Solo Gear & DIR Setup

[MXGratefulDiver]

Other than the long hose, there is nothing on a DIR/Hog rig that is on the rig for a "team" solution (Well, maybe wetnots are another one)

Its purpose is to make a neat diver which should be the pursuit of any diver DIR, solo or other.

Really? I always thought that the purpose of carrying a backup second stage was so that in an emergency you could hand one off to your buddy. And since a solo diver doesn't have one of those ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TomP]

Really? I always thought that the purpose of carrying a backup second stage was so that in an emergency you could hand one off to your buddy.... QUOTE]

I dunno... second stage as in octopus, yes. Redundant gas supply and reg, no.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I dunno... second stage as in octopus, yes. Redundant gas supply and reg, no.

I'm assuming that any sensible solo diver will carry a completely redundant gas supply. But the "octopus" or "bungeed backup" attached to your primary regulator isn't needed for solo diving. Now, wanting to have it is another matter entirely ... but the purpose for having this configuration is so that you can hand off a second to your buddy in an OOA emergency ... and my statement was in reference to JeffG's prior comment.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Cacia]

Bob...do you always have redundant air when you solo?

...and if you solo half your dive, like I do...then can you see why I like the long hose?

 

[TomP]

I'm assuming that any sensible solo diver will carry a completely redundant gas supply. But the "octopus" or "bungeed backup" attached to your primary regulator isn't needed for solo diving. Now, wanting to have it is another matter entirely ... but the purpose for having this configuration is so that you can hand off a second to your buddy in an OOA emergency ... and my statement was in reference to JeffG's prior comment.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Sorry Bob, I misinterpreted in addition to mucking the edit on the quote... Been a long week

 

[GDI]

You do not always dive 100% of the time as a solo diver. You also have the possibility that another diver who may need assistance may come along lost from their group or whatever, perhaps OOA. While a long hose serves no purpose to a solo diver the other possibilities do exist

So to this end I simply say the word CONSISTENCY Keep your equipment set up the same for buddy diving as it is for solo diving (in solo diving having the buddy/bail out bottle as a redundant air source is a good idea). Diving in general should always be planned and conducted as a solo responsibility even when done as a social event

 

[Johnny Richards]

Diving in general should always be planned and conducted as a solo responsibility even when done as a social event

Rich Courtney was dead on when he made this comment while interning one of your courses- and I couldn't agree with him more.

Although most of my personal dives are solo, I must plan for the contingency that another diver- solo or with a team- requires my assistance. I dive the same gear configuration whether diving solo or with others for the sake of overall consistency.

Johnny
WWW.cavediving.com

 

[Pathfinder]

Diving in general should always be planned and conducted as a solo responsibility even when done as a social event

Very sound advice.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I also dive with the same configuration whether solo or with a buddy. A back up reg is always there. Solo a redundant air supply. I've seen a diver get a piece of something stuck in his reg that did not cause a free flow but made inhalation difficult (drift dive)and have to go onto their octo for a safe ascent. I dive long hose,BPW for myself but when asked conventional jacket and reg when assisting with certain classes. But no matter which I don't radically alter the basic configuration for whatever I'm using.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Bob...do you always have redundant air when you solo?

Indeed I do ... nor am I saying you shouldn't. I was strictly addressing a comment that JeffG made, without any judgment as to whether or not it was an appropriate thing to do. Let's not take the comment out of context, please.

...and if you solo half your dive, like I do...then can you see why I like the long hose?

Occasionally I will solo part of a dive ... but so far it has always been because I wanted to stay down longer than my dive buddy. In those instances, I would escort my buddy to the line, stay with them during their safety stop, watch them surface, watch the boat pick them up, then go back down and enjoy another 15-20 minutes of solitude.

No argument against the long hose. With the exception of OW classes, that's all I ever use.

FWIW - I am planning a solo dive this afternoon ... to try out a new idea I have for my AOW class. I will be diving my normal rig plus a slung AL40. Someone brought up a good point that even a solo diver may be called on to assist in an OOA.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)