Using A Long Hose Isn't Just For Tech Divers

[ABQ]

OE2X,

I have no doubt that you and your dive buddies are exellent divers, BUT, you will never be able to contribute in changing standards for the many if you only dive with the few (your "buddies"); each doing the same, thinking the same, wanting the same. I mean, why do you bother to even post here to the many? Training agencies, instructors, and individual divers need to be inclusionary, not exclusionary.

(Remember, do we each want to be considered a stroke by someone who's better than we? There's always somebody better. Always.)

 

[jonnythan]

ABQ, some of us just want to dive and have fun, not "spread the word" or change the face of the diving industry. I have no plans to ever become an instructor, I just want to dive and enjoy myself in the safest, simplest manner possible.. and so that includes diving with like-minded divers who usually have a very similar gear configuration. The less strange gear to deal with pre-dive, the fewer procedures we have to go over in detail pre-dive, the more hand and light signals we already have in common, the less stressful and MORE FUN the dive. There's nothing wrong with that.

I'm more than happy to dive with anyone interested in methods alternative to what they learned in PADI OW.. but I'm not about to tell any PADI OW divers they learned everything wrong and they need to do it my way.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

OE2X,

I have no doubt that you and your dive buddies are exellent divers, BUT, you will never be able to contribute in changing standards for the many if you only dive with the few (your "buddies"); each doing the same, thinking the same, wanting the same. I mean, why do you bother to even post here to the many? Training agencies, instructors, and individual divers need to be inclusionary, not exclusionary.

(Remember, do we each want to be considered a stroke by someone who's better than we? There's always somebody better. Always.)

Now who's stereotyping?

FWIW - myself, OE2X, Uncle Pug, and several other regular "long-hose" divers here do not limit ourselves to diving with people based on gear configuration, training agency, experience or even skill level. Heck, I often dive with newly-certified divers wearing all manner of gear.

Attitude is a different matter though ... I dive to relax and enjoy myself. I don't want to do it with someone who feels like they've got to "prove" something.

I try not to take it too seriously ... it's a recreational activity ... nothing more, nothing less.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[novadiver]

ABQ, some of us just want to dive and have fun, not "spread the word" or change the face of the diving industry. I have no plans to ever become an instructor, I just want to dive and enjoy myself in the safest, simplest manner possible.. and so that includes diving with like-minded divers who usually have a very similar gear configuration. The less strange gear to deal with pre-dive, the fewer procedures we have to go over in detail pre-dive, the more hand and light signals we already have in common, the less stressful and MORE FUN the dive. There's nothing wrong with that.

I'm more than happy to dive with anyone interested in methods alternative to what they learned in PADI OW.. but I'm not about to tell any PADI OW divers they learned everything wrong and they need to do it my way.

Now this statement is just plain HIPOCRITICAL of you jonny

 

[doole]

(Remember, do we each want to be considered a stroke by someone who's better than we? There's always somebody better. Always.)

A wise observation indeed - but this is about egos and long hoses. Could we all please get back to the chest-beating at hand?

 

[StSomewhere]

Given what you quoted...thats a pretty big stretch

Well I'm still trying to figure out how the long hose benefits the OW diver. Rehash what those benefits are again?

 

[jonnythan]

Well I'm still trying to figure out how the long hose benefits the OW diver. Rehash what those benefits are again?

Read these posts:

1
9
10
13
15
47
97
141 (my personal list)

OK, after only going through a fraction of this thread I found many, many good reasons.

I will rehash my post (#141) here:

I find it works better when the OOA diver has 7 feet of hose to play with instead of 3.

I feel better *knowing* my buddy will have a working reg in his face in under 2 seconds of an OOA. He's the paniced one, he can have the one reg we both know is delivering air. If my backups aren't working, we can buddy breathe. #1 priority when buddy goes OOA is to get him gas.

I feel better knowing my backup is right below my chin, instead of *probably* somewhere by my stomach in an octo holder.

I much prefer how a 7 foot hose routes on my body vs a "regular" short primary.

I find that when using a 7 foot hose, turning my head far to the right doesn't push the reg out of my mouth the way it did with a short primary

 

[OE2X]

OE2X,

I have no doubt that you and your dive buddies are exellent divers, BUT, you will never be able to contribute in changing standards for the many if you only dive with the few (your "buddies"); each doing the same, thinking the same, wanting the same. I mean, why do you bother to even post here to the many? Training agencies, instructors, and individual divers need to be inclusionary, not exclusionary.

