Buddy Breathing

[Thalassamania]

Buddy breathing is, given current gear, a "skill of the past." But I feel that it is still an important skill to keep in the curriculum, if for no other reason than to assure that new divers realize it is possible, it can be difficult, and as a result they need to make sure that their auxiliary is well squared away.

 

[theduckguru]

What are the chances of a diver OOA and the 2nd diver's octo failing to the point that even the purge wouldn't work?

 

[Hawkwood]

I thought I read that PADI was just changing the wording to read "2 divers breathing off a single second stage"? (which is the same thing as buddy breathing of course). Anyone know if that is true or false?

That is with respect to your equipment exchange as a DMC. As a DMC you will still do the equipment exchange, but as "2 divers breathing off a single second stage", not "buddy breathing". Buddy breathing, by any name, as been removed as an option in the OW course.

 

[dbulmer]

DCBC,
I would have liked to have seen an option along the lines: mandatory for instructor to teach.
During my own OW training I was scared of mask removal but I have also seen a fair few people who are not comfortable in having a reg out of their mouth.

I feel that buddy breathing should be taught along with don't hold your breathe. It could be used to assess how comfortable the student is with don't hold your breathe and as a supplement to alternate air sharing.

I don't think it should be an item that an instructor needs to sign off as a skill for the same reasons as have been mentioned by other posters but I do think that it might be useful for a student to know what it is, how it might be used and to discuss why other methods are better. In essence demonstrating to a student rather than the student just reading about it on Scubaboard or in an outdated scuba manual.

 

[rstofer]

Hey Richard, I knew it would be just a matter of time before we actually agreed upon something.

Even now divers are taught in different ways. For example, I never teach my students to donate the primary because it is against every rescue technique taught by every major life-saving organization worldwide i.e. never put the rescuer at risk! You know the primary works, but only can be reasonably sure that the secondary does.

Along the same vein, when buddy breathing you always keep control of your regulator. It's also important to hold it in a manner so the receiver can reach the purge button.

Although this is a bit off topic (to teach buddy breathing or not, and if so at what level) I didn't want the chance to pass by without saying something. Who knows when the opportunity will come along again that we will agree on anything...

Well, there's something else we agree on: we seldom agree! That's not saying I am right, by the way...

I'm still working through the long hose primary, necklaced octo thing. It is not the way I was taught and it is not the way current students are taught. It does make it easier to hand the victim the regulator right-side-up. Of course with the Omega II, there is no wrong side up!

There is the school of thought that the victim is going to grab your primary right out of your mouth and you might as well be prepared. The long hose allows you to keep your distance during a rescue. As I said, I'm still working on this idea. I don't think it is wrong but it isn't the way I was trained. But then, a lot of things have changed in 20 years. Odd that so few have improved...

I'm one of those divers that routinely uses their octo. I always have been. I test it before I get in the water and I use it for a few minutes on every dive. It is exactly the same as my primary (Omega II) so I have no reason to suspect it will not perform.

Even if my octo does fail to perform, I still have control of my donated primary and it's about to be repossessed.

I have no issue with the more common method of tying an octo off to someplace in the 'triangle' and donating that. It's not like were taking a poll of victims here! They get what I give them.

It's pretty easy to see where air sharing can turn into buddy breathing.

Richard

 

[Thalassamania]

Richard hits the nail on the head. We teach to donate the primary but retain a hold on it, leaving the purge clear. The with your left hand get your auxiliary and start using it. Do not give up your hold on your primary until you are comfortably breathing. If you have a problem with your auxiliary, you switch to buddy breathing on your primary.

That's another reason to keep BB in the class and to practice it regularly.

 

[101recon]

Well,this newbie is glad he learned the skill.I gained confidence in giving up my primary,experience in secondary air sources,as well as the experience of "sharing" air with someone else.

I hope the "skills" are never needed,but the experience may save a life some day.ANY diver in an OOA situation may or may not panic.Whether you donate air in a non-panic situation or your air is taken by a frantic diver,the situation is yours to deal with.I'm glad I have at least the ability to comfortably surface on secondary.

How far we each are willing to go to help another diver without endangering ourselves is a moral question that can only be answered when it happens.I for one,would find comfort in the fact that my fellow divers had at least some experience in that sort of situation.

 

[Bob DBF]

May be the certification organization is going retro.

When I first started SCUBA diving, you could order dive gear from Sears and get the tank filled by forking over a little cash. You could read books on diving and learn the Navy dive tables, or not. Darwin could be your instructor. The Old Man, my dad, made sure I did the bookwork 'cause he wanted his gear back.

Back on topic, learning a skill and dealing with a stressfull situation in training can give you options should you need them.

Bob

 

[Paladin]

For those of us who still dive the old way (minimalist/vintage) buddy breathing is a mandatory skill and, from what I've been reading here on SB, the minimalist/vintage movement is growing. Buddy breathing is a fiendishly easy skill to master and there is simply no reason not to teach it.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

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