Juggling computer and inflator hose

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Is that the only dump you have? No right shoulder dump?
 
Charlie99:
Why are you "constantly juggling the computer and the inflator hose"?

Staring at a computer to judge ascent rate is IMO the hard way to do it. Pick out some floating gunk in the water and use that to judge your instantaneous ascent rate. Occasionally look at your computer to see if the depth and time match up with where you what to be at that time.

In the same way, you shouldn't have to be continuously dumping air. Use your lungs for fine control, and you just need to dump a few times on the way up.

Better technique would eliminate the need for changing gear configuration.

Easy to say in Hawaii when there's not a whole lot of suit compression, but in other parts of the world, lungs simply aren't enough, and we need to use the BC for the purpose for which it was intended: to compensate for bouyancy changes.
 
gt3073b:
Here's one of those things that just felt dumb one day and has bothered me since.

On ascent, I'm constantly juggling the computer and the inflator hose. My solution has been to pull the computer (Suunto Cobra) and hose across my chest and hold it with my right hand and hold the inflator hose with my left hand.
It works, but it just feels awkward:confused:. What is the best technique for this?


Same here. Its kinda a pain, but I guess I got used to it. A wrist-mounted computer would probably feel more natural.
 
all4scuba05:
Is that the only dump you have? No right shoulder dump?

Personally I have a lot more finesse using the inflator dump while making a slow ascent. If I vent too much recovery is handy too. My shoulder dumps vent fast.

To the OP....

I have changed my HP hose to a 42 inch to give me a nice view on my compass and I have no trouble tossing the console to my right hand and managng buoyancy with my left during horizontal or vertical ascents. The console is on a short bungee bolt snapped to my left shoulder D ring.

Pete
 
spectrum:
Personally I have a lot more finesse using the inflator dump while making a slow ascent. If I vent too much recovery is handy too. My shoulder dumps vent fast.

To the OP....

I have changed my HP hose to a 42 inch to give me a nice view on my compass and I have no trouble tossing the console to my right hand and managng buoyancy with my left during horizontal or vertical ascents. The console is on a short bungee bolt snapped to my left shoulder D ring.

Pete

Now add a light to the mix. The whole thing with the consol or computer on a hose thing is that you just run out of hands eventually. If you aren't determined to use an air integrated computer, there just isn't anything about a computer or depth guage that would necessitate placing it on the end of a hose.

Needless to say I'm in the "put it on your wrist" crowd. When you do so, you can put the SPG on a shorter hose that makes for a neater more streamline setup.
 
If he switched the computer to his right couldn't he just get a combo octo/inflator and eliminate the octo hose?
 
spectrum:
Personally I have a lot more finesse using the inflator dump while making a slow ascent. If I vent too much recovery is handy too. My shoulder dumps vent fast.

I only use my power inflator for putting air into my jacket - I use the pull dump on my right shoulder or the pull dump on my rear right hand side to vent any air, depending on my position in the water. Once you've got the knack, you can vent as little or as much as you want with no trouble, and that removes the problem of juggling computer and inflator.

Or as others have said, just put the computer on the other side of your first stage so it is mounted on the right. Problem solved...

Mark
 
Thank you all for the responses! After reading them, I believe that a quick description of my setup and conditions would help.

I dive with a 7mm wetsuit, hooded vest (making the alarm VERY hard to hear), and gloves at Bluestone Quarry or off the NC/SC coast. Since the dives are rather deep, wetsuit compression is a factor, and breath control helps but doesn't eliminate venting my wing (which has no shoulder vent). I have a 7' hose and bungied backup, so moving the hp hose and computer to the right side might cause problems when clipping it off.

Its good to see that my observation is neither unique nor due to an extraordinary lack of coordination. It also appears that there are lots of ways to fix it.

Thanks for all the great advice,
Bryan.
 
stevead:
Easy to say in Hawaii when there's not a whole lot of suit compression, but in other parts of the world, lungs simply aren't enough, and we need to use the BC for the purpose for which it was intended: to compensate for bouyancy changes.
But you still don't have to continuously adjust. Although this morning's dive was in a full 5mm wetsuit, I have used 7mm full with 7mm jacket and still didn't find a need to continously hang onto either my inflator or pull dump.

I suspect that the orignal poster is making life more difficult that it need be by trying to continuously use the computer ascent rate indicator to control his ascent. It's much easier, both in clear water and in low vis to use the stuff in the water for instantaneous feedback, and the depth gauge just occasionally to verify depth.
 

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