Snuba incident

[spectrum]

I've never seen a Snuba setup. Where's the primary stage reg located? On the tank like in Scuba? If so, how does it measure ambient pressure at your depth? Am I missing something?

The first stahe is rigtht on the cylinder manifold. It takes you from tank pressure to Intermediate pressure. Just like scuba.

The depths are usually not that significant so there is no need to the first stage to modify the intermediate pressure (IP) as you go deeper. Standard 150+- IP will feed your second stage (mouthpiece) which is what delivers to you at ambient pressure.

Pete

 

[mislav]

Interesting, but I still don't understand how they monitor the air consumption. And why wouldn't they show you out of air signals? This should be the first thing you learn for any underwater activity!

 

[all4scuba05]

The first stahe is rigtht on the cylinder manifold. It takes you from tank pressure to Intermediate pressure. Just like scuba.

The depths are usually not that significant so there is no need to the first stage to modify the intermediate pressure (IP) as you go deeper. Standard 150+- IP will feed your second stage (mouthpiece) which is what delivers to you at ambient pressure.

Pete

I see the light...thanks

 

[rico68]

We did a SNUBA excursion in Belize in January; me, the wife and two sons. Same thing happened to us. My youngest son and I were on one tank, wife and other son on a tank. About 30 minutes into the dive I noticed I was getting quite anxious, breathing heavy. I've never run a tank dry scuba diving, so wasn't thinking OOA. I figured it was because I was towing the raft. Then I went to take a breath and there was nothing there. I was probably at 15 feet. I went to the surface with an open airway. But my son hadn't realized we were OOA. I found his hose and started pulling on it until I got his attention and he came up. He said he noticed it was getting hard to breath but didn't know we were OOA.

The fact is, the dive operator never checked the SPG at all while we were down there. It seems they just plan to dive until someone runs out of air.

Fortunately it didn't taint my wife or kids' view of diving. All are certified now.

 

[Matt S.]

I did snuba with my wife at Xcaret (tourist attraction near Cancun). At the time we were not divers. We were given basic instruction on equalizing, hand signals, and clearing the mask, and then off we went. The dive went fine but we were not told about the dangers of holding your breath. I'd estimate that I got no deeper than 15-18'.

Anyway, we liked it so we're taking our OW class now.

 

[BarryNL]

I did snuba with my wife at Xcaret (tourist attraction near Cancun). At the time we were not divers. We were given basic instruction on equalizing, hand signals, and clearing the mask, and then off we went. The dive went fine but we were not told about the dangers of holding your breath. I'd estimate that I got no deeper than 15-18'.

Anyway, we liked it so we're taking our OW class now.

I think at Xcaret they use a continuous compressor to feed the scuba regulators with tanks only for backup in case the compressor fails. At least, this is certainly the case for the the Sea Trek there, so I guess they do the same for the Snuba. This means running out of air isn't an issue - though ascending holding your breath certainly is, as they go to around 6m.

 

[Matt S.]

The snuba at Xcaret was definitely using a tank... one tank on the little raft we towed with us. There were 4 of us on it and we didn't get low on air (or a lung rupture) so it worked out.

 

[Seuss]

We use a similar rig (50 foot hose, First stage/Second stage and bottle of air on the surface) for diving several small exhibits, but treat it the same as SCUBA. We also have a SPG attached where it can be viewed and, most important, a safety diver who monitors the dive. It can be very effective, but must be treated the same as SCUBA.

Where is the SPG attached? If it is hanging off the HP port of the 1st stage, and the fist stage is attached to the cylinder, then the SPG cannot be easily viewed by the diver while the diver is diving. To make it so the SPG can easily be seen while diving (i.e. with the diver), then you would have to run a second line, at high pressure, from the 1st stage for the SPG.

Sending customers underwater without a method to monitor their consumables, minimal training, and no secondary life support, sounds like a negligence lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[Matt S.]

Luckily for the resort operators, in Mexico a negligence lawsuit just isn's possible, at least for a tourist. It might be different if you are a citizen.

At least, that's how I heard it when I was down there.

 

[rico68]

The SPG is attached to the first stage just like any other regulator setup. It's up in the raft with the tank. There's no way for the guide (on SCUBA) or the participants to check the pressure without surfacing at the raft.

I know our guide never went up to the surface to check.