Long Hose Theory

[Ca_Ghost]

I've been reading about peple using 7' hoses rather than the standard hose and was curious why? Should a new diver such as myself get longer hoses to start with? I'm heading out this week to get my first reg / otco set and was curious about this.

Also does any one have pictures of how to setup such a long hose?

I also read about having the octo on a bungie. What is that and what does it look like?

 

[Cyclops_Diver]

Well, I'm no expert at explaining the details on how or why...but I dive the seven foot hose and necklaced backup. I find it makes handling an out of air diver situation much easier for me.

The long hose regulator system is based on the idea of donating the Primary regulator to an out of air diver rather than the octo. The idea is to donate the regulator that is known to be working. For me it's much easier and much faster to reach up and grab the primary and give it away, than to fumble tugging out or unclipping the octo to donate. The long hose makes any movement after donating such as an ascent, fixing problems, getting out of a cave or wreck, swimming back to the anchor line, much easier because you have the ability to get some distance from the diver you donated to. There isnt much room with just thirty inches or so between the two of you as with a standard reg setup.

The backup regulator is on a short (22" or so) hose and it is hung under your chin with a necklace of some sort. SOme divers make the necklace out of bungy cord, some use surgical tubing, some buy the rubber necklaces that come with a hole for the mouthpiece molded in it. Personally I make mine out of bungy. With this secondary reg right under your chin, you dont have to look for it when you donate the primary. It's right there. Some divers are set up so nicely that all they need do is drop their chin and they can get their mouth on the reg without using their hands!

With this setup, fumbling is pretty much eliminated. The way the long hose is routed around the body, all it takes is to slightly tilt your head forward when donating and the hose slips easily over the head. Some folks think initially that the hose is stored wrapped around your neck. This is NOT the case! What happens is that the hose comes off the first stage and down your back behind your right shoulder. Then it curves up under the right arm and across the chest. From there it goes over the left shoulder and behind your head to your mouth. The hose sits on the back of your neck and never makes a full circle around your neck. The excess length is handled by either tucking the loop made at your right hip under your can light if you have one there, or under a pocket if you have one, or as most do just tuck that loop under the waistband of your BC or BP/W. By adjusting how much of a loop you have tucked you can get the hose to ride comfortably.

I'm sure more knowledgable folks will reply soon...but theres something to chew on!

Also, dont hesitate to use the search feature up there at the right hand corner as this topic comes up very often.

This link points things out pretty clearly as well.
http://www.sfdj.com/hogarthian/shot4.jpg

Here's a photo too...probably more clear than my convoluted ramblings!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

A long hose works well for recreational diving although the full 7 feet is not needed. 5' works for small to average sized people and 6' works well for larger people. The hose is set up to route downward from the first stage, routes down behind the right shoulder, under the right arm, across the chest, over the top of the left shoulder and around back of your neck to the second stage.

When sharing air, you probably noticed that you have to stay very close to the donating diver and most of the time you end up holding the second stage in your mouth as the short hose has a tight bend in it and keeps feeling like it is about to get pulled out of your mouth.

With the long hose, that is not a problem as you have enough lenght for both of you to swim comfortably side by side and if you stay on the right side of the donating diver, there is no significant bend in the hose. Every recreational diver I have ever shared air with was impressed and wanted their own as it works so much better.

It also results in better streamlining as the second stage hose is not sticking out in a big loop over your right shoulder.

A bungeed octo is not required and in some cases may not be ideal for a recreational diver. It can interfere with a snorkel.

I am a bit of a rebel in this regard, but for recreational diving where you onyl have one first stage, I like to use an integrated inflator/Octo like the Air 2 or Tusa Duo Air. It allows you to stay with only three hoses which in turn lets you route everything straight down for a very clean hose configuration and avoids having hoses sticking out on both sides.

A backplate and wing is shown, but it works just as well with a jacket style or back inflate BC. The first pic shows a non swivel turreted first stage with a primary and an Air 2. The second shows the the same first stage with an octo and the downsides of hose routing that result. The third picture shows a swivel turret first stage with a octo showing the best way to route if you have an octo and a swivel turret equipped first stage. Keeping the octo hose as short as possible helps prevent it from sticking out past your shoulder.

