Long hose in panic situation?

[voidware]

I breathe a 7' hose. But in crossing over from my lifeguarding skills, I've realized that a 7' and bungeed backup may become a risk in a panic situation. 1st, the seven foot presents a much longer area for a panicing diver to grab on to, and 2nd, if one's bungeed backup is not "breakable" then that could pose a stangling risk. What do you guys think about this? How does anyone overcome these problems?

brandon

 

[Ontario Diver]

Good points...

I think that with 7' of hose, you'll still be safer fom a panicky diver that with just three. (Remember the hose is wrapped around your body or secured in some other manner - so it comes under your arm and can give you some space from the diver. )

As for the bungied seconday, I was shown how to make it a breakaway - for just such a contingency.

I'm still learning all of this so probably there are others who can add to this.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Several issues you need to consider but not confuse....

If you are diving with a panic prone individual then you should be shallow and well within NDL.

If you are diving with a buddy and do not regularly practice shared air ascents then you should be shallow and well within the NDL.

The necklace can be rigged as a break away if you are diving with some one who is unreliable and/or inexperienced and of course you will be shallow and well within the NDL.

The long hose will allow you to keep some distance between you and your panic stricken OOA which will lessen the possibility of them dragging you to the surface... and of course you will be shallow and well within the NDL.

I do not want a panic stricken OOA getting close enough to me to grab my backup... I will give them my long hose and when they calm down we can proceed to the surface. If they chose to bolt, a simple sharp tug on the long hose lets them go without me. Of course we would be shallow and well within the NDL.

Shane and I practice shared air ascents and find that the long hose lets us each control our ascent without throwing the other off.

I have a new dive buddy that is just learning the long hose and each time we practice the OOA his first instinct is to grab for my harness strap as well... he is getting tired of me punching him and will soon learn that it is not aceptable behavior.

 

[VTWarrenG]

voidware...

The 7' hose is not easier to grab than a 3' hose, unless you've got it hanging out everywhere, which is a huge no-no.

Besides, you WANT the OOA diver to grab your long hose. The long hose sits on top of all over hoses and gear, and is deployed simply by tilting your head down. A panicked diver who is kicking frantically can be easily pushed away on a 7' hose. Of course, the 7' hose does not solve every conceivable problem, but it solves a lot more than does the 3' hose. The 7' is much less of a risk to the donor than the 3' hose, despite its "larger area to grab onto."

The backup necklace is not any kind of a strangulation hazard. It's on shock cord that probably stretches to three or four times its relaxed length. Your buddy, or other agent of menace, will have to be pulling at your backup reg, from behind you, with some rediculous amount of force to choke you. Even then, you'll have several minutes to decide what to do about it. The easy answer is to remove your knife (since it's readily available, right?) and cut the shock cord, or simply stab the offending buddy or agent of menace. You should certainly be able to do this before passing out from asphyxiation.

Most people use a ziptie and some stopper knots to afix the shock cord to their regulator mouthpiece. I'd be willing to bet my life that your reg's mouthpiece will simply come off under the amount of force necessary to choke you. If you're really that unrealistically paranoid about being choked by your necklace, affix your shock cord with a rubber o-ring and a bowline knot. Give it a sharp tug, and it'll break right off.

- Warren

 

[Lost Yooper]

I have my bungie attached with the mouth piece zip tie. UP is right, if you're diving with someone unpredictable, keep it shallow and easy. If you see someone going for your backup, stiff arm them right in the mouth with your long hose reg .



Mike

 

[The Chairman]

Uncle Pug... Good points, humorously made!

 

[Green_Manelishi]

If you are diving with someone who is unpredictable you have
violated rule #1.

As for the necklaced second I am not so stupid as to place
something around my neck (other than a tie) than can be
used to strangle me.

'Course, when I am wearing a tie I am also carrying a sharp knife: first the tie is cut and then ....

 

[pipedope]

Wrong order.
If someone is trying to strangle you with your tie and you have a sharp knife then you should kill them first. Try to do it so that you don't get their blood on your tie, no need to ruin your day and your tie at the same time.

If you cut the tie first now the person is warned that you have a knife and will fight. You want them to be no threat to you before they know you have a weapon.

Never threaten anyone. A weaker person will try to kill you and you must fight. A stronger person will ignore you and you have accomplished nothing.

michael

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I cut the tie first: the connection to my neck is now "gone".

I then, if my attacker is goofy enough to press the attack,
disable my attacker from the extremities inward. Besides,
MOST people, of any size, are not keen on attacking or con-
tiniung to attack, someone armed and willing to use the
weapon.

"think twice. cut once"... Chris Reeves

 

[Uncle Pug]

Wear a breakaway tie....