amir4arkan
Registered
Why do some divers install their regulator octopus on the left?
The best place to install an octopus?
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Personal choice, available ports on their first stage, hose routing, and side-exhaust regulators that are inherently not right-centric come to mind. Most divers don't because of right-side second stage hose connections and interference with their BC's power inflator.
I have never actually seen it done that way, but my understanding is that the primary reason is to avoid the S-curve of the hose when donating from the right.
If you are considering this for yourself, look into the option of donating the primary regulator and having the alternate for yourself hanging from your neck on a bungee.
If you are considering this for yourself, look into the option of donating the primary regulator and having the alternate for yourself hanging from your neck on a bungee.
Doctorfish
Contributor
Are you sure you are talking about a dedicated octopus and not an Airtwo type combined octo/power inflator which would be on the left?
When I did work as a professional divemaster/instructor I always carried an octopus on the left. Yellow, so my students or customers did know that this was for them. With an hose of proper length this makes it very easy to donate.
However, I consider this the only meaningful usage of an octopus.
For my own safety, I did instead always use a full complete secondary reg, coming from right, and with bungees or other clip keeping it easily available for my mouth.
So, when working, I did always have two complete regs plus an octopus. The latter on the left, the other two on the right.
I did never consider a single first stage, on a tank with a single valve, something "safe enough" for me. This based on the fact that I have seen a number of failures related to the valve or the first stage more often than failures on 2nd stage.
However, I consider this the only meaningful usage of an octopus.
For my own safety, I did instead always use a full complete secondary reg, coming from right, and with bungees or other clip keeping it easily available for my mouth.
So, when working, I did always have two complete regs plus an octopus. The latter on the left, the other two on the right.
I did never consider a single first stage, on a tank with a single valve, something "safe enough" for me. This based on the fact that I have seen a number of failures related to the valve or the first stage more often than failures on 2nd stage.
Alurpal
Registered
This isn’t my reasoning (I have a long hose and backup on necklace), but I heard one DM say that he has his octo on the left to leave his dominant right arm available to better control a panicked ooa diver while simultaneously donating.
passeparici
Contributor
In France we do it that way, I don't know why.
Gandalf-the-Diver
Contributor
I just did a dive with a brand new diver. 9 dives total. One of her instructors had talked about that during her OW and she had just switched her octo to the left side.
When deployed the reg is the right way up without any kinks in the hose. Very common in the U.K.
Honestly, it's very simple, it's about maximising hose length, most seconds' hoses come out from the right side.
That means after you've donated, and for example you need to swim out or up out of your environment, the person can swim on your left side without any weird hose kinking.
If you donate a right sided reg with a standard octo hose, you'll notice it's pretty tight especially if the person then swims next to you.
It's also an easy way if you're using two valves on your single tank to identify where what air is coming from, the 'no crossing of the hoses' is an old concept, but used to be quite popular.
You'd run drysuit and primary on right post and octo and bcd on the left post.
If you're gonna run secondary donate, running the octo from the left side is far superior imo.
The best system if you're gonna run a classic secondary setup like this would be running a non handed reg from the left side (cyklon, oceanic, whatevs) with a longer hose than usual (for example 1m20 and stowing the excess under your belt).
This is ofcourse just my opinion and take it with a grain of salt, but here I have made some artistic drawings to show what I mean.
First option:
Second option for more hose length (cross clipping)
NOW WE HAVE OOA , exit the environment, your friend can just swim to your left without any kinks and maximising hose length.
If the hose comes from the right side you have some wonky, weird kinking **** going on.
At the risk of angering the entire forum. The solution if you want secondary donate to be more efficient and right side routing to work properly, is something like a Mares loop. or a left side regulator routed on the right side,
That means after you've donated, and for example you need to swim out or up out of your environment, the person can swim on your left side without any weird hose kinking.
If you donate a right sided reg with a standard octo hose, you'll notice it's pretty tight especially if the person then swims next to you.
It's also an easy way if you're using two valves on your single tank to identify where what air is coming from, the 'no crossing of the hoses' is an old concept, but used to be quite popular.
You'd run drysuit and primary on right post and octo and bcd on the left post.
If you're gonna run secondary donate, running the octo from the left side is far superior imo.
The best system if you're gonna run a classic secondary setup like this would be running a non handed reg from the left side (cyklon, oceanic, whatevs) with a longer hose than usual (for example 1m20 and stowing the excess under your belt).
This is ofcourse just my opinion and take it with a grain of salt, but here I have made some artistic drawings to show what I mean.
First option:
Second option for more hose length (cross clipping)
NOW WE HAVE OOA , exit the environment, your friend can just swim to your left without any kinks and maximising hose length.
If the hose comes from the right side you have some wonky, weird kinking **** going on.
At the risk of angering the entire forum. The solution if you want secondary donate to be more efficient and right side routing to work properly, is something like a Mares loop. or a left side regulator routed on the right side,
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