What length hoses do you have?

[large_diver]

Uncle Pug,

Since you are asking the question......

I'd be interested in hearing the same story from you -- which GUE courses have you taken and how did they affect your diving techniques and gear config? If you haven't taken any courses, are you a 100% DIR follower or have you adapted certain parts of DIR to fit your needs?

Again -- all asked in a constructive manner ;-)

As for me -- I've only been diving for about 2 years. I am a rec diver. I've read alot of about DIR, have joined a few mailing lists, and have been diving with DIR divers. I buy into the DIR philosophy. That being said, I still have a lot of non-DIR gear that I am slowly converting. I haven't taken any GUE courses, but am considering the "Fundamentals" course if it ever gets offered up in the Boston area.

Respectfully submitted,

-LD

 

[bradymsu]

Uncle Pug,

My hose is stowed in surgical tubing run through the holes on the right side of my backplate. It's more on the side of me than behind me. It rests up against my side and the back of it is covered by my wings. Anything that would snag it would be blocked by my suit or wings. It is much less able to be snaged than when it ran across my body.

It's my personal preference to keep the front part of my body as uncluttered as possible yet still have the parts of my kit accessible. Currently, for example, my backup lights go in a small pocket on the far left side of my waist strap instead of on chest d-rings. My dive light battery is placed as far back as possible on my right side waist strap so that it is easy to access but out of the way. I don't use the small horizontal chest strap on my harness because I have found it provides little benefit to me. My computer that is on a high pressure hose and used to come across my chest and clipped to a right side d-ring is now on a shorter hose that I can keep tucked down on my left side similar to what a DIR diver would do with her gauges. By stowing my long hose, the only thing now on my chest is the drysuit hose when I'm diving up here in the Great Lakes.

I'll admit I have never taken a GUE class, all my tech training has been through IANTD other than my first Nitrox class. Before I began doing any technical diving, I was introduced to DIR & GUE via the information from GUE, JJ and George on the web. I was turned off to it for several reasons that I can discuss with you if you want to send me an e-mail. It's too long and too off-topic to get into here. (much like this post) In short though, I am very happy with IANTD because I got a very decent instructor and I appreciate their comprehensive and scientific approach to diving. I also appreciate IANTD for turning out far less of the cocky macho know-it-all techie types like some other organizations. One good thing I can say about GUE is that their divers who receive instruction from a real instructor instead of a book, video or website tend to be very well-trained.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by bradymsu
Uncle Pug,
My hose is stowed in surgical tubing run through the holes on the right side of my backplate. It's more on the side of me than behind me...

Since this is about hose lengths (and placement is a part of that) I don't feel like we are straying off topic to far here Brady...

Thanks for the description... I was picturing the long hose on a bungee on the tank and figured the second stage would pose a snag hazard.

There are other items in your post that I would like to discuss but perhaps in a different thread since I don't want to get this one off track and not every one is interested.... who am I kidding... everyone is interested... OK, I am going to start a thread on gear stowage and potential snag hazards.... see you there

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by large_diver
Uncle Pug,

Since you are asking the question......

I'd be interested in hearing the same story from you -- which GUE courses have you taken and how did they affect your diving techniques and gear config? If you haven't taken any courses, are you a 100% DIR follower or have you adapted certain parts of DIR to fit your needs?

Fair enough...

DIR fundamentals (before it was called that)
Tech 1

This is not the forum for me to go into details.

 

[bradymsu]

Uncle Pug,

I'll see you in the new thread then. From viewing your profile, it appears we have the same birthday and same job. I was also happy to see that you have enough rebel in you to wear that non-DIR <gasp> dive computer! :tongueout

 

[cybordolphin]

I will reafirm that this is indeed one VERY freindly board. These post attest to that. I have (in my short time here), over-qualified for MAJOR flaming, and have yet to lure anyone so far into doing that.

Not intentionally.. but rather out of my ignorance (honest..lol).

Now... with regard to hose length... I would REALLY like to see simple lengths posted.. kinda like...

Primary to reg: 4'
Reg to backup second stage: 7'

and so on.

THANKS to everyone who has taken time to post.

AND THANKS FOR THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will post a pic of my cake... just because it is SO cool and I know everyone here will like it!!!

Pics of cake to follow.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by cybordolphin
Now... with regard to hose length... I would REALLY like to see simple lengths posted.. kinda like...

The Yoopster already gave you that in the second post of this thread....

I'd have to make stuff up to give you something different...

But here goes:

Long hose: 130 feet so I can leave my tanks on the boat...
Secondary: none - use Spareair twinset for that tech diver look...
SPG: none - use peanut pressure gauge screwed into... uhhh... hmmm...
BC: none - BC? - ("We don need noh stinking BC")

Just kidding of course....
Yoop beat me to the real deal a long way back in this conversation....


And you are right Cyberdolphin.....
This is a great board full of cool people!!!

 

[The Chairman]

my first few dives done in the 70s were without a BC... We did just fine back then without them. The reefs got beat up a bit, and there were more instances of FIre coral rashes, etc. BUT, we had a really good time. Things change for the better my friend.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by bradymsu
Uncle Pug,
I see you wear that non-DIR <gasp> dive computer! :tongueout

Huhh... no kidding... that's a computer???
I thought it was just big numbered BT/DG....

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by NetDoc
my first few dives done in the 70s were without a BC

Pete, I know this is off thread, but...
Back before I knew what a BC was really for...
Diving over in Hawaii in the warm water only wearing a 3mm or nothing other than swim trunks....
I could have easily dispensed with a BC....
Because I never put any air in it anyway!!!
I expect that your water down there is warm too....
I really would like to do some warm water diving again....

We now return you to hoses....