AOW and Long Hose

[Jim Lapenta]

Just completed assisting with AOW. In BPW, long hose, bungeed octo, amd cannister light. Snorkel was in my pocket the whole time. Got some looks but nothing was said. Did OW students this same weekend and other than for the snorkel reg exchange it came off and went in the pocket as soon as I went under. Was not asked to demo air share this trip also. Wonder why? Long hose or fact that there were 3 other DM candidates along.

 

[S. starfish]

Yea, I don't know what's up with LDS staff and instructors being all judgemental about peoples gear selections, I see it waaaaayyyy too much. In fact a friend of mine got a good deal on an oxycheq bp/w because the shop manager claimed that the bp/w system was a horrible idea and couldn't understand why anyone would ever dive with such a thing. Some times all you can do is shake your head and sigh.

Anyway, I don't see a problem with diving a long hose config in an AOW course, just so long as your friend makes sure their buddy understands what to do in a ooa situation. If the instructor gets upset about it too bad for him.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Oh, my LDS kept telling me I was now a technical diver because I had switched to a "technical configuration." All you can do is smile and shrug.

Mine never said that but kept putting off getting the stuff I wanted until a certain company came out with their "tech line". It's still not out and we got the first word on it last november! Supposed to be unveiled at DEMA this year. Well, their delay cost them. I went with DSS and am now promoting it actively to everyone I know. He did the same thing with my can light. "Oh wait until so and so comes out with the LED light head". I did not want to wait nor spend 2K on a light. So again I went to Tim at nocturnal and got mine direct.
The only comment last weekend was that I was "diving a different configuration that is used by a FEW divers who do diving beyond recreational limits". Alot of those newbies however did ask some good questions about my DSS rig and long hose. I also sat out a few training dives to do some dives with my one new buddy who happens to be DIR. We kind of were like the red headed step children. Looked at but don't get too close and ask too many questions. Might not sell enough jacket bc's and conventional reg setups with 800 dollar computers that hang on console setup.

 

[TSandM]

And, of course, the biggest gearheads I know are BP/W divers . . . I'm buying my THIRD computer, Bob has enough BP/W setups to lend more than one out at a time. The dive shops are missing the boat on repeat gear sales -- Stock traditional BCs AND BP/W setups, and then you can sell your students the BC first and the BP/W afterwards

 

[SparticleBrane]

This tech/deco thing is really starting to catch on, and I can see it blossoming here off the coast of NC within the next few years. Most of our wrecks take at least an hour (or more) to get to by boat, and a good deal of them are in the 90-130fsw range so if you're diving recreational NDLs you don't get a lot of time. To me that just isn't worth it to travel 2 hours and then jump in the water for a 30 minute dive. If most people aren't limited my NDLs they'll be limited by air comsumption since most are diving single Al80s.
Like I said, I can really see this tech thing catching on, and if the dive shops around here are smart they'll stop promoting jackets and get with the ballgame.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Oh, my LDS kept telling me I was now a technical diver because I had switched to a "technical configuration." All you can do is smile and shrug.

I worked for a dive store that demanded I not wear my BP/W and long hose when teaching classes. Claimed it was only used for technical diving and not recreational. Said students shouldn't see it as they might buy it and kill themselves. I no longer work there.

 

[SparticleBrane]

At the dive shop where I worked, they accepted the fact that I used a long hose, but they all promoted the use of "octo-keepers". At least they didn't try to make me change.
Then the owner, another employee, and a customer all went down to Florida to take a cavern course. I know the owner came back with a 7' hose and was extolling all the virtues of it to me, while I'm sitting there thinking "Isn't that what I was saying last summer?"

 

[Dive-aholic]

And, of course, the biggest gearheads I know are BP/W divers . . . I'm buying my THIRD computer, Bob has enough BP/W setups to lend more than one out at a time. The dive shops are missing the boat on repeat gear sales -- Stock traditional BCs AND BP/W setups, and then you can sell your students the BC first and the BP/W afterwards

Exactly! I don't understand why it's so easy for us to see that, but they can't see that. I've bought more gear in the past couple of years from places other than my former LDS. Instead of seeing the trend, they just talk bad about it and say they can't sell the stuff. Of course they can't sell it. They don't carry it and have it on display!

 

[ScubaRandy]

I teach exclusively in a BP/W and the long hose... There's a shop here in TN that I teach thru a fair amount, and the owner has never told me to stop teaching that way... As a matter of fact, he has encouraged me to use it especially in our Rescue classes!

Randy

 

[rafaelaustin]

I am the lowly newbie in question here and thanks to everyone for their replies. I think it's clear that anyone who really tries a BP/W loves it. For me the great attraction was the comfort and freedom in the way it fit and I had greatly improved stability, boyancy and streamlining. Also for my photography, I could position myself in any attitude and just hang there.

Finally, the hose in question made sense once I saw it in use a few times. Ian has been a great dive buddy and I trust his opinions. Every dive has a practice and learn factor; we almost always do an out of air drill, practice deploying lift bags, practice fin techinques, etc. Every dive we practice some skill involving our gear.

I had mentioned to him that I was thinking about getting another certification or two and that AOW seemed to be part of that. It didn't even occur to me that the long hose would be that much of a problem, not to mention that I'd completely forgotten what a snorkel was! :biggrin2: Luckily, I have several options for instructors in Austin, one of which is a friend of ours that dives with tech gear. Thanks for the heads up about problems I may encounter, now I've just got to research which agency I want to go through. My OW was through NAUI, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to continue down that path. I'll go research the threads arguing NAUI/PADI/SSI/etc.

Thanks!
52 dives and looking forward to 53,
Rafael