My "new" independent doubles setup

[AfterDark]

This stuff is great! Ya'll had more fun the me!

 

[rx7diver]

... After deploying the floating snorkel I took a few breaths on the surface then dove headfirst right into the laws of physics.

I spent the afternoon snorkeling around with my now unmodified snorkel, thinking about how my father knew this wouldn’t work.

Enjoyed this story immensely, @AfterDark. Thanks.

Interesting that you didn't experience headaches from breathing the unmodified snorkel, since a significant proportion of the air your little, ten-year-old lungs would have been breathing out of your adult-sized snorkel, would have been your exhaled breath--unless you deliberately breathed more fully, more deliberately, than "ordinary." Or so I would have thought.

rx7diver

 

[AfterDark]

I was perhaps nitpicking a minor section of your post, but not disagreeing with the larger body.

I was just disagreeing with this hypothetical-person, who hypothetically recommends against regulator switching at 100ft. Since we don't have this person in the thread, it's somewhat like arguing against a strawman.

The only time I might suggest a person doesn't switch regulators would be if they're inexperienced or unpracticed at it. For a person like that, it might be worth starting your practice in a safe environment, such as in standing-height water. For any person who may be reading this, and wants advice:

• Find the alternate regulator. Ideally, you have it clipped or retained somehow, in a consistent place. I frequently verify (several time per dive) that my alternate is precisely where I expect. With sidemount, it's clipped to my d-ring, at my right-shoulder. With my pony, I leave it clipped to the bottle near the neck.
• Free that regulator if necessary. I like my secondary to both be breakaway (for emergencies) & clipped.
• Grab both regulators. One in each hand. You should generally keep a regulator in each hand until you are breathing off the secondary.
• Remove Primary, Insert Secondary. It helps to take a moderate breath before hand, though you may not always have that luxury in a scenario like your regulator is kicked out of your mouth.
• Purge. A quick tap of the purge button is enough to remove water. You can also purge by blowing out, but I try to tap the purge to develop good habits for emergencies. If you do accidentally inhale, but not too quickly, you might get a mouth-full of water that you can spit out, but probably won't inhale the water.
• Breathe
• Secure unused regulator. If it's on a regulator-necklace, youre good. Depending on your setup, you might tuck the hose under your shoulder harness, clip it, etc

When ya write it all down ya realize it takes a lot of words to describe what is probably a 30 second task!

 

[AfterDark]

Enjoyed this story immensely, @AfterDark. Thanks.

Interesting that you didn't experience headaches from breathing the unmodified snorkel, since a significant proportion of the air your little, ten-year-old lungs would have been breathing out of your adult-sized snorkel, would have been your exhaled breath--unless you deliberately breathed more fully, more deliberately, than "ordinary." Or so I would have imagined.

rx7diver

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

If I had used the floating snorkel for more than a test breath or two laying on the water it would have I'm sure. Breathing during the 1st dive attempt hasn't an option there was no more regardless of how deliberate. After my physics lesson I put the hose in the basket of my bike and did what my father told me to do with piece of cork, left it in the barrel at the boat ramp. The rest of day I enjoyed my snorkel in its original configuration. I did so many dives and blew so much water out of that snorkel during an afternoon of snorkeling, CO2 didn't have a chance to build up.
My lungs were small but mighty.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I’m going to hijack my thread with a story from my youth about my 1st “dive” into customizing and modifying dive gear. The 9-year-old critter in the picture below is making his first double tank dive into the parlor rug armed against any bugs in the depths of the rug. The date was 12-25-1963 sometime late in day. My father made the double tanks of wood as a Christmas gift. Seven months later I bought my 1st snorkel, not a ball in a cage nickel and dime store snorkel but a real U.S. Divers AquaLung J snorkel!
View attachment 675318


During the summer I’d go to work with my father at his gas station and auto repair shop. Dad would put me to work and I’d find ways to be a general PITA, also Grandma’s house was next door and that was a great thing! It also exposed me to a lot of tools and material. My main job was to listen for the bell when the cars ran over the air hose that rang it as they pulled up to the pumps for gas. I’d run out greet them ask how much they wanted and then try to guess where the heck the filler cap was hidden. Behind the license plate, no behind the taillight on the fin in back! I’d pump the gas take the money, make the change and ask them to come back.
In between customers were the PITA moments if Dad didn’t keep me busy.

In the mind of the now 10-year-old tadpole if a 1-foot long snorkel is good a 3-foot long is gooder.
So a search began for a piece of hose that would slipover the snorkel. We all know how this ends.

I didn’t find one but there were rolls of brand new heater hoses of varies sizes in the shop surely one would fit! There was a roll with hose that was just right, after laying out 3 feet of hose on the bench I reached for the cutter and heard my father voice “Hey that costs hose X per foot”. “How are you paying for that”? “By sweeping the office and shop later” I asked? “Ok go ahead was he reply”. Then he inquired WTH I was going to do with the hose? I told him and he replied “that’s not going to work”. To which of course I asked why not? My father wasn’t well educated but he had the golden gift of common sense, something at the time I lacked, really lacked. He stared off into the distance trying to form an answer then looked at me and asked, “why didn’t you buy a 3 foot long snorkel instead of that one”? Well, because I didn’t see one at the time was my answer. Dad said, “ That’s right you didn’t see one because they don’t make one because it doesn’t work”. That sound and undeniable logic didn’t slow me down one bit, I cut the hose and slipped it over the snorkel. Well, that hose looked like a limp…..the hose drooped down in an arc. No wonder it doesn’t work! All it needs is a stiffener. I got a yardstick and tried to tie onto the snorkel but it kept slipping. Notches it needs notches!
Again I hear my father just as I grab the knife, “what are do doing”?! I need that yardstick put it back! “I told you that is not going work, stop wasting your time”! Foiled for now the wheels kept turning.

