OOA training/realities

[gfisher4792]

I was just reading some of the octo and OOA related threads, and I was wondering what OOA experiences others have been part of, witnessed, etc. More specifically, most training agencies have the buddy donate their octo reg to the OOA diver, whereas DIR and other experienced divers go with the donate the primary and breathe off the bungee necklace second. In real life situations, has anyone had their buddy/other diver grab your primary with little (or no) warning?

Or on perhaps a more embarrassing line, has anyone panicked and grabbed their buddy's primary out of their mouth?

 

[Charlie99]

gfisher4792 once bubbled...
I was just reading some of the octo and OOA related threads, and I was wondering what OOA experiences others have been part of, witnessed, etc. ....In real life situations, has anyone had their buddy/other diver grab your primary with little (or no) warning?

Or on perhaps a more embarrassing line, has anyone panicked and grabbed their buddy's primary out of their mouth?

I think you will find that LOW on air is much more common than truly 100% OUT of air.

In one case, the LOW on air diver, who was from the same boat but not my buddy, was pretty wide-eyed, excited, and low on air less than 15 minutes into a shallow night wreck dive, but he still signalled and I gave him my octo.

In the other LOA case, I was the tag-along 3rd with an existing buddy team. One of them was at 800psi at 110' in the hold of Aldolphus Busch, when our agreed upon plan was a nice conservative 1100 at the maindeck upline attachment point. After we swam back to the upline, they used an octo to share air during the ascent and stops while I just hung right below them and observed. Both had enough air to to independently swim over to the boat after the 15' safety stop.

 

[daylight]

gfisher4792,
Been through both OOA and LOA. The OOA diver is going to get a reg for sure. The training simulates a much calmer OOA than reality. One that I observed ended a couples engagement but they both survived.
Donating the active primary is the way to go.
Dive Safe,
Larry