Suggestions on learning long hose primary ?
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It isn’t rocket surgery. The most important thing is to make sure you can deploy the primary without it being trapped by anything on your right side.
I don't have any training with the ISE agency, but found their videos on how to set up the regs and the harness very helpful
Regs:
Harness:
Frog Kick Diving also has a good page on reg setup, with pictures: FROG KICK DIVING | FKD
BTW, if your first stage reg has a "5th port" on the end, I find that it is the best port for the long hose, with the first stage mounted to the valve at maybe approximately 15-30 degrees clockwise, such that the long hose port is pointing toward the diver's right hip.
Regs:
Harness:
Frog Kick Diving also has a good page on reg setup, with pictures: FROG KICK DIVING | FKD
BTW, if your first stage reg has a "5th port" on the end, I find that it is the best port for the long hose, with the first stage mounted to the valve at maybe approximately 15-30 degrees clockwise, such that the long hose port is pointing toward the diver's right hip.
JoeTPhilly
Contributor
See if there are any divers in your area using longhose setup. Otherwise my pointers are:
1. Make sure longhose is tucked properly. It should sit against your chest going from your right hip, up and across the chest and around the back of your head. Whether you tuck around a canister light or into the waist strap make sure the loop going from the waist to regulator is also snug against you.
2. Add a small swivel snap to the second stage on the longhose. This allows you to clip it off when not in use and is super convenient.
3. Your backup now lives on a bungie necklace under your chin. Practice one handed switching from primary to secondary and making sure you don’t tangle it up.
4. Take a couple pictures in the mirror or from a dive buddy to make sure you look as cool as you feel!
1. Make sure longhose is tucked properly. It should sit against your chest going from your right hip, up and across the chest and around the back of your head. Whether you tuck around a canister light or into the waist strap make sure the loop going from the waist to regulator is also snug against you.
2. Add a small swivel snap to the second stage on the longhose. This allows you to clip it off when not in use and is super convenient.
3. Your backup now lives on a bungie necklace under your chin. Practice one handed switching from primary to secondary and making sure you don’t tangle it up.
4. Take a couple pictures in the mirror or from a dive buddy to make sure you look as cool as you feel!
I eventually want to take it but unfortunately as far as I have seen there are no instructors in my state so I would need to plan a trip out of stateGUE Fundamentals | GUE
www.gue.com
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Mate screw the hose in and dive it and learn it
Hardest part is figuring the length of the hose and necklace on your secondary
Hardest part is figuring the length of the hose and necklace on your secondary
eightytwenty
Contributor
22 inches on a secondary hose will work for probably 80% of people. I've yet to meet someone that a 22 or 24 inch backup hose didn't work for. That being said, necklace length is important. I see far too many dangling necklaces that aren't as easily accessible as they should be. Making your own necklace vs. buying one off the shelf helps.
I'm about to go on my first dive trip with a primary donate setup. I chose 22" for octo and 40" for primary. I may switch out the primary for a bit longer hose in the future but for now it should be sufficient.
Search these forums for "GUE Texas" and you'll find there have been some classes offered there, so you can try reaching out to those instructors if they're still active. Instructors do/will travel as is practical for the given class (though AIUI students need to help cover that cost), and you can have classes scheduled beyond what's on the "scheduled classes" page (i.e., you can ask for a class for you and some buddies). Not sure if that will be more economical though.
If you're looking to go GUE at some point, a few things to do now that might help you from having to unlearn bad habits:
- The last thing you do before starting the dive (and possibly the most important thing to practice at this stage) is the modified S-drill: deploy the long hose, holding the primary second stage in one hand, and using your other hand to extend the hose and have someone else confirm there are no obstructions on the hose between the first stage and the second. This is done to ensure no equipment manipulation on the surface trapped the hose (like a camera, light cord, who knows), hence why it should be last. It is also crucial to do as it may otherwise lead to a situation where you cannot donate the primary as necessary).
- Manipulate the primary second stage with your right hand, and the necklaced backup with your left. A single handed switch is not optimal in a gas sharing scenario. You also receive a donated primary with your left hand.
- 7 foot long hose, tucked behind a light canister or a long hose stick / piece of PVC you cut to fit the 2" webbing on your right hip.
You will be OK. I switched to long hose / BPW after about 30 total dives, and practicing the S-drill and deployment at home in the mirror (after reviewing some educational videos like those suggested above) was a great place to start, and did not have significant adjustments to make during fundies. I dive with people that haven't undergone Fundies yet but covering these basics makes us all safe together.
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