Reg failure-- what would you do?

[shmuggy]

I would never dive alone. Stuff happens- such as rip currents, boats not staying away from the dive flag, muscle cramps, the list is endless why take a chance? but I don't see a problem using the octo.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

First of all anyone who is going to dive solo should have more than a basic understanding of how their gear works. They should also either have adequate knowledge, tools and materials to address regulator issues, or have a back up reg set. I can't imagine driving half an hour to dive without back up gear. My save-a-dive kit has what I need to completely rebuild the regs I have with me. I also can't remember the last time I took less than three regs with me on a dive outing. Just got into the habit as a DM when I had extra regs of taking them and saved more than one person's day. AT the very least I have the extra components to build a set I could use.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Limiting the responses to only the facts given, and to answer the question directly, I would have done what the diver did. I would do a dive under 30 feet without an alternate air sourse second stage if I drove 4 hours to dive IF I was diving with a buddy. There. I confessed. If I am not teaching, or leading others, I will do things that I am comfortable doing. Change the depth, conditions, etc, and the answer would change too. I too carry tools and repair kits and a back up second stage . But that was not the question posed.
Divemaster Dennis

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I would have checked the IP before deciding as I would want to be sure it was not a symptom and a problem on the 1st stage. Using a single 2nd for a solo dive is not a big issue in itself.

Having a gear failure should make you stop and carefully analyze the situation. Often is a sign of other problems and could just be the first symptom of a series of issues. If the reg was just serviced and the tech screwed up the primary second, he certainly could have screwed up something else. I don't subscribe to the abort on any failure, but it should not be taken lightly either.

 

[flots am]

I was at a picnic on a beach the other day and happened upon a diver getting ready to shore dive (bonus! Discovered a new dive site!). Problem was his primary was free flowing as soon as he turned the air on. He had just sent for service but obviously they messed it up. We couldn't manage to correct it on the spot.
. . .

So what do you think? Would you have continued with the dives or called it?

Everything breaks eventually, so it's good to keep a spare around. The farther you are from home and the more expensive the trip was, the more likely your stuff will break.

flots.

 

[TSandM]

I had exactly this same situation the other night, except I hadn't driven four hours for the dive. But I had a steadily leaking second stage that I couldn't get to stop, and I walked away from my two buddies and went back to the truck. (I then fixed it, but I didn't get to do the dive, and the OP didn't want that option.)

If I were facing that situation when solo diving, AND if I were carrying a redundant gas source (which I would be, for sure, if I were solo diving), I'd probably have done what the described diver did. Of course, my usual redundancy is doubles, so if I have a reg go out, I've lost my redundancy, which means no dive.

 

[redacted]

I would stop going to his LDS after I dove

 

[spectrum]

Plus although he was diving 4-6meters the place is known for currents, it was during a tide exchange, etc. not saying I was freaked out by it or that I would be, just asking what everyone thought

A regulator almost always fails in an over delivery mode. An alternate gives the diver one more regulator to grab and breath from if things get screwy but will not help for loss of gas, out of gas or a 1st stage failure. A redundant (pony) system covers all of the bases. That being said he was diving with 1 second stage as mere mortals did for decades.


Now about that current... If were talking about an area that may have bottom debris like a river mouth the risk of a sieve in high current is not to be understated. Solo with no redundancy is not how I'd want to dive such a site.

Pete

 

[j2s]

If you're going to solo; 1) Know how to fix/rebuild your equipment...2)Don't use a dive shop...3) Bring spares [ie, 1st/2nds ] for fast swaps...4) find the problem at home in a 'clean environment' w/o the pressure of time constraints.....If you're going to be solo, be independent....That means, knowledge, parts [spares] and tools.....All that will make you a better diver and a better 'buddy' when you do pair-up.....

 

[matt_8777]

I have dove alot solo in fresh water with a leaky regulator due to high currents when I have surface air. That being said, I would not do a dive over 30 feet using tanks with a regulator that is free flowing because of the safety issues with decompression and complete loss of air due to a reg failure, especially alone. I carry a SpareAir for instances where I am not with a dive buddy (solo) but NEVER do deep (60+) dives alone. I know how to do routine maintenance on my gear and I think anyone who purchases their own gear should learn how to fix the basic problems with them. I myself have had sand, rocks, grass, and all kinds of trash get into a regulator causing it to leak water in and air out and have been able to fix it on the spot because I made it a point to familiarize myself with my equipment. I don't see the problem with the guy going ahead with his dive as long as he dives where he is comfortable with his own safety. I wouldn't recommend this in an area he was not familiar with or diving with a buddy or to a student diver. I wouldn't put a dive buddy in the situation where I had no backup either. I acutally have 4 sources of air in my setup. Sounds overkill, but I would rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I have my AirXS, SpareAir, Octo, and my primary. I've never had to use any of the spares, but I have had to share them with others. I'm a safety first and extreme dive planner. I've pulled too many dead bodies out of the local river and had some buddies drown due to people's ignorance and making dumb decisions in exteme weather. It's just not a good experience no matter how many times I do it.

Another thing, if I wasn't confident that I could dive all the time with my secondary, I wouldn't be using that secondary. I have just as much confidence with it as I do with my primary.