"S" Drills

[ae3753]

Or has had an equipment issue that prevents them from getting to the gas they have. Not all gas emergencies are the result of inattention on the part of the diver who is "out".

Absolutely. OOG can also happen when environment conditions change, and the entire team needs to break their reserve gas in order to successfully egress. Or there was a poor navigation decision. I'm more than confident that we (and everyone in the DIR forum) can come up with a lot of OOG scenarios.

In some scenarios, you won't need to show the SPG. In some scenarios, you may want to.

With all due respect, I don't see that it should require a lot of practice to unclip a gauge and show it to someone. Certainly not so much that I feel the need to do it on every S-drill. Most of my cave diving is on stages anyway, and so we do not really touch the back gas that much. I generally find it sufficient to unclip and check once for the predive planning, and then of course as needed during the dive, after dropping the final stage.

Totally fair. I drill hard so I can dive easy. Whereas you don't require a lot of practice to unclip a gauge and show it to someone, I find that practice is needed to build automation. Different strategies, same end result.

The secondary benefit of showing the SPG is that it slows down the S-Drill and is a very clear delineation between the clean-up and the decision stage. The S-Drill was detailed step-by-step in a previous post, but I think it's useful to conceptualize the drill into three major steps.

1. Deliver gas to OOG diver
2. Clean up
3. Decision on exit

By breaking up the drill into this model, I find that we don't get too focused on the next step of the drill, but we internalized the rational of the protocol. In addition, if a situation outside the prescribe steps occurs, we are better able to manage it.

Again, my position is that checking the SPG during an actual emergency provides no useful information, and I therefore see no reason to waste the time to do it. Unless of course my buddy wants to see it, at which point it is a simple matter to unclip and show to him or her.

We're in agreement here.

I do all of that as well. However, I won't do "just any cave dive" with "just any cave diver". There are certain caves where I might be comfortable doing a pick-up dive (Peacock, for example), but for certain other sites, there are only a handful of folks that I would choose as a buddy, at least until I had done a couple of warm-up dives with them elsewhere.

Yep, agree as well.

 

[LiteHedded]

should anyone really need this much practice unclipping their spg?
am I missing something here?

 

[lamont]

should anyone really need this much practice unclipping their spg?
am I missing something here?

Yeah, I don't get it. I get all the practice I need in clipping and unclipping the SPG trying to check my gas while on the trigger carrying stage bottles. If I'm just swimming along doing an s-drill there's very little doubt in my mind that I can unclip and present my SPG if i need to. And if my buddy needs to know my gas, they can just ask me and I'll show them my SPG...

 

[SparticleBrane]

Honestly, I wouldn't care if they called it "guaranteed grade A a&&hole diving".

I love it -- that's what I'm calling it from now on.

I'm not DIR or GUE...I'm GGAAD!

 

[rjack321]

should anyone really need this much practice unclipping their spg?
am I missing something here?

I don't know why Andrew is so heartset on showing the gauge. Most of the divers I see attempting this are barely looking at it themselves and their buddy certainly couldn't repeat back to the donator how much gas they now have for the 2 of them.

If this were a real OOG; the plan is already totally sideways (OOG), reformulating a "new" plan UW (beyond the all usable, 1/2s or 1/3rds) seems imprudent as well. Basically I think showing the gauge is busy work. Have the donator look at the gauge as they start the "exit" (horizontal for a 1/3rds plan, up for the other 2). Implying that you and your hover buddy should use some of your gas to swim horizontally when the plan was for all usable or 1/2s seems a bit much to me. Screwing around on the bottom when you aren't required to is unwise 99% of the time.

 

[JeffG]

I don't know why Andrew is so heartset on showing the gauge.

The idea is that it is reassuring. "Hey look...we have lots of gas."

In a cave, it doesn't really matter. You either have enough...or you don't. So showing your gauge doesn't really matter.

In OW, you could use the info to decide on how you want to ascend. Directly...or go someplace first and then ascend.

At least...thats the idea.

 

[rjack321]

The idea is that it is reassuring. "Hey look...we have lots of gas."

In a cave, it doesn't really matter. You either have enough...or you don't. So showing your gauge doesn't really matter.

In OW, you could use the info to decide on how you want to ascend. Directly...or go someplace first and then ascend.

At least...thats the idea.

"Look we have lots of gas" is fine, totally agree if it actually calms the buddy down. Chances are they won't even see the gauge tho.

"Hey let's make up a new plan" cause the 1ATA plan we made a bit ago was soooo successful... not such a great idea.

The problem with "lets go someplace" is that you now need to know way more than how much gas you have after donating. The divers need to take the current psi, subtract the rock bottom, know their combined depth consumption, know how long its going to take to get to the upline or around the kelp etc. There's ALOT of figuring required, way moreso than simply looking at the gauge to start. Not only are students not going through these math exercises, they also have a tendency to get tunnel visioned after making a decision to move horizontally on the bottom and then never check the gauge again. Needless to say I have alot of problems with the whole recalculate to go someplace concept. We do that in cave for lost buddies and that is way more conservative (and methodical) than what is being encouraged with UTD's s-drill and follow-up assumptions.

 

[JeffG]

The problem with "lets go someplace" is that you now need to know way more than how much gas you have after donating. The divers need to take the current psi, subtract the rock bottom, know their combined depth consumption, know how long its going to take to get to the upline or around the kelp etc.

no need to recalculate rock bottom. You will be consuming it anyways.

The scenario that was presented to us was if you were in a shipping lane and you wanted to swim out of the busiest part before ascending.

For OW, you can always go straight up regardless of where you are. A good chance that 1/2 way there is better than straight up.

 

[The Mighty Thor]

I was once told that it was called an "S" drill because of the smooth one handed "S" like motion you make when you are unraveling the long hose from around your neck and then over to your buddy.

 

[Mayor]

It's sad if anyone stops at the name. If you don't take the time to look at the system, because your back is up over the name, you probably wouldn't take the time to read through how it works and ponder what value it would have to you to change what you are doing.

Honestly, I wouldn't care if they called it "guaranteed grade A a&&hole diving". It works for me. It has given me three years of stress-free, exciting, companionable diving in a wide variety of environments. It has also made me a part of a wonderful, enthusiastic diving community that stretches from BC to San Diego (and then down into Mexico as a satellite). I can go anywhere on the West Coast and find great buddies -- people I can COUNT on being happy in the water with, because we all know what to expect from one another.

If you don't like the name . . . go read the threads about bad dive buddies, people who don't follow the plan or run out of gas or can't be found or otherwise spoil the dive for someone else. Then think about getting in the water with someone whose gear is the same as yours, with a dive plan you both agree on, and procedures, signals, and limits you both completely understand because they are universal. Imagine a buddy who is trained to make staying in contact with you a primary imperative of the dive. Imagine a dive like a dance, where everything flows and is graceful, and the team interaction is even part of the fun.

You can do all of these things outside of DIR diving. But you'll be guaranteed of them within the DIR community. In fact, I'm about to get on a boat with 20 other people, and one of the amazing things about the trip is that I could reach out with my eyes closed and grab someone, and jump in the water with them, and be assured of a great dive. Who cares if it's doing it "right" -- it's doing it great!

Great post!!!!