No crotch strap??

[c6six]

I took my dry suit class this past weekend it was awesome. 50 degree water and the woman didn't even get cold. The class was given by the instructor that I would be taking tech classes from at my lds. He said that I should loose my crotch strap. I guess it is easier to shut off your valves by pulling the release on the harness, so the tank bottoms can move away from you, and the valves get closer (you may have to grab and pull on a hose). Apparently you can also use an underwater scooter w/ no problems, which was one of my first questions for him. Any thoughts on this??

 

[Rainer]

Yeah, find a new instructor.

 

[Thalassamania]

A crotch strap is essential for scootering or high entries, otherwise, feel free to loose it and/or your instructor who does not appear to have done much of either.

 

[JeffG]

Yeah, find a new instructor.

LOL Unfortunately true, but still funny.

 

[redacted]

I don't use a crouch strap with my plate but I do not scooter.

 

[LVX]

Yeah, find a new instructor.

agreed, they obviously don't understand.

 

[BarryNL]

I took my dry suit class this past weekend it was awesome. 50 degree water and the woman didn't even get cold. The class was given by the instructor that I would be taking tech classes from at my lds. He said that I should loose my crotch strap. I guess it is easier to shut off your valves by pulling the release on the harness, so the tank bottoms can move away from you, and the valves get closer (you may have to grab and pull on a hose). Apparently you can also use an underwater scooter w/ no problems, which was one of my first questions for him. Any thoughts on this??

Yeah, put the instructor in a set of steel doubles without a crotch strap and hang him upside down in the water. He will then become enlightened.

 

[texdiveguy]

Yeah, find a new instructor.

Yep......good advise based on the OP's statement of events.

 

[Thalassamania]

I don't use a crouch strap with my plate but I do not scooter.

And I don't use a crotch strap with my scooter ... but it's a monstrous old Farallon MK-6 with a crotch bar.

 

[Flightlead]

He said that I should loose my crotch strap. I guess it is easier to shut off your valves by pulling the release on the harness, so the tank bottoms can move away from you, and the valves get closer (you may have to grab and pull on a hose).

so open the buckle on your waist.

I would not try and dive doubles w/o a crotch strap, you'll loose your tanks if you go head down, or at least they will be way out of position on you.

I struggled a lot with my valve shutdowns. now, after finding an instructor willing to invest a little more time in me I found the solution was to actually tighten up my harness. With the harness loose my tanks would make their way so far down my back that I could not reach them.

just practice, you'll get it in time. stay horizontal or head down in the water and arch your back. pull up on the manifold. I would not recommend pulling on a hose, as that might have disastrous consequences.