Using AIR 2

[Boarderguy]

It was in the early days of octo rigs, no agency had mandated them, we were in the learning phase, and still teaching Buddy Breathing. I'm not sure if long hoses were even available then.

Buddy breathing from 40 fsw was the highlight of my training. It was only mentioned during my wife's OW last year.

 

[L13]

There is one piece of actual dive gear made that is dangerous for its intended purpose. That is the air intragrated inflator. But your an adult do as you wish.

Are there any actual dive accidents where the Air2 was responsible for the problem (particularly when used in conjunction with primary donate)?

 

[formernuke]

Are there any actual dive accidents where the Air2 was responsible for the problem (particularly when used in conjunction with primary donate)?

I know of a few. Remember official incidents are only listed if reported. The I know of where not reported.

 

[Boarderguy]

Are there any actual dive accidents where the Air2 was responsible for the problem (particularly when used in conjunction with primary donate)?

Some people are just not capable of calm and even thought during a potentially stressful situation. It isn't hard to vent your BC with your air 2 by removing it from your mouth for 5-10 seconds and hitting the button. That goes against many thought processes of taking your reg out of your mouth means you die.

 

[James79]

It was in the early days of octo rigs, no agency had mandated them, we were in the learning phase, and still teaching Buddy Breathing. I'm not sure if long hoses were even available then.

Please don't think I was disparaging you. I totally get the learning and developing process (I'm reinventing some of them in my tinkering with vintage gear!).

Respectfully,

James

 

[L13]

I know of a few. Remember official incidents are only listed if reported. The I know of where not reported.

Could you give summaries?

If it is a real problem, I would expect it to at least occasionally appear in official reports.

I see the arguments from both sides on this making sense. Just curious how the actually data corresponds to the conflicting theories. Even it the detractors are correct that it adds risk, does it add enough to be significant? Even if the proponents are correct about the advantages, is it worth the risk?

 

[lexvil]

Going underwater with a finite amount of air is a risk, training and experience mitigate that risk, we need to, as individuals, decide how much risk we can tolerate

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Once again, as A SOLO configured diver with a back mounted 19cf Pony, an Air 2 makes perfect sense. In my configuration I basically have three 2nd stage options......one of them being my 19ft Pony with dedicated reg. Keep in mind that another diver OOA in a share scenario is an emergency and so the Pony can come into play as an option on ascents . Plus....having three separate 2nd stage hoses is just one hose too many.

 

[L13]

Going underwater with a finite amount of air is a risk, training and experience mitigate that risk, we need to, as individuals, decide how much risk we can tolerate

Which is why I was looking to quantify the actual risk.

 

[David Haas]

54 years diving in 2023........

Started with backpack, weight belt, blow up safety vest, no SPG.

Acquired SPG, Octopus, then front mounted God awful BCD, adding power inflator to that as soon as available.

As soon as back mounted "wing" (Seaquest and Scubapro came out with them) became available I put one on my back back still using a weight belt. PS - I die laughing when people think a BPW is "new" as this was in the 1970s !!!!!

At that point I got rid of the 4th hose (octopus) using a Sherwood Shadow full sized 2nd stage on my BCD inflator. Also used the flat Shadow Plus combination Octopus / BCD inflator successfully all over the world.

Progressed to back mounted weight integrated BCD and added the Aqualung AirSource (same as Scubapro Air2) again, no 4th hose. Also went to simply a hose SPG and wearing 1-2 wrist dive computers.

In 54 years diving only 2 OOA scenarios shallower than 70'. Both I gave my primary, grabbed the guy and breathed off my Aqualung AirSource, did our safety stop on my gas and all was well

As many have said if you control your buoyancy through minimal weighting ascent even in an OOA scenario isn't a big deal......

90% of 4 hosers I see have their damn octopus dragging, never practice OOA scenarios or do a refresher after 6+ months away from diving anyway

My "theory" is an OOA person KNOWS the one in your mouth is going to give them gas and will go for it (!!!!!!)

I practice using my AirSource on safety stops (so does my wife diving the same set up for oh, 33 years now.) All I know is it works for me still traveling and diving at almost 70.

Long hose and necklace set up as many said is likely fine, just not for me. I want less crap and more streamlined back to the days of my original dive gear.

For cold water diving which I don't do these days I could see a Pony bottle of some sort......

PS - As an active instructor until 1990 I had to teach standard octo configuration and gas sharing.
Did the silly swimming with receiver fighting each other or sometimes looping behind the donor which depended on what side people had their octopus on (right or left.)

Some advocated left for Face to Face control of OOA person while others said that was confusing and all 2nd stages should be off to the right.

In the Red Sea I saw instructors with H valves on single tank or doubles with an independent reg on each tank. Point being it was all over the board and still is.....Don't believe me? Go to a resort anywhere in the world and look at people's set ups.......

Now we're in the age of DIR / GUE / BPW or else you're unsafe (????) What a load of BS......

99% of divers I see couldn't walk 1/2 mile fast, swim under load of all that gear and are dangerous to themselves. You can't equipment or $$$$ your way out of skills and physical condition......

Hell, if I put the same typical divers in a pool for Scuba 101: mask and regulator retrieval and clearing, monitor your gas and gauges and control your buoyancy most would fail......

Sorry for the rant, just go diving, practice before a trip and enjoy yourself safely!

I do........

David Haas