open water hose length

[CharleyT]

Great set of photos, thanks! OK, another question if I may. The setup appears to be based on the "donate the primary, breathe the secondary" school of thought. That being the case, when you donate the primary, which appears to be wrapped around your neck, do you spin around, or lift it over your head to donate? I've heard it mentioned in the past that at least some people like this method as a panic diver may be more apt to "take" your primary vs. waiting for a safe second. Just made me wonder how you would keep from being strangled by the hose in that case.

Maybe I need to not replace my Apeks SS with one of the newer models and look at going this route.

Charley

 

[Soggy]

Great set of photos, thanks! OK, another question if I may. The setup appears to be based on the "donate the primary, breathe the secondary" school of thought. That being the case, when you donate the primary, which appears to be wrapped around your neck, do you spin around, or lift it over your head to donate? I've heard it mentioned in the past that at least some people like this method as a panic diver may be more apt to "take" your primary vs. waiting for a safe second. Just made me wonder how you would keep from being strangled by the hose in that case.

Yes, the primary regulator is on a long hose and is routed down your back, under a canister at your hip, (or tucked in) across your chest, behind your neck and into your mouth. It is donated by ducking your head down and passing it to the OOA diver. Unless a diver comes up from behind you and to the left, there is no possible way you could get "strangled." This would be the same situation with a traditional octo, too.

Your backup regulator is on a very short (22"-24") LP hose and is around your neck on a bungee-cord necklace. It is for you only. Since it's around your neck, you can never lose it, unless by-chance a shark comes and bites your head off.

 

[CharleyT]

Yes, the primary regulator is on a long hose and is routed down your back, under a canister at your hip, (or tucked in) across your chest, behind your neck and into your mouth. It is donated by ducking your head down and passing it to the OOA diver. Unless a diver comes up from behind you and to the left, there is no possible way you could get "strangled." This would be the same situation with a traditional octo, too.

OK, that makes sense. Thanks gang.. Appreciate you answering questions so readily. Might be something I ask Santa for (a longer hose).

Charley

 

[Soggy]

OK, that makes sense. Thanks gang.. Appreciate you answering questions so readily. Might be something I ask Santa for (a longer hose).

Charley

Check out

www.extreme-exposure.com
www.5thd-x.com

for all your DIR needs.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Since it's around your neck, you can never lose it, unless by-chance a shark comes and bites your head off.

Of course, if you are DIR, your buddy will be right there with a backup Head to replace the one you just lost.

 

[kidspot]

" . . . unless by-chance a shark comes and bites your head off."

So was he going for the primary in your mouth because he was panicking? and what are propper oog drills for sharing with a shark?

j/k

I tried a 5' hose on my last cert dive, it routed a lot better than the 40" I had been using. On my first post cert dive I switched to a 7' tucked into belt - both worked well, but I'll be sticking with the 7' as it will not need changing in the future.

Compared to the short hose config I was in for most of my cert dives the long hose was MUCH more comfortable and the process of donating by lifting the hose over my head didn't present any trouble. The opposite was true for my friend who was going the other way (long hose to short hose/air II) he had gotten used to the backup under his neck and when doing his first OOA drill he tried putting his [gasp] snorkel into his mouth and breathing instead of his backup (now on his inflator hose). To his credit he did not panic. . .

As far as the comfort issue - the long hose gave me much more freedom of movement in my neck so I could look around much more easily. The short hose kept tugging the reg out of my mouth.

I know you only asked about a 5vs7 but I figured I'd add the impressions of one very new diver on the hose issue

P.S. To our instructors credit he did not require us to have a snorkel - he recommended it, but did not use one himself and didn't make us - I assume my friend will be getting rid of his, now that he is going back to the long hose again.

 

[WJL]

Might be something I ask Santa for (a longer hose).

This item is on many Christmas lists. Even non-divers.

 

[Soggy]

P.S. To our instructors credit he did not require us to have a snorkel - he recommended it, but did not use one himself and didn't make us - I assume my friend will be getting rid of his, now that he is going back to the long hose again.

Yeah, a snorkel is a real hazard when diving with a long hose configuration. If you doh't rip your own mask off when donating gas to your buddy, thus escalating an already bad situation, you'll probably grab your snorkel instead of your backup reg and inhale a mouthful of saltwater then panic.

 

[Nomaster]

Can I accept the absence of any mention of a 9' hose as indication it is unnecessary? I have considered that moving through tight doors and narrow passages, that a 9' might come in handy.
Also, can I take it that a long hose, short hose configuration is the only way to go (I don't like the idea of two short hoses); I mean, not a good idea to have two long hoses. I can imagine tangling and mix-up issues, but I may not be seeing the whole picture since it's something I haven't studied yet.

This is an edit, but this is one of those often times that there is no edit button.

Tom

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

For those who are asking the questions, I would recommend diving with someone who is using the configuration. There are right and wrong ways of using this configuration ... and even simple things like the importance of clipping off your primary when not in use can get overlooked (I've actually seen someone dragging it down the beach as he approached the water).

It's great to ask the questions in here ... but there's no substitute for a demonstration.

Most importantly, please don't take a long-hose configuration into open water without first having gone through, and practiced, a few dry-land OOA exchanges. They're different than what you learned in OW, and there are a couple of easily-avoided "gotchya" situations you need to be aware of.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)