he would always know if he had a roll > >off. The other gentleman said he always placed his long hose on the right > >post but was not sure why. > > Is this the "Pot Hole" at Peacock State Park in Florida? (That's big time!) > If so why did anyone have scooters in that system? You can go almost > anywhere swimming on a set of 104s. Used to be if anyone showed up at > Peacock with scooters, you instantly knew who the gumbies were. > > >1. Anyone care to venture a reason why we always place the long hose on > the > >right post (hint: who gets the long hose in an OA situation and who > controls > >the isolator manifolds; > > Without making any determination which is the correct side at this point, > lets consider the possibilities. > Conditions: > a) Most manifolds are designed such that the left valve knob (looking at the > diver from the back) will tend to roll shut with overhead contact, and the > right valve will not. > b) By definition the OOA diver will receive the long hose either by being > offered or by being taken without much warning. > c) Assuming the diver wearing the rig is breathing the long hose, he or she > should be aware if the regulator begins to fail either by roll off, or other > failure mode. > d) The diver is not constantly aware of the status of the backup regulator > since he or she is not constantly using it. > Scenarios: > a) The long hose regulator is being breathed as a primary regulator and is > located on the right side valve (does not tend to roll shut). The OOA diver > requests/takes long hose from donor. Since the donor has been breathing the > long hose regulator, the OOA diver receives a regulator that is working and > delivering gas, thus not adding to the anxiety state if he or she had > otherwise received a faulty regulator. The donor diver begins to breath on > the backup regulator located on the left valve but discovers it is not > working. He or she checks the left side valve knob in the event it had > rolled shut, opens the valve as necessary. > > Comment: In this configuration a diver can periodically check the valve > position of the left valve knob during the dive if he or she suspects the > position. If you can't reach the valve without difficulty, don't dive. > > b) The long hose primary regulator is located on the left valve and the > backup on the right. The diver knows if the left valve has rolled shut > because the regulator will fail in use. Now the OOA diver takes the > regulator and the donor goes on to the backup which probably works because > you generally can't roll the right side shut unless you dive backwards alot. > Seems superior to Scenario(a)? > > Now the OOA diver is placed in front and the team exits the > cave/ship/wherever. Lets assume the donor diver (in the rear) has not fully > developed his or her skills and ends up rolling his/her left valve shut. In > Scenario(a) the donor finds this out because his/her regulator fails and > hopefully reopens the valve. The OOA diver probably doesn't know that > anything has happened. The exit continues. > > In Scenario(b) the donor rolls the left valve shut but it is the OOA diver > that experiences the regulator failure. He or she must now communicate this > to the donor, and then hopefully the donor will understand and correct the > problem. In this case the exit has been interrupted and the potential for a > big clusterfuck has developed. Maybe not as good as (a)! > > Conclusion and answer to question #1: > The regulator that tends to roll shut should always be on the diver that has > the direct ability to sense the problem and correct it. > > >2. Would you dive with these gentleman in a cave or would you call the > dive > >on the surface before you got in the water? > > Not on scooters in Peacock. In different circumstances I may if they are > receptive to suggestions and I knew something about them and their > experience. I went on a dive with a new diver and after the dive he asked me > if I noted any areas where he needed some improvement. Recognizing his > newness to cave diving, I didn't want to be overly critical so I mentioned > that his trim was a bit off and that he may wish to move his tanks a little > higher in his bands. The response was "My trim was fine." OK. That was my > last dive with him. Don't ask me a question if you don't want an answer. > > I don't go around telling people how they should dive. I will offer > suggestions for improvements if I believe the person is receptive > (personally this is why I am very particular about who I dive with), unless > something is just totally unsafe. At that point I will make my observation > known without any doubt because their injury/death is detrimental to my > freedom to do my thing. IMHO I believe a lot of people get carried away on > small details that really just don't matter, but they seem to be totally > ignorant to the details that will injure or kill them or their partner. They > can't think out of the box or see the big picture. Their perception is > narrowly defined which becomes a hinderance to their further development. > There are only a few "rules" that I believe every cave/tech diver must > follow to be a safe diver. There are a number more that will make you a safe > AND efficient diver. Of course the most implicit rule is to dive within your > ability (incorporates skills, experience, efficiency, attitude, etc.) > > This question on placement of the long hose is an excellent example. I dive > breathing a long hose. I find it to be unintrusive, efficient, and quite > natural for my minimalist configuration. If the reasoning why the hose > should be placed on the right-side valve (IMHO) is explained rather than > just making a statement that it should be, I believe more people will be > receptive to the information. Did I win the prize? > > IMHO, > Doug > > -- > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. > Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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