Runaway buddy

[Web Monkey]

I have to admit, I'm a klutz at the best of times, so playing with hoses with gloves is no fun.
One of those hats could be nice on a Sherwood Shadow+ in-line secondary reg.

Maybe just change the inflator hose and fitting (not sure that's even possible). The ScubaPro hose that fits the Air-2 has a pretty big, easy to grab barrel on it, without having anything that would catch or get jammed.

The drysuit-sized connectors are hard to work with big gloves.

Terry

 

[ba_hiker]

What would be the consequence of a hose inadvertently disconnecting (either partially or completely) from the inflator?

The story, as related to me by my advaced nitrox instructor (the instructor in the story), goes as follows:

Instructor and student were diving from an inflatable in the monterey bay with deepish water (over 130 ft). Diver entered water with partially inflated BC, and began to decend on the anchor line. Deflated BC and began to sink. Hat caught on coorugated hose and disconnected hose. Decent rate became large, diver retained grip on anchor line, pulling boat toward anchor.

Instructor was in the water following the anchor line too and wondered why it was getting so steep. Student reached the bottom and lost grip on line, which tightened. Yanking instructor upward -- a clue that something was wrong.

Instructor found the student on the bottom trying to inflate BC to no effect, instructor tried to help but did not imedeatly detect the problem. Finaly, seeing the hose was loose, but not flailing around, tried to reseat the hose. This succeded but as ssoon as the coorugated hose was bent again the inflator loosened again.

Instructor then removed hose and tossed the hat.

Seems that in deeper water this could have been a problem. Of course you could have redundent bouyancy, a dry suit or dual bladder wing. Perhaps even should if in deep water. Or failing that, drop you weights (with all the side effects of that).

Could be a real problem if you had deco obligation, and did not have redundent floatation.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Instructor tried to help but did not imedeatly detect the problem. Finaly, seeing the hose was loose, but not flailing around, tried to reseat the hose. This succeded but as ssoon as the coorugated hose was bent again the inflator loosened again.

Instructor then removed hose and tossed the hat.

BTDT... and I couldn't reconnect the other guys hose because of the hat either. I removed it and reconnected his inflator hose (while wearing smurf gloves) and put the hose hat in my pocket... I didn't want to litter.

Creating a potential problem that has no good immediate solution while trying to solve a potential problem that has several good immediate solutions is a poor trade off... especially when the initial problem is largely avoidable in the first place.

IMO hose hats fall into that category.

We should:
Maintain our inflator.
Practice emergency procedures.
Learn to disconnect and reconnect our hoses.
Check our equipment before entering the water/rolling off of the boat.

 

[markfm]

Bahh, humbug -- next UP will declare that a SpareAir is of questionable use for scuba!


(Disconnect actually hasn't been an issue for me, but I do find reconnecting a pain at times. Lack of agility on my part.)

 

[Cheekymonkey]

On the other hand, consider this.... Suppose your buddy was seriously injured and alone on the surface without your help.... Suppose futher that your buddy died from her injuries.... and that you were just a few feet away doing an "optional" safety stop instead of assisting her..... How would you weigh an "optional" safety stop against a human life? Assuming your buddy had gone all the way to the surface, what would you have done with this in mind...?
R..

While I see your point, I firmly beleive that unless the buddy is a personal friend of mine, or a student that I have some legal responsibility for, the buddy is going to be floating up there while I have my saftey stop, I am not putting myself at risk for someone who I am not teaching, and do not care about. So basically for students and friends I would be right with them doing everything I can. For an instabuddy, the instabuddy is on their own in that situation.

 

[markfm]

As the safety stop is non-mandatory, personally I'd go for the surface, but that's just me. I'm overall fairly fit, not many risk factors.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I do find reconnecting a pain at times. Lack of agility on my part.)

You can do it, Mark. It just takes practice like anything else.

Along those lines... practicing dumping while inflating isn't a bad idea either. Practice dumping from the inflator and then practice dumping from the other dumps on your BC.

Folks mention that they don't remember this from their OW class (and maybe it really wasn't covered) but a lot is happening in OW and folks don't really get the chance to practice emergency procedures enough for them to become ingrained and automatic.

When they get their C card they are too busy diving to practice skills... and don't want to *waste* air and/or a dive.

I think it is prudent to actually plan to *waste* an entire fill once in a while and practice skills, especially emergency procedures. Don't just tack a skill session on to the end of a dive but devote the whole dive to skills. [/sermon]

 

[markfm]

Thanks, UP. In the off season I still hit the pool every couple of weeks for personal skills work, need to remember to do LP hoses as well as mask R&R, reg work, etc.
Fortunately my LDS is good about letting people use the shop pool.
(then again, it's looking like this could be a year-round season -- the St. Lawrence is still open )

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I think it is prudent to actually plan to *waste* an entire fill once in a while and practice skills, especially emergency procedures. Don't just tack a skill session on to the end of a dive but devote the whole dive to skills. [/sermon]

Its a shame they don't teach it

 

[Uncle Pug]

I am not putting myself at risk for someone who I am not teaching, and do not care about. So basically for students and friends I would be right with them doing everything I can. For an instabuddy, the instabuddy is on their own in that situation.

If this is truly the case then it would probably be incumbent upon you to share this with the instabuddy before the dive.

In fact you could have it printed up on a little card that you quietly hand them during buddy assignment with a place for them to sign before they return it to you.

Documentation!