My i3 BCD has traditional right shoulder and right rear dump valves that should be "obvious" to any diver. I teach all of my students, starting with OW, that if they need to release air quickly they should always use dump valves... because that's what they're for... and not the "elephant trunk."
Aqua Lung Axiom i3 BCD -- Thoughts on i3 Inflator Mechanism
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My i3 BCD has traditional right shoulder and right rear dump valves that should be "obvious" to any diver. I teach all of my students, starting with OW, that if they need to release air quickly they should always use dump valves... because that's what they're for... and not the "elephant trunk."
If I am sharing air with someone in an i3 BCD, and I need to control the ascent, here is how it's done... and how I teach my students:
We are facing each other. We are holding each other's right forearms. My left hand controls my inflate/deflate. My left hand also has easy access to the dump valve on the right shoulder of the other diver's i3 BCD, Simple.
This is why students are taught that if the situation is an emergency and you (or anyone you are assisting) are at the surface and in danger of sinking, you drop weights.
If the situation is not an emergency, then you have plenty of time to figure out the oral inflate. And I can tell you from personal experience with an i3, it's not that complicated. If neither diver can figure it out, they should declare an emergency and drop weights.
This is a fair question, because skills fade. Which is why OW students are told over and over to drop weights if they have any trouble maintaining buoyancy at the surface.
Wasn't covered on my rescue course.
In any case, what's covered on a rescue diver course is moot. The only thing that matters is some random other diver rendering assistance to an i3 wearer can deal with the foibles of an i3. It is non-standard and the first time you come across one it's an utter surprise at how non-standard it is.
Obviously it depends upon what assistance is needed. If it's a little put/dump some gas, then hand signals might be appropriate.
If it's a full on out of gas or an uncontrolled ascent/decent then it's a lot more serious and is borderline CESA, especially as the person's obviously inexperienced and possibly at the edge of panic. When doing a CESA you must be able to control the rescued diver. It's a lot easier to do that if you reach out for the elephant's trunk where you can dump some gas, inflate OR orally inflate, especially if on the surface.
I do appreciate that I' may appear a little dogmatic about this and happy to apologise. Was only trying to make the counter point of the drawbacks when using such a unique system that many (most?) divers would never have come across before.
A regular buddy of mine has the i3 so I see it in action up close. I really should ask him how it was handled in his rescue class.
Understood. I've always felt that my role as an instructor was to use my experience to enhance the standard curriculum, provide my students with practical skills and information. All instructors are required to follow the standards set by their agency, but most agencies give instructors permission to supplement the established "minimum" curriculum, provided they stay within standards.
I really have no idea what you're describing here. A "CESA" is a one-diver operation: the diver that is out of air ascends by themselves. If you are a "rescuer" and close enough to "control" the diver in need of rescue, you should give them your alternate so they can breathe. There shouldn't be any need for a "CESA" if you're there to help.
Easier to reach for the "elephant trunk" to deflate a diver you're assisting?? I will respectfully disagree, but my opinion only comes from teaching rescue courses. I think popping the diver's dump valves is much much easier than trying to grab the "trunk", elevating it appropriately, and then hitting the deflate button.
Please... give dump valves a try. Once you start using them, you'll really like them.
And again, on the surface: if it's an emergency, drop weights. If the diver is out of air, err on the side of caution and drop weights at the surface. That should be simple, safe training... and then it doesn't matter whether the diver has a traditional inflator or an i3.
If you, as a rescuer, insist on helping a diver in distress establish buoyancy at the surface by inflating their BCD, but you can't figure it out... that's on you. Because you should have just dropped their weights. If you're concerned about losing a weight pouch, then just make sure you're fully inflated, pull one of their pouches and hold onto it. Everyone will be fine... i3 or not.
Dogmatic is good, no apology necessary... because as you've pointed out, there is safety in simple standards. I completely agree. And that safety is enhanced when the dogma is reinforced over and over, makes it more likely that people will respond properly in an emergency.
