But you do teach both primary and alternate donate, right?
My own equipment not allowed for Open Water class?
- Thread starter Horgh
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Correct, with proper equipment ie a necklace secondary.
MichaelMc
Working toward Cenotes
That could apply to any piece of gear. Not that I think Air2 are a good idea, from the dual function aspect. But that has been well hashed in other threads.
Batter up!
To answer another question.
Would I teach someone who is using a hogiragen, DIR, continuous webbing bpw, yes but it would have to be a private class or a small one with everyone using that style, for the above mentioned reasons.
Would I teach someone who is using a hogiragen, DIR, continuous webbing bpw, yes but it would have to be a private class or a small one with everyone using that style, for the above mentioned reasons.
Boarderguy
Chief Narctopus Wrangler
Say what you will but I like mine. Anything on your rig should be maintained and tested regularly. That includes pre-dive checks and breathing off each reg (primary, octo/air 2, pony). If it breathes rough then get it serviced. It isn't ever going to be super smooth, but it is more than good enough to get you to the surface. If you must dump air then take the reg out, blow bubbles, dump air, breathe again... to each their own.
Your assuming that when sharing gas with an OOG diver, it is going to be a smooth operation. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't'. For the latter, an Air2 is not going to be a good time. Former, no problem.
SlugLife
Contributor
Open Water is the beginner "101 level" intro course to Scuba. It's true that a lot of additional equipment, like a 7ft hose, pony bottle, air-2, full-face-mask, etc isn't that hard to learn with some practice and basic info. However, each of these pieces of equipment are outside the curriculum or diver's previous experience (which is zero).
I showed up to Advanced Open Water with a 7ft hose, and the instructor looked at me funny, until I showed him I already knew how to correctly route the hose, air-share, and use it. Yes, you can learn much of this on your own, though online tutorials and practice. That includes how to properly use an Air2, which ideally you practice well before an emergency.
However, keep in mind, these Open Water students have zero meaningful previous training or experience, beyond random stuff they encountered online (of questionable accuracy) or on rare occasions, a brief "try scuba" in a pool. There's almost zero chance the Open Water diver knows how to use this equipment, unless they've been diving without a cert.
One skill I distinctly remember form Open Water, that we practiced was doing an OOA drill, with ascent to the surface. Is your open-water student, who hasn't even mastered the basic skills (buoyancy, air-share, etc) yet, going to be able to manage an Air2? I guess it's possible, but it's also likely going to be far more frustrating. What about air-share with the 7ft hose. Ok, so maybe they can equip it, and maybe they can deploy it, but what about putting it back underwater, when they end up a tangled mess? Even as an experienced scuba-diver, it took me a bit of practice to be able to reliably re-stow the 7ft hose correctly underwater.
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edit: I'm not an instructor, but if an Open Water student showed up to a class with a 7ft hose, I might let them use the regulator, but would replace the hose for the duration of the class.
This is something I've struggled with a bit as an instructor. In my personal diving, I prefer long hose donation, but when I teach OW, I teach my students in a standard rec configuration. I'd love a world where DIN valves and long hoses were the norm, but for the average OW diver, they aren't ever going to use or encounter a long hose. I have come down on the side of training my students the way they are going to be equipped.
That being said, if I had a student show up and ask to learn that way, I'd happily accommodate. There's a little more work for me, but at the end of the day, a long hose isn't hard to master, and regardless of what I'm using; if you spit out your regulator underwater, you are going to find my primary being shoved into your mouth.
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