GUE Fundies class report, days 1 and 2
- Thread starter mruseless
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OP
mruseless
Contributor
Shelley and I spend a couple hours in the pool last night working on skills. I think our weighting is much better now, and I'm adjusting well to having weight on my tank band. Moving the tank up an inch helped too. At one point I found myself actually head-heavy. I found back-kicks much more difficult when head-heavy.
Basic 5 are getting smoother, with very little up and down movement. Is it acceptable to hold a breath when taking off the mask, or are you expected to breath with the mask off? We've done it both ways, it's easier to hold position if you are not breathing. But we are getting decent at holding position with mask off while breathing easy too.
First couple S-drills were a mess, changes in depth, forgot to clip off the primary, stuff like that. We did it a bunch of times and by the end it was looking halfway decent.
Blowing an SMB is still giving us some troubles. I either have to turn down the cracking pressure on my reg so it doens't freeflow (when trying to inflate the bag from the bottom), or else I have to orally inflate it. Part of my problem is that I'm using a rather large SMB. Next time I'm going to try a smaller one that has only an oral valve.
SMB question: is this acceptable technique?
- keep the spool in the left hand, SMB pinched in between left thumb and index finger
- remove reg with right hand grasping hose (similar to removal of reg for Basic 5 #1)
- Use right hand to grab SMB inflation valve (let go of SMB with left fingers)
- Put a breath of air into SMB and release valve from right hand
- Replace reg in mouth with right hand (reg was in the right hand the whole time)
We are heading back to the pool again this afternoon for more practice. Bringing the camera this time so we can get some video of ourselves. That should be fun
This will also give Shelley a little practice learning where to clip off the camera so it doesn't get in the way of an S-drill.
Thanks,
Eric
Basic 5 are getting smoother, with very little up and down movement. Is it acceptable to hold a breath when taking off the mask, or are you expected to breath with the mask off? We've done it both ways, it's easier to hold position if you are not breathing. But we are getting decent at holding position with mask off while breathing easy too.
First couple S-drills were a mess, changes in depth, forgot to clip off the primary, stuff like that. We did it a bunch of times and by the end it was looking halfway decent.
Blowing an SMB is still giving us some troubles. I either have to turn down the cracking pressure on my reg so it doens't freeflow (when trying to inflate the bag from the bottom), or else I have to orally inflate it. Part of my problem is that I'm using a rather large SMB. Next time I'm going to try a smaller one that has only an oral valve.
SMB question: is this acceptable technique?
- keep the spool in the left hand, SMB pinched in between left thumb and index finger
- remove reg with right hand grasping hose (similar to removal of reg for Basic 5 #1)
- Use right hand to grab SMB inflation valve (let go of SMB with left fingers)
- Put a breath of air into SMB and release valve from right hand
- Replace reg in mouth with right hand (reg was in the right hand the whole time)
We are heading back to the pool again this afternoon for more practice. Bringing the camera this time so we can get some video of ourselves. That should be fun
This will also give Shelley a little practice learning where to clip off the camera so it doesn't get in the way of an S-drill.Thanks,
Eric
PfcAJ
Contributor
I'd practice breathing with your mask off. Holding your breath isn't generally a good idea, esp when a primary method of buoyancy feedback (vision) is impaired.
Also, it kinda sounds like you might be using your reg to put air into the bottom of an SMB. I advise against that. If you've got an open bottomed SMB, you can catch the exhaust bubbles from your reg to inflate it. Naturally, if you've got a huge bag and you're shallow, you're gunna have a bad time.
Also, it kinda sounds like you might be using your reg to put air into the bottom of an SMB. I advise against that. If you've got an open bottomed SMB, you can catch the exhaust bubbles from your reg to inflate it. Naturally, if you've got a huge bag and you're shallow, you're gunna have a bad time.