But dogma has to be tempered with rational thought, i.e. avoiding the automatic reaction to anything that challenges the dogma (such as the i3 system...) is inherently wrong and must be forbidden. In this case, the "danger" of the i3 system really isn't. It's a marketing gimmick, and (as I mentioned in the earlier post when I compared it to power seats in a car) it's a solution to a non-existent problem.
Discussions such as this are very useful for a lot of different people.
I know this sounds silly, but I completely forgot that recreational divers have removable weights!
For comparison, the technical community do not use removable weights (some might, but they're a small minority). Virtually all backmount divers and backmount CCR divers have a simple wing with an elephant's trunk inflate/deflate, one lower 'kidney' dump on the left hand side and sometimes one on the right. Sidemount divers will normally have the elephant's trunk across the front and one or more lower dumps on the wing. This means that the elephant's trunk is very common and would certainly be used in an emergency situation.
If doing a gas sharing ascent, then it should be a simple face each other horizontal in the water with the rescued diver breathing from a longhose and the rescuer either commanding or working together on the ascent and stops (or the OOG - out of gas - diver using a bailout cylinder passed over from the CCR diver).
The challenge with technical diving is there's no immediate ascent to the surface as the rescuer will probably have a decompression obligation. Thus there's the choice that needs to be made regarding the rescued diver: if unconscious do you send them straight to the surface? If you've a long decompression obligation and an unconscious diver, there's little one could do without seriously injuring oneself, probably you're now involved with a recovery rather than a rescue.
I know this sounds silly, but I completely forgot that recreational divers have removable weights!
For comparison, the technical community do not use removable weights (some might, but they're a small minority). Virtually all backmount divers and backmount CCR divers have a simple wing with an elephant's trunk inflate/deflate, one lower 'kidney' dump on the left hand side and sometimes one on the right. Sidemount divers will normally have the elephant's trunk across the front and one or more lower dumps on the wing. This means that the elephant's trunk is very common and would certainly be used in an emergency situation.
If doing a gas sharing ascent, then it should be a simple face each other horizontal in the water with the rescued diver breathing from a longhose and the rescuer either commanding or working together on the ascent and stops (or the OOG - out of gas - diver using a bailout cylinder passed over from the CCR diver).
The challenge with technical diving is there's no immediate ascent to the surface as the rescuer will probably have a decompression obligation. Thus there's the choice that needs to be made regarding the rescued diver: if unconscious do you send them straight to the surface? If you've a long decompression obligation and an unconscious diver, there's little one could do without seriously injuring oneself, probably you're now involved with a recovery rather than a rescue.
LostTrail61
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New to this form, but not new to diving, 1989, PADI Instructor #47xxx. That said, I see your points but your last line is very inaccurate. I know numerous instructors, AI's, DM's from multiple agencies that have Axiom i3's. Just two weeks ago diving in the Florida Keys, I was on a boat and 2 instructors (1 PADI, 1 SSI) and a SSI DM all had Axiom i3's. PADI guy had a standard LP inflator on his. I even know a few Course Directors that dive the i3 system and love them. However, 99% of the dive professionals I know diving the i3, have a standard inflator hose equiped.
I have not yet tried the i3 but will try one soon to see if I like it. Personally I love my SeaQuest Pro QD+ w/SureLock, so it will be tough to get me out of it. But I do find the i3 system to be interesting.
Yes, I admit the shortcomings and potential issues of other divers unfamiliarity, possible maintenance/remote location repair, cost of repair/replacement, are all very valid issues to consider.
If I do decide on getting an Axiom i3, I would opt for a standard inflator hose also.
I really hate to say this... I’d hoped that the experienced instructors and DiveMasters would know better and have more than enough skills to dive a standard BCD. Simplicity rules underwater.
I guess they were all given one or even paid to dive with the i3.
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