Octo Help!!!

[scubaboy10]

just wondering if you should have a clip for for an octo and attach it to your bc or if its okay just on its own? also, just wondering how common a octo free flow is (from current or mouthpiece position etc. ) is there any way to prevent an octo free flow?
as you can probably tell im a new diver

thanks

 

[bane51031]

You want to have the octo secured to the bcd, like you learned in class in the body triangle so you and your buddies know where it is located. Also you want to have octo secured as well as the rest of your gear attached and streamlined to be more efficent and to prevent harm to the enviroment as well as to protect your gear.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

I second securing your octo, not only for the safety of your OOA buddy, but also because a trailing octo or console or whatever can kill coral or harm visibility by trailing in sand/silt/whatever. (Gritty bits in your octo can interfere with good operation, too.). There are several styles of octo-stower hardware available for sale at your LDS (I have attached an example to this post).

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I keep mine on a bungee around my neck. It hangs just under my chin, where I can reach it with my mouth if necessary. It never drags in the sand, never gets lost or comes out of a clip and if it ever free flowed I would know in an instant. If a diver came up to me out of air I would donate my primary reg, as I know it's working, then grab my octo for myself.

 

[ColinB]

I would agree about clipping your octo in the triangle or using a bungee necklace, since you want it where you or your buddy can find it easily, and you definitely don't want to let it drag on the bottom. As far as free flowing, octos are often set to have a harder inhalation effort to help minimize the potential. Your local dive shop can probably adjust this for you unless your reg has a dial on it for you to make adjustments yourself.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I have mine on a clip that also has a velcro link to allow someone that needs it to pull on it and they have it in their hand.

Not too far off subject but I always use a genaric medium sized mouth piece on the octo so the majority of people can use it.

 

[Greendiver]

Scubaboy10-
I am also a fairly new diver (or new to diving) and I believed most of the above suggestions on placement are great. You should not let it hang, a hazard to you and others. Most divers will know to look in the "triangle" for the safe 2nd. Just be sure that the method of securing it can be simply released ( read pulled on ) when needed. And especially, review this info with your dive buddy pre-dive.
On your free flow you don't mention when but I suspect its when first entering the water. If so, simply have the mouthpiece pointed downward until it is submerged and you should be fine. (If this is the case, it is not a sign of a malfunction)

And finally, enjoy! Diving is one of the funnest things you can do.

 

[Mortis65]

I'm fairly new to diving, but I have my own setup for BCD and Reg. What I did was to pickup a 'scum-ball' a really nasty bright green ball that the mouthpiece of the octo fits in, and I wear that in my triangle, on my right side. Additionally, my octo is bright yellow, and the hose is bright yellow too.
I've never had to donate air outside of any practice, but the theory for me is that if it is bright and visible, they will grab it, or, if I know where it is I can hand it to them blindly. Further if they grab my primary, I'll know where it is to transfer to it.

So goes the theory anyway.

As for the free flow, I have that too when I'm on the surface just getting in. I find if I move the hose so that the mouth piece faces downwards this flow stops.

Enjoy your dives.

 

[Diver0001]

@scubaboy10: Your octopus should be secured to your BCD somewhere on the front of your chest between your neck and the bottom of your rib cage. There are three really important reasons for this: (1) it can't free flow without you noticing it. (2) it can't drag around on the bottom and get damaged or filled up with gunk and (3) Both your buddy -- but most importantly YOU -- will be able to find it easily.

Remember, your octopus is not only for your buddy. If something happens to your primary, like someone snatches it out of your mouth, then your own octopus is YOUR AAS too.... so it's really important that it's not just floating around.

Personally I do what MaxBottomtime does but that's a choice that involves a little re-thinking of the standard configuration and it involves donating the primary instead of the octopus if your buddy needs a regulator.

To avoid the octopus freeflowing, turn the venturi to the "-" setting and put it into the octopus holder with the mouthpiece pointed down.

R..

 

[diver 85]

In the old days, let her go-------in the new days, clip her off.....