Dive and let dive... dealing with different styles of diving.

[MaxBottomtime]

I am left handed and I dive an AIR2. So I put my air integrated console on the right so I can hold my Air2/bc vent in my left simultaneously. So logical! In an OOA situation if someone mugs me for my primary I am reaching for my AIR2 with my dominant hand. Yep, I’ve been told my console is on the “wrong” side and when my reg is serviced despite telling them it usually comes back attached incorrectly on the left. As a Lefty you get used to questioning things. Safe for rightys can be dangerous or at least inconvenient for us... especially power tools!

As a right hander, I have to say huh??? Right handed divers who use a console can still use their left hand to grab their console or Air2. I've solved all of those issues by wearing a compass and computer on my wrists, having my spg clipped to my left chest d-ring and my backup reg on a necklass under my chin. I can almost dive without using either hand. As for power tools, what have you found that are only made for right handed use?

 

[aquacat8]

Your solutions are good too MaxBottomtime... I would like to try some of those variations! As for power tools, say you are using a hand held circular saw: the guard is on the wrong side, the guide is on the wrong side! Add in you’re female and have small hands: You start looking for Japanese tools. Many things are far too heavy and large (including dive gear): a sheet of plywood should be 3x6 not 4x8. I tore apart my couch to lower the seat, etc. When I was teaching sculpture once when a girl in my class asked me how to do something heavy/awkward I told her laughingly: honey, the tool you need for that is called a man, and we got a big affable college boy to help. Oops can’t say that nowadays.

 

[Akimbo]

As for power tools, say you are using a hand held circular saw: the guard is on the wrong side, the guide is on the wrong side!

Ask and you shall receive: Right-Handed vs. Left-Handed Circular Saws?

 

[aquacat8]

@Akimbo great link thanks!

 

[The Chairman]

I would like to try some of those variations!

I Noah guy!

 

[Coztick]

Life is short, BE HAPPY, and treat others like you want to be treated!!

Words to live by.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I am left handed and I dive an AIR2. So I put my air integrated console on the right so I can hold my Air2/bc vent in my left simultaneously. So logical! In an OOA situation if someone mugs me for my primary I am reaching for my AIR2 with my dominant hand. Yep, I’ve been told my console is on the “wrong” side and when my reg is serviced despite telling them it usually comes back attached incorrectly on the left. As a Lefty you get used to questioning things. Safe for rightys can be dangerous or at least inconvenient for us... especially power tools!

I had an AIR2 until recently. It seemed like a good idea at the time but my wife and I took a rescue course. That got me thinking about what a panicked diver sees and how difficult things can get in a hurry. My primary hose was really too short for donation so I just bit the bullet and bought a standard, longer hose, yellow octo. Most people are taught about those (we were taught buddy breathing back in the day) so it seemed like a good plan. I didn't need three air sources and I have two BCDs, one for warm and one for cold water. I removed the AIR2 and installed the same inflator on my warm water BCD as I have on my cold water one. Now I don't need to swap my inflator hose to travel and my inflators feel exactly the the same.

 

[aquacat8]

You make a good point for when pairing with instabuddies. I always explain the air2 but will they remember? I used to dive with a buddy who had the same rig right down to computer, that was ideal. We shared air once swimming back under the kelp and it was very intimate, not really something I’d want to do with a stranger. However I recently got a standard octo and thought of putting it on my rig and it’s so big and clunky I can’t bear to do that. I am thinking of using it on a pony bottle I can hand off instead, because I’m headed towards solo and want to learn and practice carrying redundant air. I took rescue too and realized being petite I could easily be overpowered by a panicked diver. I would rather hand them air and back off, or climb on their back like a spider and feed them a regulator and again maybe give them the bottle or clip it on them than go toe to toe with panicked and crazy.

 

[aquacat8]

Or I will do the long hose primary, bungee second reg under neck thing my new buddies do perhaps... however I could see an insta buddy actually strangling the donor with that setup.

 

[The Chairman]

however I could see an insta buddy actually strangling the donor with that setup.

I've done it several times and have never had that as an issue.