My first double hose dive

[Scotttyd]

So I jumped into the world (or at least stuck my toe into it) with my first double hose dive down in Bonaire, courtesy of Herman's pheonix. After a short lesson, off into the waters at Bari Reef.

For the first five minutes or so I was thinking to myself, "Why the H*&@ does anyone dive this way" I was used to taking quick inhalations and slow exhalations, often with my head in the sand taking pictures. After I learned to take a long slow inhalation, and breath out slowly, things went much much better. I also quickly learned how a variation in your body position made a huge difference in how the reg breathes.

I quickly learned that when I felt a tad short of breath, I would roll over onto my side, or go vertical and I would get an easy breath. But after I relaxed and took long, slow, deep breathes, I was fine and my SAC rate was pretty comparable to my single hose rig. I even tested it by going to 80 feet and did not notice a difference in performance.

I am gonna get a couple a dives in at the quarry and then decide if I want to make the purchase.

Hopefully Herman can post a pic of the three double hose regs in the water at Bonaire at the same time.

 

[Akimbo]

It is interesting how you can get used to most anything. Reading some things in print and on the Web you would think you will die if you don’t use a modern $800+ regulator serviced at least once a year.

The main reason I switched to single hose is because the double hoses themselves are comparatively delicate. Breathing was fine.

 

[herman]

Happy to do so. I was going to put them in a trip report but here is good too.

Scotty in my Phoenix

A sight that has not been seen on Bonaire in at least 40 years, 3 DH regs diving together. Scotty, myself (both in Phoenixs) and Emilio Largo (aka rob) from VDH diving a Faux Voit Blue 50 fathom.

And another one of Scotty and myself .

 

[duckbill]

Glad you gave it a go.

I always take deep, quick inhalations and loooooooong, slow exhalations with all my regulators, and it works just fine with my double hosers. I do this to maximize my SAC, but natural buoyancy control using that method just doesn't happen.

"Delicate"? I assume you are refering to the hoses, which aren't all that delicate. But, the innards of my double hose are far more stout than most single hose regs I've seen, and can go for eons without needing serivce compared to a tuning-sensitive single hose reg. JMO.

 

[captain]

I would call a plastic 2n stage delicate, nothing delicate about an all brass two hose.

 

[aquaregia]

That looks so cool! Hope I get a chance to try one someday!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I think an old and weather checked hose on a DH reg would qualify as delicate.

However to be fair, a new rubber hose or the current EPDM and silcone reproductions all seem to be more than durable enough for years of service. I think the oldest reproduction hoses I have are now pushing 6 or 7 years of age with no signs of deterioration.

-----

How I breathe depends on the reg. A DW Mistral for example rewards a long slow inhalation while there is no real benefit to that with a DA, RAM or PRAM.

Body position is important but the "biggies" in my opinion are to get the can mounted low enough on your back and keeping it as close to your back as possible as both are needed to allow you to get great inhalation performnance with a fairly neutral trim angle.


I also tend to cheat and use a horse collar BC when vintage diving, or use a back mounted wing when doing real diving with one of my PRAMs. You have about 5 pounds of swing weight in your lungs and you can use that to maintain very good buoyancy control during the dive, but it poses some finite limits that are easily avoided with a BC. There are purists out there who will disagree, but the irony is that you often see those same purists using a dive computer, so what ever point they are trying to make is lost.

 

[herman]

I resemble that remark DA
The BP I was using in the photos is a Zeagle Express Tech with the wing removed and I do have a computer on. I weight for 1500 psi so my swing is limited to around 2 lbs +/- and is very easy to manage. If I am diving off shore or cold then I keep the wing on but otherwise I have no need for it.

aquaregia, if you are ever in my area, drop me a PM. I will be happy to put you in a DH reg.

 

[captain]

I think an old and weather checked hose on a DH reg would qualify as delicate.

However to be fair, a new rubber hose or the current EPDM and silcone reproductions all seem to be more than durable enough for years of service. I think the oldest reproduction hoses I have are now pushing 6 or 7 years of age with no signs of deterioration.

-----

How I breathe depends on the reg. A DW Mistral for example rewards a long slow inhalation while there is no real benefit to that with a DA, RAM or PRAM.

Body position is important but the "biggies" in my opinion are to get the can mounted low enough on your back and keeping it as close to your back as possible as both are needed to allow you to get great inhalation performnance with a fairly neutral trim angle.


I also tend to cheat and use a horse collar BC when vintage diving, or use a back mounted wing when doing real diving with one of my PRAMs. You have about 5 pounds of swing weight in your lungs and you can use that to maintain very good buoyancy control during the dive, but it poses some finite limits that are easily avoided with a BC. There are purists out there who will disagree, but the irony is that you often see those same purists using a dive computer, so what ever point they are trying to make is lost.

DA, did you get the PM I sent you about a MK V issue.

 

[Nemrod]

I notice that divers who were trained on single hose and who have never been taught otherwise tend to "pant" whereas old schoolers tend to take long, slow inhalations and exhalations. N