I share air maybe 30 times a week with rec students, and there has never been a time when I though, "wow, wouldn't it be great if this person was 2 or 3 feet out of my grasp?"
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I don't actually see any advantage for a rec diver, and a bunch of disadvantages.
flots.
And what is your next action after gas sharing ?
Ascent like Siamese twins?
And what divers will do if there is a boat exactly above them?
What to do is case of any situation required so see what going on with tank of buddy?
How divers will send a marker to surface to indicate place of emergency ascending to the boat?
Also just see where students keep the yellow regulator. Some of them not keep it at all and stage collects all sand from beach and dirty from bottom.
Others connect it so hard that it is really not simple to release it in case of emergency.
My opinion that standard recreational octopus hose length may be good only for training gas sharing in a pool or conditions close to it.
On last boat trip I saw two experience divers were share air catching line on 15ft safety stop.
Both hold line very hard, due current.
Also they were able to ascend only using line, and on the boat one said - it is just luck that gas sharing was only on last 15ft with this current.
With 7 (84) hose you easy can handle any next issue if happened.
I am just not speaking about idea to provide OOG buddy, regulator that nobody knows it condition right now.
Because in long-short configuration you provide the regulator, which is 100% works.
For TS, my hose sizes:
1. LP Miflex : 84 inch
2. LP Miflex : 24 inch
3. LP BC black from Halcyon Infinity - 20 inch
4. HP Miflex carbon : 24 inch
The sizes are good for double configuration, but I will little bit extend #2. to be 26 inch and #4. to be 30 inch for one tank configuration.
But I am fat and
5'11" . For your 160lbs you don't need it longer.