(Remember, do we each want to be considered a stroke by someone who's better than we? There's always somebody better. Always.)

I think what others are trying to tell you is what I tried to bring to light earlier. Risks are lessened if buddies have a similar gear configuration. This is by no means an absolute, but it was in response to you feeling that we need to know all configurations. Depending on the circle, that is not an absolute either.

For me it's not about beating a drum, bearing a torch or leading the industry to change. As Bob so aptly put, I'll dive with anyone as long as I feel that their attitude and skills are safe for the dive at hand. It doesn't concern me what style the person is diving.

You are correct that training agencies, instructors and individual divers need to be included and that is the reason for this thread. It has been an instruction vehicle to bring out the why the use of a long hose is worthwhile for recreational divers. Some may choose to use a 5' or 7' hose because they feel that they have learned something positve here. Others may choose not to for their own merits. That said a few have posted that there is no valid reason for rec. divers to embrace using the long hose. My thought is why not? There are a number of instructors that have contributed to the thread affirming this method for rec diving. Other than some convoluted reactionary posts by Nova, no one has come up with a valid reason as to why rec divers shouldn't use this.

As to feeling inferior when diving: There are a number of people (Bob and Pug with whom I diving with tonight) that I dive with and if I were to compare my skills to their's I would be a complete noobie. I continue to learn from them and feel fortunate that they allow me to join them. This is not about making anyone feel inferior. It's about offering a better way to do something and a technique that is not at all difficult to learn or adopt. Far harder subjects have been advocated on other threads and they don't seem to be anywhere near as contentious as this one.

 

[novadiver]

I think what others are trying to tell you is what I tried to bring to light earlier. Risks are lessened if buddies have a similar gear configuration. This is by no means an absolute, but it was in response to you feeling that we need to know all configurations. Depending on the circle, that is not an absolute either.

For me it's not about beating a drum, bearing a torch or leading the industry to change. As Bob so aptly put, I'll dive with anyone as long as I feel that their attitude and skills are safe for the dive at hand. It doesn't concern me what style the person is diving.

You are correct that training agencies, instructors and individual divers need to be included and that is the reason for this thread. It has been an instruction vehicle to bring out the why the use of a long hose is worthwhile for recreational divers. Some may choose to use a 5' or 7' hose because they feel that they have learned something positve here. Others may choose not to for their own merits. That said a few have posted that there is no valid reason for rec. divers to embrace using the long hose. My thought is why not? There are a number of instructors that have contributed to the thread affirming this method for rec diving. Other than some convoluted reactionary posts by Nova, no one has come up with a valid reason as to why rec divers shouldn't use this.

As to feeling inferior when diving: There are a number of people (Bob and Pug with whom I diving with tonight) that I dive with and if I were to compare my skills to their's I would be a complete noobie. I continue to learn from them and feel fortunate that they allow me to join them. This is not about making anyone feel inferior. It's about offering a better way to do something and a technique that is not at all difficult to learn or adopt. Far harder subjects have been advocated on other threads and they don't seem to be anywhere near as contentious as this one.

wow, that made it sound like I'm the only one who advises against this horse hockey, and we all know that's not true. CONVALUTED INDEED

 

[MASS-Diver]

Well I'm still trying to figure out how the long hose benefits the OW diver. Rehash what those benefits are again?

Have you thread? It's much easier to share air with a long hose. The are easy to deploy, manage, and stow.


ABQ,
I'm not really interesting in changing how a five times a year vacation diver dives. Most serious divers realize right away that all the bright colored PADI style gear is industry junk - designed to appeal to some 40-old couple that are traveling to the Caymans for the first time. It's cool that you use that gear - good for you, I'm sure you students are really impressed. I'm not. Lots of people think PADI and NAUI have done so much great things for the sport, but really have they done is built up an industry that churns out very poorly trained divers, most of who leave the sport in a year or two.

I have a ton of PADI cards, money was no object when I bought the best "rec" gear out there - I rocked a SQ raider BCD, a $70 snorkle, all that crap......all my PADI instructors told me what a great diver I was.....in reality I was a poor diver with poor quality gear.

Honestly, have you ever tried a long hose? Can you at all see the advantage or do really just think it's some crazy scam that people are trying to pull on you? Sharing air with goofey AIRII is not easy - it's a poor rig for any dive.