Question Practicing Out Of Air ascent: good idea, or bad idea ?

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Think it’s a waste of time. Repeatedly doing it in the same dive is a good way to jack up your ears, besides whatever else you could do to yourself even doing it once.

Going OOA is a Very Bad Thing. You shouldn’t prepare for it to happen. I’m cave trained. Running out of breathing gas in a cave means you’ve effed up in a major way. That mentality seems to be lacking among some recreational divers.
The reason I practice it is that I almost always dive solo and rarely below 30 feet these days. I don't look at it as a means of escaping an OOA situation, but as a means of getting up should an unlikely "catastrophic" equipment failure occur (ie. hose ruptures, reg doesn't free flow that one rare time, etc.).
I see no disadvantage having it in my tool box. Of course you never hold your breath, but that's a given.
I've never had an ear problem surfacing several times (CESA or not) from 20-30 feet to check location (and I usually do this on most dives). But, everyone's ears differ.
 
Touch your W/B buckle and orally inflate at the surface after each dive. Forget constant OOA ascents.
The reason I practice it is that I almost always dive solo and rarely below 30 feet these days. I don't look at it as a means of escaping an OOA situation, but as a means of getting up should an unlikely "catastrophic" equipment failure occur (ie. hose ruptures, reg doesn't free flow that one rare time, etc.).
I see no disadvantage having it in my tool box. Of course you never hold your breath, but that's a given.
I've never had an ear problem surfacing several times (CESA or not) from 20-30 feet to check location (and I usually do this on most dives). But, everyone's ears differ.
Very useful !

Thanks !

I imagine you probably have a 40 bottle also if you dive solo ? Do you use the same brand/model of regulator as your main one, or another completely different one ?
 
Touch your W/B buckle and orally inflate at the surface after each dive. Forget constant OOA ascents.

Hmm ... not sure what "touch wing backplate buckle" and "orally inflate at the surface" means exactly, in the context of this discussion. :)
 
Make it a poll: 95% of experienced divers will say it's not worth practicing this.

Instead get yourself a backup air source like a Al40 with its own reg and SPG & do a solo / self-reliant diver course. Then you are building further dive capabilities rather than screwing around doing sketchy stuff. 'OOA ascent' is never really considered a viable option.
 
Very useful !

Thanks !

I imagine you probably have a 40 bottle also if you dive solo ? Do you use the same brand/model of regulator as your main one, or another completely different one ?
I use my same set up as for say a 60-80 foot dive. An AL80 tank and standard reg. I own a small pony bottle but only have used it very rarely-- like with an unknown buddy or dives deeper than 60-80 feet. No need to fuss with attaching the pony for a 30 foot dive -- another reason for knowing you can do a CESA and get to the surface any time. Another thing I thought of is possible entanglement-- if you can remove the unit but not get it free you can just exhale and CESA without it. Then of course there is also OOA-- such as bad planning or not checking your air frequently enough at say 100 feet. My instructor for AOW said if that ever happens you do a CESA from there and pray you don't get the bands or worse.
You are foolish to let that happen but that still doesn't mean it is pointless to practice a CESA from shallow depths so you know you can do it if ever necessary.
 
Hmm ... not sure what "touch wing backplate buckle" and "orally inflate at the surface" means exactly, in the context of this discussion. :)
@Roger Hobden: Touch Weight Belt buckle to remind you to drop weight in an emergency. Orally inflate at the surface because you are pretending to be OOA and your wing inflator won't work...
 
@Roger Hobden: Touch Weight Belt buckle to remind you to drop weight in an emergency. Orally inflate at the surface because you are pretending to be OOA and your wing inflator won't work...
OK, thanks for the clarification. :)
 
I use my same set up as for say a 60-80 foot dive. An AL80 tank and standard reg. I own a small pony bottle but only have used it very rarely-- like with an unknown buddy or dives deeper than 60-80 feet. No need to fuss with attaching the pony for a 30 foot dive -- another reason for knowing you can do a CESA and get to the surface any time. Another thing I thought of is possible entanglement-- if you can remove the unit but not get it free you can just exhale and CESA without it. Then of course there is also OOA-- such as bad planning or not checking your air frequently enough at say 100 feet. My instructor for AOW said if that ever happens you do a CESA from there and pray you don't get the bands or worse.
You are foolish to let that happen but that still doesn't mean it is pointless to practice a CESA from shallow depths so you know you can do it if ever necessary.
Thanks for the clarification.
 
Make it a poll: 95% of experienced divers will say it's not worth practicing this.

Instead get yourself a backup air source like a Al40 with its own reg and SPG & do a solo / self-reliant diver course. Then you are building further dive capabilities rather than screwing around doing sketchy stuff. 'OOA ascent' is never really considered a viable option.
Thanks ! :)
 
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