Using a long hose primary while teaching OW??

[Birddog1911]

While I have not used the method prior, I see the benefits of a long primary hose, and utilizing the S-Drill. However, I can't help but wonder if this would confuse new OW students. I'm going to be teaching for PADI, and of course have to teach to their standards.

As far as I can tell, so far, this won't violate the standards, but it is non-standard to how normal gear is set up. Just wondering if anyone has used this method while teaching.

*Start IDC end of this month.

 

[tbone1004]

how long of a long hose? IIRC PADI requires a snorkel to be used at OW level and that makes a 5' or 7' hose a bit problematic.

PADI does obviously allow use of AirII's which means a primary donate scenario so there will be no issues with you teaching using say a 36" primary bowed out like GUE used to allow in single tank, or a 40" with elbow/swivel under the shoulder

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

I know two very good instructors who do it, and they haven't expressed any problems with it. It might be mentioned before a couple demonstrations, but they demo skills in a way that most students never even recognize they're in a long hose.

I was practicing the basic 5 in preparation for Fundies this winter, and a student made a remark (after their third pool session) "why is your hose so much longer than everyone else's?" They had been in the pool three times with their instructor, and hadn't noticed he was wearing a long hose. I guess when you're just starting out, that's not something that readily comes to mind, and if it is, it's pretty easy to explain and work around.


Quick edit: do you mean you're wearing a long hose, or you're putting your students in them?

 

[wheeledgoat]

My instructor was in a long hose but it took me being in the water a few times to notice. There's so much more to worry about as a newbie. Once it became a topic of conversation, he advocated & explained his setup but also calmly explained that what we were in was what we would find pretty much anywhere we would rent gear and so it was worth being familiar with it.

 

[Birddog1911]

Quick edit: do you mean you're wearing a long hose, or you're putting your students in them?

No, I was referring to my own setup.

I'm considering going with a 7ft hose. Though @tbone1004 brought up a great point, that I hadn't thought of; the fact that I'll be using a snorkel during teaching.

 

[tbone1004]

@wheeledgoat did your instructor not go over any differences in his gear in case of an emergency as part of the pre-dive briefing? That should have been included.

@Birddog1911 while I personally prefer a 7' hose, they are not safe/smart to use when a snorkel is on your mask. I'm not sure what PADI requires in terms of the instructor whether it is wearing it on the mask or just on the person. If on the person, then grab a rollup snorkel and stuff it in a pocket or if on a BP/W put it in the elastic retainer where a backup light would go on the shoulder strap.

If they require on the mask, then you are better off going 40" + swivel

 

[2airishuman]

While I have not used the method prior, I see the benefits of a long primary hose, and utilizing the S-Drill. However, I can't help but wonder if this would confuse new OW students.

It would probably confuse some students. I believe it would be ideal to teach using the gear the students are likely to use. When I was an OW student, I had a BP/W and long hose, but that isn't common.

how long of a long hose? IIRC PADI requires a snorkel to be used at OW level and that makes a 5' or 7' hose a bit problematic.

I've never understood why this is hard. I sometimes use a snorkel and a long hose and don't find it to be a problem.

 

[Diver0001]

how long of a long hose? IIRC PADI requires a snorkel to be used at OW level and that makes a 5' or 7' hose a bit problematic.

PADI does obviously allow use of AirII's which means a primary donate scenario so there will be no issues with you teaching using say a 36" primary bowed out like GUE used to allow in single tank, or a 40" with elbow/swivel under the shoulder

re: snorkel. You can just nod your head forward while deploying and the hose doesn't catch.... That said the snorkel is considered mandatory equipment but it is not necessarily mandatory to keep it on your mask strap during the dive.

The long hose is not contrary to standards. The complication will be if you work together with other instructors. In that case you will all need to use the same configuration if you intend to mix groups or have anything resembling a team style. If that means everyone uses a long-hose then fine but practically speaking it usually means that nobody uses a long-hose.

On a side note, you can share air perfectly well using a short hose, even while swimming and/or ascending together. Remember that a long-hose was designed for circumstances where the divers were carrying considerably more gear with them and/or needing to exit an overhead in single file. This is not the context of the OW course so the short hose, even if you don't like it for philosophical reasons, is perfectly adequate and gets the job done.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

No, I was referring to my own setup.

I'm considering going with a 7ft hose. Though @tbone1004 brought up a great point, that I hadn't thought of; the fact that I'll be using a snorkel during teaching.

In the context of the OW course you have to wear what the students are wearing. I'm not sure that rule is carved in stone in the standards but your job as an instructor is to assist your students in becoming familiar with THEIR gear... not yours!

If every gear related demo you do is then followed up by having to explain that the can't do it the way you do it then you're not teaching them, you're just being stubborn and putting them at a disadvantage in the process.

At the AOW level I go about this differently because the skills are not geared toward gear familiarization. In that context I think it's worth their while to see different configurations.

In my own case I have two sets, a twin set with a long hose and a single set with a BCD. I can dive equally well in both, as most instructor probably could.

R..

 

[MichaelMc]

@Diver0001, So you view the issue mostly being with wearing primary donate, if that is not the method you are teaching in OW. Realizing what makes sense in OW usually depends on the shop gear.

With a necklace secondary and a 40" primary, you could teach primary donate and/or secondary donate. For teaching the secondary donate, breath the necklace, clip the 40" with a tear out bungee loop. Give them that tear away 40", or allow them to retrieve it from your golden triangle. Explain they may see many secondary attachment methods; optionally explain why you dive primary donate.