What do you do when your inexperienced insta buddy is set up for Air2.

[MaxBottomtime]

I would keep track of my spg and not run out of air.

 

[Scubagermany]

Sorry, whats an Air 2 setup?

 

[Maolli]

Sorry, whats an Air 2 setup?

The BCD power inflator is replaced with a regulator/power inflator combination.

There are some divers who believe using such a device is a death sentence in the case of an air-sharing situation because it requires the Air2 diver to breathe from their own corrugated BCD hose while managing buoyancy during a rapid ascent.

This entire situation could be a non issue with a solo certification and a bailout bottle.

 

[Edward3c]

Hey All,

Just a quick topic for you. I had a dive recently and needed a buddy. On the boat they allocated me to a chap nice guy don't get me wrong but a couple of questions later I discover he's under 20 dives and I notice his set up is Air2. Now I personally consider Air2 to be a very dangerous set up attempts to fix a problem that doesn't need fixing whereby if I need his help in an out of air situation I take his primary reg and he goes onto this short hose badly breathing Air2 and then he's also supposed to control his buoyancy on ascent etc etc. Its a horrible solution.

Anyway, I am concerned when I see his set up I know its not likely to happen but should I need his support I can see someone with little experience could easily panic where I am needing him to provide me with air. I said nothing other than agreeing that if this situation does arise he's expected to hand me his primary and go to his Air2 to which he agrees. The dive went ahead without issue, was good fun actually he was a good insta buddy in the end but I did consider later whether I should have said I was not comfortable diving with someone in that configuration and requested an alternate insta buddy with a proper occy.

What's your thoughts?

Not really a problem, I dived single reg with an AIR2 for a few years. It was still in the days of buddy breathing, having an oct reg was unusual.

All fine until the day I was paired with someone with the same setup. My SGP unscrewed and near the end of the dive, came off in my hand when checking my gas. I signed OOG, but was ignored, so reached over and took their AIR2. Now I had their buoyancy controls and mine. All the time my high pressure hose was screaming bubbles. We made a controlled assent as I used their BD as though doing a CBL. The boat was waiting for us as they said the sea was erupting with the gas from the HP hose.

I learned two lessons:
1. Get a proper octo setup, as next time it could be me as donor and I don’t want anyone controlling my buoyancy if I’m still conscious.
2. A high pressure leak doesn’t drain the cylinder as quickly as imagined.

 

[MarkA]

Not really a problem, I dived single reg with an AIR2 for a few years. It was still in the days of buddy breathing, having an oct reg was unusual.

All fine until the day I was paired with someone with the same setup. My SGP unscrewed and near the end of the dive, came off in my hand when checking my gas. I signed OOG, but was ignored, so reached over and took their AIR2. Now I had their buoyancy controls and mine. All the time my high pressure hose was screaming bubbles. We made a controlled assent as I used their BD as though doing a CBL. The boat was waiting for us as they said the sea was erupting with the gas from the HP hose.

I learned two lessons:
1. Get a proper octo setup, as next time it could be me as donor and I don’t want anyone controlling my buoyancy if I’m still conscious.
2. A high pressure leak doesn’t drain the cylinder as quickly as imagined.

The main reason for me changing to an octopus from an AIR2 was to be a better buddy and have a more standard setup. Needed a “T” adaptor to add an extra hole in the first stage.

 

[johndiver999]

Not really a problem, I dived single reg with an AIR2 for a few years. It was still in the days of buddy breathing, having an oct reg was unusual.

All fine until the day I was paired with someone with the same setup. My SGP unscrewed and near the end of the dive, came off in my hand when checking my gas. I signed OOG, but was ignored, so reached over and took their AIR2. Now I had their buoyancy controls and mine. All the time my high pressure hose was screaming bubbles. We made a controlled assent as I used their BD as though doing a CBL. The boat was waiting for us as they said the sea was erupting with the gas from the HP hose.

I learned two lessons:
1. Get a proper octo setup, as next time it could be me as donor and I don’t want anyone controlling my buoyancy if I’m still conscious.
2. A high pressure leak doesn’t drain the cylinder as quickly as imagined.

The air 2 set up is NOT intended for the buddy to use it. If a donor did not offer me their primary regulator, I would probably just snatch it from their mouth and try to shove the air 2 into their mouth.