OP
mruseless
Contributor
Sorry, I wasn't too clear with that part. With the reg out of my mouth, I would orally inflate the SMB. The biggest part of the question is whether or not I should have the bag in my right or left hand when inflating it.
PfcAJ
Contributor
Gotcha. If you're reg is bubbling when you take it out of your mouth to inflate the bag, try just turning the adjustment knob a quarter turn or so. Left hand vs right hand I think is a bit nitpicky. I'm sure GUE has a special way to do it, however, and its probably left hand.
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I'd nix the camera until the skills are pretty natural.
JohnoAU
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lv2dive
Formerly known as KatePNAtl
While that video is a very nice example of deploying a smb... And I certainly don't speak from any official capacity... In general I'd say it is fair to look at any non-official GUE videos from the perspective that they may not follow GUE procedure to the letter.
In the fundamentals classes I've taken or supported, pre-rigged smbs have not been allowed. That could have changed but it is just an example of something of which to be aware.
In the fundamentals classes I've taken or supported, pre-rigged smbs have not been allowed. That could have changed but it is just an example of something of which to be aware.
OP
mruseless
Contributor
Interesting video. He holds both the spool and the SMB in the right hand while he puffs in some air, then runs out the spool from his left.
Tonight in the pool I made some changes, and it worked out for the better. I used a smaller SMB, with an oral inflator. I held the spool in between my thumb and index finger of the left hand, and the bottom of the SMB between the pinkie and heel of the same hand. Then I took the reg out of my mouth with my right, maintained a grip on it while blowing into the SMB. Letting the SMB go while maintaining a loose grip on the spool was pretty simple with a couple practice runs. This is the way I plan to do it for the open water dives unless Rob says different.
In our Fundies class we are allowed to do either pre-rigged or not, our choice. Perhaps this is because we are going for a Rec Pass, I don't know.
---------- Post added September 21st, 2013 at 08:43 PM ----------
Forgot I have a copy of the GUE SOP's for the class. Description of sending up an SMB says it should be left hand:
---begin paste---
◊ With the left hand gather the spool and valve, remove the primary regulator from the mouth using the right hand and inflate the SMB with about ½ the capacity of your lungs
◊ Replace the primary taking care not to breath as of yet
◊ Move spool and SMB at arm's length from the body re- lease the SMB and breath. Take care that the spool runs smoothly between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand held over the center hole of the spool
---end paste---
Tonight in the pool I made some changes, and it worked out for the better. I used a smaller SMB, with an oral inflator. I held the spool in between my thumb and index finger of the left hand, and the bottom of the SMB between the pinkie and heel of the same hand. Then I took the reg out of my mouth with my right, maintained a grip on it while blowing into the SMB. Letting the SMB go while maintaining a loose grip on the spool was pretty simple with a couple practice runs. This is the way I plan to do it for the open water dives unless Rob says different.
In our Fundies class we are allowed to do either pre-rigged or not, our choice. Perhaps this is because we are going for a Rec Pass, I don't know.
---------- Post added September 21st, 2013 at 08:43 PM ----------
Forgot I have a copy of the GUE SOP's for the class. Description of sending up an SMB says it should be left hand:
---begin paste---
◊ With the left hand gather the spool and valve, remove the primary regulator from the mouth using the right hand and inflate the SMB with about ½ the capacity of your lungs
◊ Replace the primary taking care not to breath as of yet
◊ Move spool and SMB at arm's length from the body re- lease the SMB and breath. Take care that the spool runs smoothly between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand held over the center hole of the spool
---end paste---
OP
mruseless
Contributor
The GUE SOPs don't give too many details on exactly how the SMB should be released, so I'm practicing it as described in the SOP, but after putting a breath in and replacing my reg, I hold the spool in my left and pull the SMB out with my right, then let it go (similar to the video that was posted except I hold the spool/SMB in my left rather than right, and remove my reg with my right). Seems to work well, except that I have to hold my breath for a few seconds after exhaling into the SMB.
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