Seven foot hose for single cylinder

[Mayor]

My rig stays the same in single or double tanks. The 7ft hose is a big part of why I started to even look at tech diving. Why would I not use it on a 40 ft reef dive?

 

[TSandM]

I can think of very few drawbacks to a 7' hose. They are slightly more expensive. They can get messy on a boat if not stowed properly. They are hard to use with a snorkel. If tucked under the waist belt, they can come loose and result in a big loop in the water that can get caught in stuff. (I have NEVER had that happen when the hose was tucked under a knife, pocket or canister on the right hip.) Even if you don't check to make sure the entire length of hose is deployable, you have at least as much to donate as someone on a traditional setup.

 

[boulderjohn]

The "pro" that I did not see mentioned was the bungied alternate.

I learned to use the long hose setup when I started tech diving, but I never bothered to make any changes in my recreational setup. With all the money tech diving was costing me, I didn't want to spend one dime unnecessarily. Then I read a story about a woman who drowned in Europe when she went OOA, went to her buddy, and then found that his alternate had come off its attachment and gotten stuck somewhere behind him in his BCD. I thought of the number of times my alternate had come off of that intentionally flimsy attachment and changed over to a long hose setup as soon as I could--no possibility of an unavailable alternate.

Still not wanting to spend money unnecessarily, I stayed with my ScubaPro Nighthawk BCD for recreational dives for quite a while after that. There is a strap at the wast level holding the integrated weight pocket in place. The long hose tucked in very nicely there.

 

[Rainer]

As for some benefits of the long hose (over significantly shorter hoses--say anything under 5') even with a single cylinder:

(1) Easier to manage ascent (you aren't right on top of each other)
(2) Easier side-by-side *or* single file swimming (e.g. if wanting/needing to move before ascending due to overhead boat traffic, kelp, etc)
(3) Allows air sharing while scootering
(4) Same muscle memory as when using 7' hose for overhead environments (e.g. having to clear the light canister after donation)
(5) Standardized gear between setups (e.g. easier to keep just one spare in the kit)

I can think of very few drawbacks to a 7' hose. They are slightly more expensive. They can get messy on a boat if not stowed properly. They are hard to use with a snorkel. If tucked under the waist belt, they can come loose and result in a big loop in the water that can get caught in stuff. (I have NEVER had that happen when the hose was tucked under a knife, pocket or canister on the right hip.) Even if you don't check to make sure the entire length of hose is deployable, you have at least as much to donate as someone on a traditional setup.

 

[deadbilly]

Just out of curiosity (and not to derail the discussion), how is a bungied long hose meant to be deployed? Does the OOG diver grab it out of where it's stuffed? Or is the donating diver meant to reach back to her tank and pull it out that way?

It seems fraught either way.

 

[sink-er-swim]

I believe the OOG diver is suposed to stay calm and "ask" for the bungeed long hose. Although I'd wager the short hosed reg. gets ripped out of the donors mouth instead... Personally I dont get it...

 

[boulderjohn]

Just out of curiosity (and not to derail the discussion), how is a bungied long hose meant to be deployed? Does the OOG diver grab it out of where it's stuffed? Or is the donating diver meant to reach back to her tank and pull it out that way?

It seems fraught either way.

There was some discussion about this in a recent thread devoted to the the British dive agency BSAC and its opposition to the setup that has been pretty much exclusively recommended here. As I gathered from their explanation, the bungied long hose is the alternate, not the primary. It is stuffed into bungies wrapped around the tank. Thus, an OOA diver could reach for the regulator there or have it donated. As I recall, they prefer that the OOG diver take it.

Please correct me if I am wrong on this.

 

[Blackwood]

Getting it out (deploy/donate) wouldn't be an issue. Getting it back would require assistance.

 

[Rainer]

Getting it out (deploy/donate) wouldn't be an issue.

Maybe. Depends on the tightness of the bungees, whether it's moved, whether you can see or reach it, etc. Then you still have no guarantee that it's an actually functioning reg; it could be connected to a post that isn't on, it could be jammed, or malfunctioning.

And yes, it's a pain to re-stow, which leads many not to bother practicing as often as they probably should.

Stuffed long hoses disappeared from general use for good reason.

 

[Gombessa]

Getting it out (deploy/donate) wouldn't be an issue. Getting it back would require assistance.

Maybe. Depends on the tightness of the bungees, whether it's moved, whether you can see or reach it, etc.

I recall this gem from an earlier thread (starts at 14:00).

[vimeo]1003780[/vimeo]

To be honest, I can't tell exactly what's happening here, but it looks like the donating diver is using a stuffed backup that is getting trapped under his light or harness.