Recreational divers, post your rig here, let's share good and bad ideas

[johndiver999]

I did exactly that when I was doing my solo checkout dive off the Australia liveaboard last month. Under the watchful eye of the DM I calmly and slowly removed my primary reg, laid it in my shoulder, reached down, took the pony reg and placed it in my mouth, then casually took a breath and got nothing. He probably noticed that my next move was to open the valve. Wasn't a big deal. Except for the mouthful of sea water as I neglected to purge or breathe out first.

This was my first open water dive with the bottle slung vs back mounted. In that orientation I always had the valve open.

If the tank was on, you would have had an issue. You would have inhaled the water instead of just getting it in your mouth. So did you fail to check the pressure before the dive or did it just leak out before you tried to use it?

 

[LI-er]

So did you fail to check the pressure before the dive or did it just leak out before you tried to use it?

Neither. I was diving with the valve off.

 

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

So, wait, some people are here saying the bolt style carabiners are dangerous? Can one of those people say why? I specifically picked that style after a dive shop owner warned me off the "suicide clip" style gated carabiners, so I thought I was being smart about it lol.

 

[LI-er]

So, wait, some people are here saying the bolt style carabiners are dangerous? Can one of those people say why? I specifically picked that style after a dive shop owner warned me off the "suicide clip" style gated carabiners, so I thought I was being smart about it lol.

You'll have to read back through the thread. You can search each page for the word "metal" to find those poses faster. It was news to me too. The idea is that you can't get free from an entanglement if there's a metal to metal connection involved.

 

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

@LI-er But it unscrews? Also, how is something going to snag in this manner inside a closed metal loop with a screwing bolt? I'm rather confused here. Like, I'm not being facetious, could someone explain this to me?

 

[johndiver999]

Neither. I was diving with the valve off.

Oh so you check the pressure, turn the tank off, purge the air out and dive with it. I understand now.

 

[LI-er]

@LI-er But it unscrews? Also, how is something going to snag in this manner inside a closed metal loop with a screwing bolt? I'm rather confused here. Like, I'm not being facetious, could someone explain this to me?

I'm with you. I don't get it either. I'm just relaying what I was told. I guess the thought is that if a piece of gear that is attached with a quick link gets hung up it would be difficult to get untangled. My reply was I'd just unclip the gear or cut the line I was snagged on. I was told I'm going to die. Which is true but I plan on it being in my sleep.

 

[inquis]

Neither. I was diving with the valve off.

Valve off, sure, but the reg/hose should still be pressurized to prevent water intrusion into the first stage. If you forget to turn the valve on under water, you should still get a breath.

 

[LI-er]

Valve off, sure, but the reg/hose should still be pressurized to prevent water intrusion into the first stage. If you forget to turn the valve on under water, you should still get a breath.

Ok good point. Diving with valve off is new to me, as I just started slinging the bottle. What I probably did was open it during the pre-dive check, take a breath on the boat, then close it. Wait then it would still be pressurized. Maybe during the pre-dive check I breathed off of it after I closed the valve. But then I wouldn't have gotten a breath.

Hmm now that I think about it, there doesn't seem to be a scenario when the reg wouldn't be pressurized other than a slow first stage leak. Yet I did get a mouthful of water when I opened the valve at depth.

I'm sure someone's got the answer.

 

[inquis]

Yet I did get a mouthful of water when I opened the valve at depth.

FWIW, standard procedure is to open/close upon reaching the bottom (at a minimum). Things often get bumped during entry, or it may free-flow/depressurize on when splashing.