Rescued the Out of Air Newby today

[DandyDon]

Dandy Don--thanks for the recognition. I like to read your replies in the forums. I would call you the voice of reason, but I am sure others would shoot me down right away.

:laughing: I'm sure many could argue against that, but I feel I am good with you agreeing with some of my posts. I just wish I was not a klutz diver, but I try.

 

[mrx3000]

Ha I don't make up new signals but I find creative uses for old ones j/k

mrx300--Glad you are coming back to the island. I'll be glad to dive with you as long as you don't make up new hand signals without telling me. PM to follow

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Well, I have read through this thread, and I'll have to say that right at the beginning I was a bit perplexed by the thought that a diver was out-of-air with 500 psi in his tank. But after reading all the way through this, I think Bratface did a great job in handling this situation.

Now, a few perspectives; I also am a solo diver, and have now been diving for over 50 years. When I started, we had no SPG and used either a J-valve or a regulator with a restrictor orifice. We know to go up either at 300 psig (J-valve) or when the regulator began breathing hard (restrictor orifice on Healthways SCUBA double hose regulator, or the Scuba Star single hose regulator). So we would not in the early 1960s have surfaced from 40 feet at 500 psi; it would have been either 300 psi or between 300 and 500 psig for the restrictor orifice. I don't know about the diver Bratface was with, but if a diver uses a J-valve with the valve up, the SPG can change pressure with every breath. SPGs are not made for use with a J-valve, and some respond to the pressure change with a swing on the gauge (or an up and down with a digital gauge).

Bratface, if I ever get to where you are, I would enjoy diving with you too.

SeaRat

 

[gcbryan]

I think Bratface did a great job! I think some are getting too deeply into the specifics. If someone has a wild-eyed look about them and shows a SPG that is close to the red I'd do just what Bratface did (hopefully) and get them shallower, keep them calm and figure out what was going on.

I can't tell if you (Bratface) know for sure that he had no air (to inflate) or just assumed that to be the case. If it was the case I'd probably inflate it for them if they didn't/couldn't.

I agree about not carrying a camera when you are new. A few of my buddies and I dove with a new diver once who showed up with a reel and a safety sausage. Before we had even descended he somehow manged to get completely tied up with the line. New divers with cameras frequently lose their buddies and lose track of their spg numbers.

Someone with more experience might not consider being at 38fsw with 500 psi to be an emergency but a new diver with bugged out eyes is an emergency no matter what the other facts are

I wouldn't have dropped their weights (as some are suggesting) unless he really was about to drown (or was panicking). CESA isn't appropriate under those circumstances IMO. The main problem with CESA is that someone who is panicking probably will hold their breath and you can't generally fix that problem. Divers who you wouldn't think would hold their breath under similar circumstances have done so (and died).

This was really an enjoyable read (for a change) since everything was handled correctly IMO and since everything turned out well.

 

[LeafyGirl]

BF, great job! It was also great you took the time to debrief the dive in detail. That is above and beyond to have lunch and further assist the newbie. The patience you role modeled for him may be the difference in if he can become a competent diver or not. His open attitude and friendly demeanor, along with more instruction, as you suggested, will give him the opportunity to improve. You never know, he may be able to help someone else in the future because you modeled how to assist him?

 

[Bratface]

Thank you, thank you. I thought some people over analyzed the situation, but who knows what information they may find helpful. As far as being on the surface, he didn't have enough air to inflate his BC. We were at the hull when we surfaced, and although he could have touched the boat, I realized he wasn't safe until he was inflated and on board. I think by reminding him what to do, he will remember better than having me do it for him.

I think Bratface did a great job! I think some are getting too deeply into the specifics. If someone has a wild-eyed look about them and shows a SPG that is close to the red I'd do just what Bratface did (hopefully) and get them shallower, keep them calm and figure out what was going on.

I can't tell if you (Bratface) know for sure that he had no air (to inflate) or just assumed that to be the case. If it was the case I'd probably inflate it for them if they didn't/couldn't.

Someone with more experience might not consider being at 38fsw with 500 psi to be an emergency but a new diver with bugged out eyes is an emergency no matter what the other facts are

This was really an enjoyable read (for a change) since everything was handled correctly IMO and since everything turned out well.

 

[halocline]

I didn't read the last few pages, but I'm still unclear on how the guy had some air at 38 ft, started breathing off Bratface's reg, but somehow had zero air to inflate the BC at the surface. I guess it doesn't matter.

Oh well, hopefully the guy learned something and you both got to practice an air sharing when it was necessary, not a planned drill. BTW, swimming together while connected by a normal-length primary reg hose is pretty up-close-and-personal....ever thought of getting a nice 5 ft primary hose to go with your air2? That's another topic, I suppose.

---------- Post added ----------

One Inst here has convinced me that if I ever screw up enough do another one, I should pull my weights and hold them on the way up - just in case, so I'd drop them if I passed out for any of various possible reasons.

No offense to whoever said this, but it's a little nutty. Think about it, you're OOA and swimming for the surface, trying to make sure you keep your airway open and get to the surface before you drown (CESA is an emergency move when no other option exists) and somehow you're supposed to take the time to A)unhook your weights, and B) hold them out in front of you, in case you pass out? I don't think so. It's a nice fantasy scenario....

I think in that situation, you're just focused on swimming (a few seconds at recreational depth) and not passing out.

One other thing, there's a lot of talk of dumping weight...there really should be no reason for that in most situations. If you're properly weighted to begin with, you should be neutral or slightly positive on the surface with an empty tank. I guess if you're really stressed you might feel better dropping weight in that situation.

 

[TSandM]

If you're properly weighted to begin with, you should be positive on the surface by the weight of the gas which is now missing from your tank. That's 5 pounds.​

Hmm. A lot of us adjust our weights to be neutral in 15 feet of water, with 500 psi in the tank. In that case, even with thick exposure protection and an EMPTY tank, you're unlikely to be more than a pound or two positive at the surface, at best. 500 psi in an Al80 is about 12 cubic feet of gas, which is one pound.

 

[halocline]

Hmm. A lot of us adjust our weights to be neutral in 15 feet of water, with 500 psi in the tank. In that case, even with thick exposure protection and an EMPTY tank, you're unlikely to be more than a pound or two positive at the surface, at best. 500 psi in an Al80 is about 12 cubic feet of gas, which is one pound.

You're right, I was not thinking straight, I have no idea why........properly weighted you'd be neutral or slightly positive with an empty tank on the surface. Sorry about that, and I'll edit my post.

 

[Splitlip]

Wow close call.. Glad you were there to save him!

Good thing. OMG. 2 ATMs and 12 cf of gas I see a recipe for disaster. I'm not in the best of shape since a an accident, and I can barely freedive to 40 feet. Just wow.