"feeding the fish"?

[SteveFass]

I'm shopping for my first regulator and it occured to me that this could actually be an important issue. On maybe 10% of my dives I end up "feeding the fish". Come on people - fess up - I know I'm not alone. "Hello, my name is Steve and I feed the fish."

One of my instructors, a regular fish feeder, taught me to blow through the reg, and not take it out of your mouth. This worked fine on rentals (ScubaPro), but I wonder if there are some where it doesn't work so well. Maybe a smaller reg, or I heard of a brand that makes a swirling effect with the air. Thanks.

 

[Mako Mark]

You need to look at the exhalation port size. Generally the upper end regs have larger exhalation ports that allow less resistance to exhaled air, and I would assume, any chunks that were on their way out too.

 

[SteveFass]

Mark,
--exhalation port? Is that the holes in the outer plastic (or metal) cover? Or something inside. Thanks.

 

[Stirling]

I don't know if there are any regulators that are actually well designed for this particular function, but I wonder if you shouldn't revisit the decision to blow through the regulator in the first place. Cancun Mark's answer makes sense to me, but even with a larger exhaust port, isn't there a risk that something vomited into the regulator will block the exhaust valve and keep it from fully closing, allowing water to flood back into the secondary? Does the larger port necessarily mean a larger exhaust valve? (I can imagine - or think I can imagine - how venting exhaust through a larger port might reduce resistance to the flow of air through the valve leading into the port, without necessarily providing a larger valve for the exhaust to flow through. But of course if I knew for sure, I wouldn't be wondering about it.)

I have never had the pleasure, but was once told that the better thing to do is to leave one side of the mouthpiece in your mouth, turn the body of the regulator to the side (so that it is facing toward/across your mouth at an angle), and use the purge valve to blow a stream of air across your mouth as you vomit and until you can replace the mouthpiece in your mouth.

I think this assumes that you are sufficiently under control not to be swallowing a ton of water immediately after vomiting. If you aren't, then it is certainly better to keep the regulator in your mouth and deal with cleaning it out after the vomiting has passed than to risk choking on seawater. I suppose the worst that could happen if the secondary were flooded is that you would have to switch to your backup at least temporarily.

 

[H2Andy]

Mark,
--exhalation port? Is that the holes in the outer plastic (or metal) cover? Or something inside. Thanks.

they are the "thingies" on either side of the regulator that look like vents. it's
what your bubbles go out through once you exhale.

(sorry for the un-technical description)

but as a first-class underwater fish-feeder, i have to tell you i have yet to
encounter a regulator that can't handle fish food.

i try (if i remember) to shake and purge the reg after each "go" to get it ready
for the next.

the danger is that if you don't have your regulator in place, your "reflex" to inhale
after vomiting will lead to a large portion of the ocean entering your mouth,
possibly causing all sorts of problems.

now, i did hurl once without the reg in place (was trying to clean it), and i was
fine. i tried real hard not to inhale, and i didn't.

 

[Stirling]

Mark,
--exhalation port? Is that the holes in the outer plastic (or metal) cover? Or something inside. Thanks.

This may help: http://stuffo.howstuffworks.com/scuba1.htm

Look about halfway down the page at the working diagram of the secondary stage; the opening with the exhaust valve in it is the exhaust port, or part of the exhaust port. On the outside there may be an exhaust housing or deflector as part of the secondary that is intended to diffuse or route the exhaust to keep bubbles out of your face. I think Mark's point is that a larger opening past the exhaust valve will allow material to be blown through it more easily than a small opening would. And my concern is that that something trying to pass through that valve might block it and keep it from closing.

Also, I was wondering whether the larger exhaust ports on some regulators that Mark was mentioning are actually larger openings (with larger exhaust valves), or just differences in the design of the housing of the secondary that reduce resistance to the flow of exhaust leaving the valve (with the valves actually being about the same size from one regulator to another). I don't know the answer to that question.

 

[H2Andy]

stirling, are you talking about the exahalation valves or the exahalation ports?

[edit] never mind, i see now... got it

 

[AtomicWalrus]

I've never actually needed to use my reg like that, but why not swap over to your alternate afterwards, then purge out your primary to clean it up?

 

[bcsean]

way back in OW, they were very clear about keeping the reg in your mouth. You don't really have a lot of control about not breathing in after feeding the fish. I'd go with atomicwalrus' advice. Worry about cleaning it out after the fact.

Oh, and maybe eat soup before diving, so there are no huge chunks that need to be flying through the reg

 

[mle_osu]

Okay, I have never, nor do I ever want the "pleasure" of feeding the fish in this way. Some of ya'll have said that you are pro's at it... WHY?! What makes you so sick under the water? I cant imagine that it is just from being naturally sick (flu or stomach virus) and still wanting to dive in that state... and I cant imagine that you would get sea sick underwater as you dont rock back and forth with the waves (necessarily). You just get in the water and feel sick and need to feed the fish??

Just Curious.

Oh, and in my OW class, they said that you could feed 1" bites to the fish thru most regs.