 

[Peter_C]

I will inject "My personal opinions", and as such take them for what you will. I dive in the same conditions you dive, and in the same places you dive. After having dove a long hose I can not imagine ever going to another system. The benefits far out way any negatives that could arise.

My regs are SP MK25 first stages with SP S600 regs. I like the adjustable regs since they can be detuned to prevent free flows yet opened up when in use for an easy breathing reg. My gal uses the same configuration except with Apeks regs. We both started on a 5 foot hose, but having a can light for signaling and finding fun stuff to see allows us to tuck a 7 footer under the can light. Since then I have passed my 5 footer onto a friend. A 7 foot hose can be stowed in the right side harness for those not using a can light, or looped under a sheath for a pair of shears or a knife sheath mounted on the right hip. Knife really should be mounted in the center of the harness. The longer hose is much more streamlined and therefore does not catch on the kelp knocking your regulator out of your mouth or at least torquing it sideways. Also makes it harder for someone to kick or flick with their hand out of your mouth. So +1 on keeping the reg in your mouth. The bungee backup is always where it should be so no matter what, you will have access to it in an instant. +2 on a long hose bungeed backup configuration. With an octo it can easily be pulled loose and trail behind. I have dove with one of my friends (Who happens to be an instructor), and had to let him know it was trailing behind him. -1 on octos. By the way he now bungees his backup and teaches his students both ways. He also teaches in a BP/W.

It is a fact that often a panicked diver will "take" the reg that is blowing bubbles out of their buddies mouth before going for their buddies octo. Panicked diver When doing air shares the long hose allows enough distance between buddies to stay in the prone position and complete any necessary deco or at least control buoyancy and make a safe ascent to the surface. The out of air diver also receives known working regulator that is easy to breathe. There was just a post on this board of someone breathing off their octo at 80 feet to find it breathed too hard for comfort, so they just replaced theirs with a new reg. Why not save the money and get what you need to start with. -1 for crappy equipment. Quality counts when it comes to life support.

One benefit of Scubapro regs is pretty much anywhere in the world you can get parts and service for them. They also have the parts for life if you are not into servicing them yourself. There are many other great regs on the market too.

Back to my personal opinions...if you are still looking for some kind of BC give Tobin at DSS a call and have him explain why a BP/W is so superior to a jacket type BC. Most every one of my friends including myself have switched to a BP/W after trying one. I started in a Knighthawk BC and switched after 25 dives. Wished I would have saved the money and done it right in the first place, for less money. Deep Sea Supply aka DSS has great products with excellent customer service. I have many of his products but actually use another brands plates with both of my wings being from Oxycheq. Point being I am not affiliated with him, just have seen the happy customers around here and am one myself. Since navigation is important take a look at the DSS Suunto SK7 compass mount. It mounts the compass on the left wrist and will improve your navigation skills. The SK7 can be purchased from Leisure Pro as a module.

Since this setup is going a different direction a regular old pressure gauge might be in order. This is the one I would recommend on a 24" hose mounted on the left hip with a stainless clip. SPG

You can then get whatever brand computer or bottom timer you want mounted on your right wrist.

 

[Cyclops_Diver]

Super post DA and Peter.

Sums up my thoughts and views perfectly.

I couldnt clearly explain what I think about the configuration to my buddies at work whom I dive with. I could get the "How" but couldnt quite put the "why" into words right....but after they read this that will all change!

Thank you.

...End hijack...

 

[Ca_Ghost]

Thanks for the info. I'm headed down this week to get my BPwW, reg, octo and computer (I posted another thread about it but so far no replies). I'll ask about going with a 7' hose from the get go.

I can't wait, after this week all I need is a wetsuit (Looking at the Pinnacle Cruiser) and I'm set for the Channel Islands in September.


PS now to figure out the can light

 

[Cyclops_Diver]

Thanks for the info. I'm headed down this week to get my BPwW, reg, octo and computer (I posted another thread about it but so far no replies). I'll ask about going with a 7' hose from the get go.

I can't wait, after this week all I need is a wetsuit (Looking at the Pinnacle Cruiser) and I'm set for the Channel Islands in September.


PS now to figure out the can light

Hint: Salvo Lighting systems.