DIR Hose Rigging

[budgy]

I am not a tec diver and don't rig my gear dir style. I agree with the principle that in an out of air situation, the only reg you want is in your buddy's mouth. With a 7ft hose could the buddy swim behind a 6ft donating diver? If the buddy swims on the right a conventional reg will be upside down. If the buddy swims on the left I should expect a hose passing under the right arm of the donating diver would if pulled turn the donating diver face up, if over the right shoulder pull across the neck. With a side valve 2nd stage the hose could be shorter and the buddy could comfortably take the reg on whatever side the reg is set up on.

 

[roakey]

The OOA diver always leads so they can set the pace and therefore never get scared that they're going to get the reg pulled out of their mouth. It's easier for the donating diver to keep an eye on them that way, too.

Given no restrictions it's usually easiest if the OOA diver swims 1/2 to 3/4 of the way in front of and to the left of the donor. Truth is, with a 7' hose they can be just about anywhere without much of a problem.

In a restriction it's still fairly easy with the OOA diver completely in front, but does take a little more care.

Roak

 

[WetDane]

Roak is partly correct -
the philosophy taught is that you in case of an OOA - you swim with touch contact - the OOA diver sticks his/her elbow out and the donating diver grabs this - touch signals is used to direct the OOA diver.
Also, the OOA diver should be holding on to the hose of the donated reg to avoid a situation where it is pulled from his/her mouth.
Remember - in the case of an OOA, you are no longer swimming around looking at fishies - dive is over and you are going home, so close control and solid communication makes life easier on both and reduces stress for the OOA diver, even if the road home is still long and bumpy - but that is what we train for.

Big T

 

[budgy]

I have always considered the dir set up as a tech diving rig for cavers or wrecks, in which case there should be a need to dive and swim along in single file, and the octo hose should be long enough for this purpose. I have set my octopus on the left the OOA diver swims on the left. They get the full benefit of all the hose between my tank and it is not obstructed by my body. I find in practice even a OOA novice diver if necessary when swimming alongside, can follow me through a forward or backward roll. I show and tell a trainee in an of air situation, you are going to breath out, pause, and then find you cannot breath in. You are not going to have to time to get my attention and ask me politely, and wait for me to understand and donate. Logically the only reg you can instantly find and know that works is in your buddy's mouth. Just rip the reg out of my mouth. I have never seen this written in any instruction book but in the OOA situation this is what I train myself to expect. As I have an auto air we don't have to share, when the situation is calmed down I can offer the long octo for a change over. I am looking for more efficent ways for donating. I have considered a primary side valve set up on the right, OOA diver on the right, but OOA diver when lifting their left arm to dump from the dry suit or dumping from a bcd could be partly obstructed by the reg hose, and they could not hold on to me with their left hand at the same time. Donating primary side valve with reg set up on the left, OOA diver on the left fine, but in normal diving you may find the reg hose obstructing or tangling with your BCD control hose. I am not diving with highly trained professionals but novices and occasional weekend divers, so I don't expect them to have much out of air tolerence, nor do they spend enough time practising to master buddy breathing . It would be safer and easier if all our club members dived with a standard rig.

 

[WetDane]

Originally posted by budgy
I have always considered the dir set up as a tech diving rig for cavers or wrecks, in which case there should be a need to dive and swim along in single file, and the octo hose should be long enough for this purpose.
It would be safer and easier if all our club members dived with a standard rig.

Bingo -
Why do you think long hose divers seek out each other - it's simply due to the fact that we know that even if you do not have all the training, you probably have the mindset and a desire to learn...

Big T

 

[budgy]

Hi WetDane,
Thanks for the idea of sticking the left elbow out, for the OOA diver to hold onto. It took a while to filter through to my conscious brain. I had just finished an air sharing practice session yesterday and I see it is a more practical S.O.P. In fact its so simple and obvious, I am wondering why we have been doing it any other way. I shall practice it and I see how I go. It ought to work equally well for buddy breathing, a skill I still practice.
Regards,
Budgy

 

[WetDane]

Yup, it works pretty good - be careful - I may have other insightful things you might want to adopt - pretty soon you will have a long hose too...
<GRIN>

I'm glad this works for you - I think it is pretty natural.
Big T