When I am paired up with someone who I have not dove with many times, I always try to remember to tell them that "I have NO octopus for you to use". Hopefully this gets their attention. I then say "if they need air, just take the regulator from my mouth". I tell them that I promise to notice "right away" if they take my regulator.

And if they have an air 2, I make a point of reminding them that I will be taking the regulator from THEIR mouth if I need air. If they look surprised or upset by this, then I can initiate a conversation on the subject.

It IS scary how poorly trained some divers are, and I doubt that enough of the air 2 users actually practice ascents with the device, but that is a skills, rather than an equipment problem.

 

[happy-diver]

Sounds like me, at twenty dives with my airII I was almost a card carrying veteran

On the boat they allocated me to a chap nice guy don't get me wrong but a couple of questions later I discover he's under 20 dives and I notice his set up is Air2.

Now I personally consider Air2 to be a very dangerous set up attempts to fix a problem that doesn't need fixing whereby if I need his help in an out of air situation I take his primary reg and he goes onto this short hose badly breathing Air2 and then he's also supposed to control his buoyancy on ascent etc etc. Its a horrible solution.

Your ease of life has nothing to do with what other people do but how you react to it

Hey man I'm living on the Sunny Coast at the moment Alex, wanna go dive the Brissy

Do you know how to solo

 

[lizardland]

Hey All,

Just a quick topic for you. I had a dive recently and needed a buddy. On the boat they allocated me to a chap nice guy don't get me wrong but a couple of questions later I discover he's under 20 dives and I notice his set up is Air2. Now I personally consider Air2 to be a very dangerous set up attempts to fix a problem that doesn't need fixing whereby if I need his help in an out of air situation I take his primary reg and he goes onto this short hose badly breathing Air2 and then he's also supposed to control his buoyancy on ascent etc etc. Its a horrible solution.

Anyway, I am concerned when I see his set up I know its not likely to happen but should I need his support I can see someone with little experience could easily panic where I am needing him to provide me with air. I said nothing other than agreeing that if this situation does arise he's expected to hand me his primary and go to his Air2 to which he agrees. The dive went ahead without issue, was good fun actually he was a good insta buddy in the end but I did consider later whether I should have said I was not comfortable diving with someone in that configuration and requested an alternate insta buddy with a proper occy.

What's your thoughts?

How is it any different to a new diver trained on a traditional octopus and primary? Either he'll panic or he won't and it's a bit of a generalisation to assume he will. Going through what would happen in an emergency was the right thing to do.

The Air2 would not concern me. I think the bigger issue is not feeling like you can say "no" to a dive or a diver you don't feel comfortable with. That will bite you on the arse long before any supposed issue with an Air2 will.

 

[Edward3c]

The air 2 set up is NOT intended for the buddy to use it. If a donor did not offer me their primary regulator, I would probably just snatch it from their mouth and try to shove the air 2 into their mouth.

When I am paired up with someone who I have not dove with many times, I always try to remember to tell them that "I have NO octopus for you to use". Hopefully this gets their attention. I then say "if they need air, just take the regulator from my mouth". I tell them that I promise to notice "right away" if they take my regulator.

And if they have an air 2, I make a point of reminding them that I will be taking the regulator from THEIR mouth if I need air. If they look surprised or upset by this, then I can initiate a conversation on the subject.

It IS scary how poorly trained some divers are, and I doubt that enough of the air 2 users actually practice ascents with the device, but that is a skills, rather than an equipment problem.

An AIR2 or similar is not considered an alternative air source (AAS) by BSAC. Therefore, my 3rd Party BSAC insurance would be invalid if that’s what I relied on.

 

[johndiver999]

How is it any different to a new diver trained on a traditional octopus and primary? Either he'll panic or he won't and it's a bit of a generalisation to assume he will. Going through what would happen in an emergency was the right thing to do.

The Air2 would not concern me. I think the bigger issue is not feeling like you can say "no" to a dive or a diver you don't feel comfortable with. That will bite you on the arse long before any supposed issue with an Air2 will.

It is VERY different. Divers who are trained with a traditional octopus are taught that they donate this "EXTRA" second stage. There is no need to remove THEIR second stage from their mouth in a life or death emergency.

Failure to understand this distinction is a big F'n deal. It could definitely cause the situation to spiral into panic if the diver were unprepared for regulator removal.