DarthWader,
I meant to leave you a bit of a message too. Forget the New Science of Skin & Scuba Diving (not really, but while a great reference, it's not how I started). Pick up a copy of Cousteau's The Silent World, which should be available most anywhere. Read it cover to cover, and you'll end up with a dive course on the history of diving, diving a double hose regulator, and the early adventures of the Cousteau team (before it was really formed). That's how I started diving, in 1959. It wasn't until I had been diving for about three years that I got a LA County diving course, and we used the New Science of Skin & Scuba Diving for that one.
Barring that, if you want to take your regulator out this weekend, do so. It doesn't behave much differently than a single hose. You breath, and it gives you air.
Start out in shallow water, take the mouthpiece out of your mouth to flood it, put it back in and turn your head slightly to the left (left side down) to put the exhalation non-return at the lowest point, and exhale. You'll clear the mouthpiece easily. There may still be water in the left (exhalation) hose, so you can roll while exhaling to remove that water. Roll left (left shoulder down) and as you exhale, the water is removed from the hose.
Now, repeat this exercise, only instead of clearing the regulator with an exhalation, let the regulator do the work. Raise the mouthpiece above your head a bit until it starts free flowing (when the mouthpiece is above the regulator, it will free flow when out of your mouth). Then, as it is free flowing, simply put it back into your mouth, exhale a bit to ensure than there is no residual water, and breath normally. No water will be in the exhalation hose, as air was trapped there by the non-return.
Now, simply get used to the different positions and breathing resistence of the double hose regulator. Do this by swimming normally, then doing a slight roll to get the regulator at a 90 degree angle--this will give ideal breathing resistance, as the regulator is now at the center of the lungs. Roll a bit more to an upside down position, and feel the regulator try to pump air into your mouth and lungs. It cannot do this, but inhalation will be very easy (probably forced a bit) and exhalation hard. Then roll again to a normal swimming position. If your regulator is between your shoulder blades, you'll experience slightly harder inhalation, and very easy exhalation.
With that little bit of orientation, you'll do fine diving the double hose. On the surface, swim on your back just a bit to feel the regulator blow air out the mouthpiece--counter this by pulling the mouthpiece below the regulator (the water's surface), and it will stop. Or, simply turn back over onto your stomach. This is why it is better to dive with a snorkel when using a double hose, so you can easily swim on your stomach and not have the regulator free flow.
Good luck and good diving.
SeaRat
I meant to leave you a bit of a message too. Forget the New Science of Skin & Scuba Diving (not really, but while a great reference, it's not how I started). Pick up a copy of Cousteau's The Silent World, which should be available most anywhere. Read it cover to cover, and you'll end up with a dive course on the history of diving, diving a double hose regulator, and the early adventures of the Cousteau team (before it was really formed). That's how I started diving, in 1959. It wasn't until I had been diving for about three years that I got a LA County diving course, and we used the New Science of Skin & Scuba Diving for that one.
Barring that, if you want to take your regulator out this weekend, do so. It doesn't behave much differently than a single hose. You breath, and it gives you air.
Start out in shallow water, take the mouthpiece out of your mouth to flood it, put it back in and turn your head slightly to the left (left side down) to put the exhalation non-return at the lowest point, and exhale. You'll clear the mouthpiece easily. There may still be water in the left (exhalation) hose, so you can roll while exhaling to remove that water. Roll left (left shoulder down) and as you exhale, the water is removed from the hose.
Now, repeat this exercise, only instead of clearing the regulator with an exhalation, let the regulator do the work. Raise the mouthpiece above your head a bit until it starts free flowing (when the mouthpiece is above the regulator, it will free flow when out of your mouth). Then, as it is free flowing, simply put it back into your mouth, exhale a bit to ensure than there is no residual water, and breath normally. No water will be in the exhalation hose, as air was trapped there by the non-return.
Now, simply get used to the different positions and breathing resistence of the double hose regulator. Do this by swimming normally, then doing a slight roll to get the regulator at a 90 degree angle--this will give ideal breathing resistance, as the regulator is now at the center of the lungs. Roll a bit more to an upside down position, and feel the regulator try to pump air into your mouth and lungs. It cannot do this, but inhalation will be very easy (probably forced a bit) and exhalation hard. Then roll again to a normal swimming position. If your regulator is between your shoulder blades, you'll experience slightly harder inhalation, and very easy exhalation.
With that little bit of orientation, you'll do fine diving the double hose. On the surface, swim on your back just a bit to feel the regulator blow air out the mouthpiece--counter this by pulling the mouthpiece below the regulator (the water's surface), and it will stop. Or, simply turn back over onto your stomach. This is why it is better to dive with a snorkel when using a double hose, so you can easily swim on your stomach and not have the regulator free flow.
Good luck and good diving.
SeaRat
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