Can you reach your tank knob to turn it on?

[radinator]

Exactly. We don't NEED to reach our valves.

And you don't NEED anything but a hammer.

 

[Robert Phillips]

Exactly. We don't NEED to reach our valves.

Who is we? Do you have a mouse in your drysuit pocket?

Sure, there are a million ways to deal with a problem, and thus I could give you a million skills we should learn, by your logic. I say, keep the toolkit small so we are VERY competent at all the skills within it, as these are skills that will save your life.


Anyways, my original rebuttal was because people said that this was a MUST HAVE skill. I'm saying it isn't. And my responses are in response to that. If I can solve the problem using widely used training techniques, then it IS NOT a must have skill.

- ChillyWaters

Why don't you just give me 100,000 skills 'we' should learn. And then give me one GOOD reason why being able to rach your valve isn't one of them.
Saying that there are other skills that you could use is not a valid reason why reaching your valve is not a must have skill.

 

[Smokegrey]

Hmmm. I can reach my tank valve with no problems, even though I prefer to mount my tank low because I hate having it whack me in the head. Diving with a 3mm suit in warm water though, so the suit doesn't really get in the way, plus I'm pretty bendy.

I think that for me the issue wouldn't be reach so much as leverage. If the knob was stuck shut (for some unfathomable reason) I'd probably want to take my BC off so I could get more force into the twist. I carry 4 pounds of weight on my weight-integrated BC; not entirely sure about +ve/-ve buoyancy at depth, but I rarely ever have to adjust for depth anyway.

I'm pretty paranoid about checking my air's on. But I'd say it's a skill worth practicing once in a while to see if I can do it, if for nothing else, then just for my peace of mind.

 

[ChillyWaters]

I have a practical reason for turning your valve off in a freeflow -- a freeflow empties the tank very rapidly, and if you don't close the valve, you have to pay for a VIP when you take the tank in (BTDT).

Oh no, I might have to pay a few bucks for a VIP in the (at most) one time in my life this occurs.

Hopefully you don't go all frugal at a moment when you need to ditch your weights.

- ChillyWaters

 

[dherbman]

Oh no, I might have to pay a few bucks for a VIP in the (at most) one time in my life this occurs.

Hopefully you don't go all frugal at a moment when you need to ditch your weights.

- ChillyWaters

Why would she ditch her weights?

 

[ChillyWaters]

Why don't you just give me 100,000 skills 'we' should learn. And then give me one GOOD reason why being able to rach your valve isn't one of them.

My initial argument was that it isn't a NECESSARY skill. Though, I did later pose the question of, is it more useful to have a large number of skills, or a small number of skills.

Yes, I'd argue for the latter, but I haven't seen anyone argue for the former, other than to state that they want many skills (but with no reason of why).

I think you'd react more instictively if you have a small number of skills. Also, are you going to be doing some problem solving underwater when you're holding that sole (unexpected) breath of air? I mean, are you sure your tank is open, or perhaps there is another reason you're not getting your air? If you go back and open your tank, that could be wasted time in what could be used to be save your ***.

We have the skills already. No need to invent new ones IMHO.

Either way, my ORIGINAL rebuttal was that reaching the tank valves is NOT NECESSARY. That was the focus of the original posts and how I responded -- demonstrating that we could use standard skills to solve the situations.

- ChillyWaters

 

[ChillyWaters]

Why would she ditch her weights?

I didn't say when, I said "a moment." Wasn't in specific to these situations. Just don't go all frugal when your life is on the line, that's all.

- ChillyWaters

 

[TheRedHead]

Why would she ditch her weights?

:11: I don't have any ditchable weights.

 

[dherbman]

:11: I don't have any ditchable weights.

It's OK, we know you're not frugal.

 

[ChillyWaters]

:11: I don't have any ditchable weights.

Hmmm... I just checked your picture, and you do in it...

Unless you're diving in warm waters, I presume people dive with ditchable weights... anyways, this is VERY off topic. But, don't worry, I understand you can't defend your initial position.

- ChillyWaters