How many of u use a snorkel ?

[Doof]

I actually had an Air Source a while back. But I also had an underarm primary (Sherwood Maximus) that I had stuck on a longer hose, so it wasn't as bad to share with somebody as an over the shoulder reg. Although the Air Source was great for manually inflating your BC (no switching regs!) it wasn't all that great for air sharing, since, as you surface you need to keep taking the reg out of your mouth to purge air! But at least I didn't have that damn snorkle (or as we call it around here, the Tube) to get in the way.

I've since replaced it with a standard octo, and even more recently just purchased a pair of Apeks ATX-200's and a 7' hose to use during cave training and for when I start diving doubles this summer.

 

[cyklon_300]

BCS once bubbled...

I have never been somewhere diving and thought, "man, I wish I had my snorkel with me!" [/B]

Nope, me neither...plus, having something hanging off the side of your head is really a nuisance.

None of the divers I know use one.

 

[dc4bs]

BCS once bubbled...
Funny story ( or maybe not so funny...), I was teaching a rescue class and wanted to evaluate how the students handled another diver with an OOA. The two students I had in the water both had a BC inflator/backup reg combo (i.e DUOAIR, AIR II, Air Source,...etc) as that is what the Master Scuba Instructor/Master Pool Diver at the shop preaches.

I have been buddied with someone who has one of those %^&*! things.

When we were ready to ascend up the anchor line from about 80 fsw (second dive of the day), I turned to watch an instructor with students go up ahead of us. I turned back a few seconds later and my budy was gone!

I turned around 360 and looked overhead and could not find her anywhere.

All of a sudden I'm on top of a wreck all alone in 15-20 foot vis.

I'm thinking, OK, maybe she went to take a last look at something in the wreck or dropped something over the side and went to retrieve it?

I looked around for a minute or two but couldn't find her or any sign of bubbles (other than my own) and then began my own ascent, planning to skip my safety stop, to yell for help from the boat.

When I got to 15 fsw, the instructor ahead of us was just getting ready to take her class to the surface and signaled me to not skip my stop. She signaled that my buddy was already at the surface.

After my safety stop I found out that my buddy had added air to her BC to begin ascent (wrong procedure) and then tried to dump air by hitting the purge button on the air II. Since air was coming out of the valve she didn't realize she wasn't dumping air till she was in a fully out of controll "polaris missile" style ascent.

I later learned this is not the first time she's done this.

I have decided that I will not budy with anyone using one of those thing again. They are just accidents waiting to happen.

 

[ghosty_old]

I always dive with my snorkel. Never know when you come up and miss the boat. Long swim back. Would hope to have enough remaing air, but if no the snorkel sure does come in handy, especially in rough seas.

 

[Doof]

dc4bs once bubbled...

After my safety stop I found out that my buddy had added air to her BC to begin ascent (wrong procedure) and then tried to dump air by hitting the purge button on the air II. Since air was coming out of the valve she didn't realize she wasn't dumping air till she was in a fully out of controll "polaris missile" style ascent.

I later learned this is not the first time she's done this.

I have decided that I will not budy with anyone using one of those thing again. They are just accidents waiting to happen.

Well, like any piece of equipment, if you aren't familiar with it, you're going to run into problems. Strictly as an inflator hose, I liked the Air Source. I was able to operate it very easily by feel, and like I said, manual inflation was a breeze. When I switched back to a standard inflator, I was having a hell of a time finding the inflator button.

But as a secondary reg? Forget it. That thing developed a slight free flow that nobody could fix. Not me, or 3 different techs at the LDS.

 

[o2scuba]

dc4bs once bubbled...


I have been buddied with someone who has one of those %^&*! things.
"... and then tried to dump air by hitting the purge button on the air II. Since air was coming out of the valve she didn't realize she wasn't dumping air till she was in a fully out of controll "polaris missile" style ascent.

I later learned this is not the first time she's done this.

I have decided that I will not budy with anyone using one of those thing again. They are just accidents waiting to happen.

"

Doof,
This is a common mistake among divers during training. Generally people get the feel of it quickly. Some need to practice getting used to their equipment. Standing in a dark closet in full gear is good practice, just hope no one finds you there playing with your gear.

Also some people rent gear. corrigated bc hoses come in many lenghts and styles. Sometimes unfimiliarity is the problem.

Anyway if you look at my previous post on this thread, you may agree that there are some good reasons to wear a snork. It's personal choice.

Someone asked why would you want to wear one when entering a wreck? Well, many of us don't use them for wrecks, Ice, overhead environments, or other higher risk entanglement situations.

 

[o2scuba]

Sorry Doof,

my last post was meant to be directed to dc4bs.

Andrew

 

[sumo]

Just thought of ONE good reason for having a snorkel with you!

For those moments when Dolphins decide to come and play with whoever is in the water, (invariably when you have just finished your dive and got out of all you equpiment!)

A snorkel is then a handy item to grab with your mask and fins and jump straight back into the water to play with the Dolphins.

Maybe its not diving related - but when this situation comes round (as it did many times for me in the Red Sea) - beleve me, you would be cursing if you had left your trusty snorkel in your kit bag back on shore! :bonk:

 

[Pez de Diablo]

My snorkel hasn't been wet in years.

 

[dc4bs]

o2scuba once bubbled...
"Doof,
This is a common mistake among divers during training. Generally people get the feel of it quickly. Some need to practice getting used to their equipment. Standing in a dark closet in full gear is good practice, just hope no one finds you there playing with your gear.

Also some people rent gear. corrigated bc hoses come in many lenghts and styles. Sometimes unfimiliarity is the problem..

I suppose, but I know she's had the thing for quite some time. Several people, including DMs and instructors, have reccomended she switch back to a standard inflator but she just doesn't seem to want to listen. Or, barring that, to really learn to use it properly.