Later as I swept the shop I came across a prize under on of the benches, it was a solid square of 2” thick cork 3’X3’, with a hole in the middle, perfect! I asked my father what I should do with my new find and he said, throw it out. OK Dad!

The next morning when I left for work with my father I had my mask and fins, if I could get the afternoon off I was going snorkeling! After we arrived and I did my opening chores. In between customers I worked at the hole in cork until it was the right size for the hose. Then I stuck a few inches of hose above the cork and used a old hose clamp to keep it there. Voila a floating snorkel!

I packed it all on my bike that had 3 baskets, 2 in back 1 up front plenty of room for my gear. It wasn't busy and my father didn't have any cars to work on so he let go a be crazy reminding me again it won't work and to be careful. I peddled my skinny a$$ a few miles down the road to the Tiverton town boat ramp on Stafford Pond where I snorkeled in the shallow water off to sides of the ramp area. There was a 6’ depth channel for the boats. The area around the channel was 3-4 feet deep a familiar and perfect spot for the crazy young tadpole. After deploying the floating snorkel I took a few breaths on the surface then dove headfirst right into the laws of physics.

I spent the afternoon snorkeling around with my now unmodified snorkel, thinking about how my father knew this wouldn’t work.

Great story. Thanks

 

[SlugLife]

When ya write it all down ya realize it takes a lot of words to describe what is probably a 30 second task!

Hah, I could have said "just swap regs, dummy!"


Sometimes it's the little details people skip over, which can make all the difference.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

What would happen if you just connected the two first stages together with an LP hose? Then you could use a regular 2nd stage and not need a double hose single hose reg.
You would have to crimp on another male connector and make a custom hose but it would work. You’d also have to figure out how to spin the hose on without twisting it all up since in order to twist both on one would have to be left hand thread. You could pre twist it then spin it on and maybe it would be untwisted when both sides snug up?
I’m still trying figure out what you set up.
I didn’t read all the responses, sorry if this has already been mentioned/

 

[AfterDark]

What would happen if you just connected the two first stages together with an LP hose? Then you could use a regular 2nd stage and not need a double hose single hose reg.
You would have to crimp on another male connector and make a custom hose but it would work. You’d also have to figure out how to spin the hose on without twisting it all up since in order to twist both on one would have to be left hand thread. You could pre twist it then spin it on and maybe it would be untwisted when both sides snug up?
I’m still trying figure out what you set up.
I didn’t read all the responses, sorry if this has already been mentioned/

I’m still trying figure out what you set up. Simple my original ID setup was a standard ID configuration, 2 regulator sets 2 tanks BM, been diving it forever. I removed the 2 second stages from each regulator set and replaced them with 1 AIR second stage. Instead of doing regulator switches every 500psi I close one inline and open the other, changing the tank I'm drawing air from. I added a second stage to the right side tank as a safe second is what they call it today it was an octopus years ago. In this case it returns some of the redundancy I gave up. If the AIR should fail I've got the octo.

If I linked both 1st stages they would not be independent doubles just two tanks linked together like an old school manifold. Heck, I could just put my old cheater manifold on and do the same thing.

I may after a few dives use it with both inlines open and only close one if there was a problem that made the 2nd stage free flow. Closing the inline would re-direct the free flow out OVR on the 1st stage.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I’m still trying figure out what you set up. Simple my original ID setup was a standard ID configuration, 2 regulator sets 2 tanks BM, been diving it forever. I removed the 2 second stages from each regulator set and replaced them with 1 AIR second stage. Instead of doing regulator switches every 500psi I close one inline and open the other, changing the tank I'm drawing air from. I added a second stage to the right side tank as a safe second is what they call it today it was an octopus years ago. In this case it returns some of the redundancy I gave up. If the AIR should fail I've got the octo.

If I linked both 1st stages they would not be independent doubles just two tanks linked together like an old school manifold. Heck, I could just put my old cheater manifold on and do the same thing.

I may after a few dives use it with both inlines open and only close one if there was a problem that made the 2nd stage free flow. Closing the inline would re-direct the free flow out OVR on the 1st stage.

Did you drive the pilot today?

 

[AfterDark]

Did you drive the pilot today?

No, the weather sucked all day and just to mock me the sun came out at 5:00PM! The wind was still blowing out of the SW all day anyway. Today I did remember a place where it is sheltered from the SSW SW winds but is only divable at high tide and that had happened already. Tomorrow maybe, maybe because it's V-J Day tomorrow in RI so a number of people have the day off and if the weather is too good all the 20 parking spots will be taken. V-J Day is victory over Japan Day, the end of WWII which is really what is being celebrated/remembered, the end of WWII, Japan just held out too long and was last and the end.