Rigging stage bottles

[Boomer7]

A double ender on the ballast of the lighthead is now the preferred method for temporarily clipping off. A fixed clip is still used on the Goodman handle. As far as I know, a fixed clip on the primary reg is still the preferred method.[/QUOTE]


The picture shows one double ender being used for both attachment points.

 

[Jason B]

The picture shows one double ender being used for both attachment points.

This was changed at the latest GUE conference. It's now done as DIR Atlanta suggests.

 

[DIR-Atlanta]

The picture shows one double ender being used for both attachment points.

Last month's announcement on the GUE website clarifies this - permanent clip on the handle, loop at the back. My guess is that this what all GUE instructors will be teaching from now on.

 

[Boomer7]

I do understand the change stated on the GUE website. My point was that a book sold on the the GUE web site is a little mis leading.

 

[limeyx]

I think the confusion here is coming from the fact that there are two acceptable methods for rigging a stage bottle.

...
Depending on when you were taught (and how you were taught), it's entirely possible that you only used the upper tube to secure the hose. In this case, you should have secured the second stage with a bolt snap. If you are using the "two tube" method, then you should be pulling the hose through both tubes when stowing it. Otherwise things will flop around, which increases the risk of entanglement.

So either way, there should be two points of contact - one for the hose and one for the second stage.

Not the way i was taught, but stowing regs is not really focused on much in T1 (we had a *lot* of other things to worry about

We used two loops of innertube, no clip for 2nd stage, and stowed under just the top innertube both in T1 and the workshop I did.

 

[nadwidny]

I do understand the change stated on the GUE website. My point was that a book sold on the the GUE web site is a little mis leading.

So do you think GUE should pull the book? Books are out of date before they even hit the printers. It's still an excellent primer (not Bible) on gear and reflects what was being done at the time of writing. I remember Dan was in the final process of writing that book back in Oct. 2004 when we were on the Gunilda. Heaven knows when he started the process. It's now almost 2007. Things have changed. If Dan was writing his book now it would reflect the changes.

 

[Boomer7]

So do you think GUE should pull the book? Books are out of date before they even hit the printers. It's still an excellent primer (not Bible) on gear and reflects what was being done at the time of writing. I remember Dan was in the final process of writing that book back in Oct. 2004 when we were on the Gunilda. Heaven knows when he started the process. It's now almost 2007. Things have changed. If Dan was writing his book now it would reflect the changes.

I think it is a great book. I have actually passed it around to Non - DIR dives because it not only explains what to do it sometimes explains why.

 

[MonkSeal]

I think the confusion here is coming from the fact that there are two acceptable methods for rigging a stage bottle.

In the first method, the hose is secured with an innertube, and the second stage is secured with a bolt snap. A second innertube may be added as a backup, and is usually placed over the hose clamp until needed. Note that this is "old school" DIR.

In the second method, no bolt snap is used, and the second stage and hose are each secured with an innertube - actually, the hose is secured with both innertubes - one of them is just snugged up closer to the second stage. Note that this is the method that is described in "Dress for Success".

With the first method, the hose is a little more difficult to deploy (bolt snap must be undone), but easier to stow (only one innertube to fool with). It is also (IMO) a more secure method of stowage, since there is very little risk that the hose can be accidentally pulled loose. With the second method, the hose is very easy to deploy (just pull it out), but more difficult to stow. It could also be argued that the second method is more in the "spirit" of DIR, since it accomplishes the same thing with fewer pieces of equipment.

Depending on when you were taught (and how you were taught), it's entirely possible that you only used the upper tube to secure the hose. In this case, you should have secured the second stage with a bolt snap. If you are using the "two tube" method, then you should be pulling the hose through both tubes when stowing it. Otherwise things will flop around, which increases the risk of entanglement.

So either way, there should be two points of contact - one for the hose and one for the second stage.

We were not taught stowing method that regularly used bolt snap as attaching point. Bolt snap (or bungie loop and double-ender) on 2nd stage are used for stowing only if all inner tubes fail. One point of contact can be used to secure both hose and 2nd stage in a clean way. I use both tubes only for "final" stowing.