5’ – 7” Long hose for a non-DIR configured diver OK?

[MBH]

Do you have that on a leg board or a USAF approved flip chart?

I've dived a time or two with Flightlead and the "head to toe" or "top to bottom" checklist when recited outloud by each team member works pretty darn good.

He actually keeps his checklist written on a folded wet-note that's tucked behind his left spring strap.

 

[ucfdiver]

I have no issue with DIR folks using long hoses but should they be recommending this configuration to a typical recreational diver not trained in it deployment, use or routing configuration?

Do see many typical recreational divers, using NON-DIR gear use a long hose?

Honestly.....I don't see that very often.

 

[dsteding]

My girlfriend isn't going to be doing the full-on DIR thing, but she is getting trained using a 7 foot hose, in a warm water rig.

Really, it is trivial.

It makes sense.

As an aside, I think is incorrectly labeled as "DIR" here-this is something that pre-dates DIR by a fair amount.

 

[Spork]

One of the local dive-shops teach the use of ocean long-hose in their OW-classes. I don't see anything wrong with this. It increases movement when you or your buddie is in an OOA situation, regardless of environment. The placement of the secondary 2nd stage is by far the best I've seen and it's not a very complicated manouver to share air by donating your primary compared to find, untangle and then donate the secondary, a secondary that is placed slightly different on every diver.
The diver in need of air knows that the 2nd stage he or she is given works which adds to safety.

I bought a 5' hose before I even thought of getting BP/W, isolated doubles and a hog harness. Now I use a 7' hose routed neatly under my cannister on my right hip.

And finally, long-hose is not DIR, but DIR uses long-hose... (along the same lines as dsteding really)...

 

[Splitlip]

I think the best answer to this problem is for the diver to develop a specific order of donning the gear, a check list if you will. For me, I always follow this procedure once I have setup my gear on the bench:

1. Check all valves are in the correct "open" position
2. Smell the air from each regulator
3. Breath each regulator, clip primary to RHS shoulder D ring
4. Test inflation/venting on wing/BC
5. Arms in harness, shoulder straps positioned correctly and not twisted
6. Backup regulator around neck
7. Dry suit inflation hose connected
8. Test dry suit inflation
9. Waist/crotch strap buckled
10. Unclip primary, route long hose, reclip primary
11. Check backup lights correctly stowed and off
12. Turn on, check, turn off primary light
13. Enter water
14. buddy gear check. Your buddy/team mates should understand your gear configuration in order to properly perform a pre-dive mutual gear check. This is important if you are not diving the same configuration or if your buddy is not a "long hose diver".
15. While standing in the water, test your deployment of the long hose, this will ensure the host is routed correctly and that there is nothing over the top of it (harness, light cable, etc). I also test deployment of my cutting tools and check the contents of my pockets (e.g. lift bag and spool, wet notes, double enders, etc)

I go through a similar check. Recently saw a mouth piece come of a second because it was not zip tied properly. Also saw the 2nd stage fall off an octo because it was not tight. Adding that to my checklist.

 

[Splitlip]

Do you have that on a leg board or a USAF approved flip chart?

Funny you ask that. I made up two laminated cards on a split ring with my checklist.

 

[eelpout]

If a person understands the advantages and disadvantages of diving with a long hose (5' - 7') and gets the proper training to use it then I don't see a problem. The original poster has a valid question as to the use of the long hose when the user doesn't really know why they have one and how to use it.

I have been using a long hose (7') for the many years on my single tank rig. When I dive with a non long hose equipt diver, I take the time to explain my system and delpoy it on the surface. I then ask the person to do an air share drill with me and vice versa. They will then get easily turned on to the long hose.

I admit that I am a Cave and Technical diver and the long hose will always be a part of my rig. The value of having one outweighs the shortcomings of a standard length hose when I dive. My personal experience with dealing with 2 OOG -OOA situations in recreational settings have underlined the value of my long hose.

Jim

 

[BarryNL]

I don't see the long hose as being a DIR issue--they were around before DIR came to be, and are used by many non-DIR divers. As someone else noted, it's not rocket science. I assembled and began diving my Hog rig as soon as my OW dives were done with no problems at all.

Correct, the DIR crowd certainly didn't invent this - in fact, DIR is a very conservative philosophy and has invented little, if anything. Instead, they have taken the best practices from the dive community and built a coherent and complete system from them.

The long hose is used by DIR divers simply because it is the best and safest configuration but is certainly not a DIR driven configuration. As such, I think all recreational divers would benefit from switching to this system. Of course, this means practicing first in a confined water environment - as does any other major gear change.

 

[Splitlip]

Qupte: Barrynl: "the DIR crowd certainly didn't invent this"

What Is A Hogarthian Diver? - Divester

 

[lamont]

Qupte: Barrynl: "the DIR crowd certainly didn't invent this"

What Is A Hogarthian Diver? - Divester

I thought the long hose predated "hogarthianism" and was an exley thing?