How to properly attach gear for streamlining?

[DevonDiver]

And when was the last time you died from one of these??................That's what I thought......

Well, had to cut myself away from ****ty net-covered wrecks on several occasions before...and that was without covering myself in silly open-sided, uncontrollable clips.

I'd have thought that giving advice on these forums should be with the intention of making divers safer...not exposing them to additional, unwarranted dangers.

 

[vladimir]

Devon's got the right idea, I think, and he looks pretty sleek. Just to nitpick a little, Devon, you could shorten your corrugated hose quite a bit and maybe your regulator hose as well.

 

[jefffalcone]

Since the OP stated that he was as green as green can be, I thought someone might explain why "suicide clips" are bad. Caribeener style clips are designed such that any line or rope can easily slide into the clip, but the clip needs to be manipulated to release a line or rope. This is great for climbing, but bad for diving. They are an entanglement waiting to happen. While it can be argued that it is unlikely that you won't have the presence of mind to release the clip if you become entangled, who knows how you will react when task loaded and in an emergency situation. Better safe than sorry. A bolt snap will accomplish the exact same thing as a caribeener w/o nearly as much risk of entanglement.

 

[DevonDiver]

Devon's got the right idea, I think, and he looks pretty sleek. Just to nitpick a little, Devon, you could shorten your corrugated hose quite a bit and maybe your regulator hose as well.

I'm working on reg options at the moment... would like to run a long hose configuration with my single tank...but this would cause me probs with teaching OOA for recreational courses. Hoh hum..... trying to consolidate what I want to have, with what I am 'supposed to have'. Grrrrrr. No problems with twinset config tho...that's sweet.

The corrugated hose is standard Halcyon...shorter than any other hose I've used on a bcd or wing...it just looks whoppingly large in this photo (a case of perspective)?

 

[DevonDiver]

Another photo illustrating how efficiently gear can be stowed on a diver.
I am still equipped with reel, dsmb, knife, slates and torch...everything a diver could need.

hmmm...can't seem to attach any photo links at the moment !?!?!

 

[Casarez]

One way that I spot inexperienced divers is if they look like walking Christmas Trees... i.e. a multitude of gear hanging off every available d-ring.

There are a number of issues with this..

1. You are less streamlined...finning is harder....you breathe your air quicker.

2. You are more likely to get snagged in any entanglements (fishing line, nets, kelp etc)


3. You will be more task loaded in an emergency.

4. Ditching your gear in an emergency will be hampered.

It is a common trend with modern bcds to provide an enormous amount of D-Rings in every conceivable location. These are unnecessary and encourage newbies to collect an enormous amount of superfluous crap and then hang it off themselves for every dive.

Part of the reason I am posting is to find out if all this is needed. I also only have what was required by my LDS for the training I am doing.

Firstly...ask yourself what you REALLY need for every dive. A torch? maybe, depending on depth and conditions. DSMB and reel...sure, but make them small. Slates? maybe. Knife? Sure ..a small,sharp one with line cutter.

Not sure if I have a DSMB. I have a 6' safety sausage but from the decription of DSMB I do not think they are the same. I bought a small (3-4") Deepsee knife which attaches to my BC via gromets.

Some tips;

1. Attach all of your kit and consoles to decent marine grade stainless steel BOLT CLIPS (piston design). This allows them to be clipped securely where you need them and to be removed quickly. Attach the kit to the clips with a little bit of cave line (the same line you have on your reel), with a cave knot (do a google search for instructions). Simple and effective...but you can cut kit free in an emergency (i.e. if tangled up). STAY AWAY FROM SUICIDE CLIPS...especially if you ever intend to wreck dive. I, personally, wouldn't let a diver near a wreck with those silly open-sided things....

Hmm, my clips for my octopus and console and plastic clips. Although I am considering removing the octopus one and going to the bungee method mentioned above. I will look into making a console attachment using what you said though.

2. Put some loops of bungee cord into your BCD pockets. This means you can stow everything in your pockets by clipping it to the cord. To get at your stuff underwater, just pull out the whole loop, select the kit you need and then stuff the loop (and other kit) back into your pocket. You can store lots in your pockets (assuming the bcd manufacturer spent some time designing decent pockets and not just covering the bcd with silly d-rings) and won't lose anything valuable this way.

I like this idea since I hated the thought of everything dangling off of me.

3. Choose smaller gear. i.e. use a finger reel of appropriate length, rather than a huge plastic reel. Use a small size DSMB (i.e. Halcyon 3 footer with oral inflate). Choose a small, sharp bladed knife...not some hairy chested Ex-Navy Seal demi-sword. Choose a small, LED torch that can run for hours from 2x AA batteries...not some plastic monster that needs 4x D cells to power a weak bulb for 30 mins.

I will have to look into the DSMB and torch since the lights I got were the ones recommended to me. I already got the small knife so no worries there.

4. Mount your gauges on your wrist, not in a console. i.e. get a dive computer when you can...and reduce your console to carrying only your SPG. Get a shorter SPG (high pressure) hose, and clip the SPG to a d-ring on your left chest or left hip.

I have a dive computer but was carrying a depth gauge and SPG in the case the computer fails. I would have to ascend but I could keep diving using those, a timer, and my tables. Although maybe I should go to a SPG only and keep the dual console in a save a dive kit or something.

 

[Randy43068]

And when was the last time you died from one of these??................That's what I thought......

No reasonable mind would advocate the use of the clips in question. That my friend, is a statement of fact.

 

[Randy43068]

Another photo illustrating how efficiently gear can be stowed on a diver.
I am still equipped with reel, dsmb, knife, slates and torch...everything a diver could need.

hmmm...can't seem to attach any photo links at the moment !?!?!

Looking good Andy (first picture, second didn't post)

That inflator does look long in the pic, I though it might be Oxycheq. All of my "H" ones are short and the "O" ones are a little longer.

Thanks for showing the picture of how one can be a very "clean" diver.

 

[D_B]

I thought I would add that in my Knighthawks tiny BC pocket, I have a signal mirror, and small backup light (UK Mini Q40) .. along with the small BC knife attached to my inflator hose, a SMB, a Finger Spool, a whistle ... with this stuff securly stowed and always there, it's sure to be with me on every dive

 

[RJP]

I would like to run a long hose configuration with my single tank...but this would cause me probs with teaching OOA for recreational courses.

How so?