Okay, I'll bite on this dead thread.
Your reasoning is absurd. Sorry.
The number one priority to someone that is OOA is to find breathing gas. That means if you're closer than the surface, you're his/her source.
1. If you can't be without your primary for 2 seconds, then you shouldn't be diving. Period.
2. You put the backup reg around your neck so that it is not dragged thru, or comes in contact with, anything that could foul it up. Bouyancy control is one thing, but going thru wrecks, or other potential foul points is also considered. You also put it around your neck so that you absolutely know where it is. It also makes it very simple to constantly test it.
You donate the long hose reg because a. that's what an OOA diver will take anyway, and b. you know its a working reg because you've been breathing off of it. It gives you some working room between you and the OOA diver. You can hold them close, or let them separate. You're in control. And you have a choice.
That does not absolve you from the responsibility to check that backup reg often. Before the dive, and during the dive. When I know both of my regs are working perfectly, I am confident that I can provide gas to anyone that needs it and to myself at the same time.
In addition, having the long hose as your primary, and routed properly means that you can practice OOA drills without having to make any adjustments to your rig. My partner signals OOA, I donate my long hose primary to him/her, and go to my backup under my chin. Skill is over and I take the primary, loop it under my cannister light and put it around my neck. Drop the backup and begin breathing off the primary. This is not rocket science, although you are making it sound so.
As for rec/caribbean divers, it's perfect for everyone. If you've got the hogarthian setup, it doesn't matter what the "majority" of divers knows or doesn't know. If they approach you OOA, you're in control and just give up the primary reg to them. They don't need to know anything but that they are getting gas.
If your backup reg is on a long hose, where does the hose go? Where do you store the backup reg?
CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...
Okay, here is a thread where you can argue all day and night about what is best or what is right.
I've heard folks like SeaJay and others try to explain to me that over 90% of divers that have run out of air will probably just grab the first regulator they can find regardless if it could injure the diver with air.
If these OOA idiots are so paniced they have no concern about someones life. It seems to me that the number one priority to a paniced errational diver would not be to locate a diver but would be to get to the surface.
I don't have a problem with the 7' hose. But I don't think it's for everyone especially rec/caribbean divers. Especially since the majority of divers have not even heard of this new idea introduced to the rec/caribbean world. I realize it's been in the tech world for decades and for great reason there.
As many of you have pointed out the bad aspects of diving with a short hose. I ask you, how many diving accidents are there per year due to the short hose? Few and some years none.
Here are some negative aspects I've found for giving your primary away.
#1. You for a brief few seconds have two divers without air period. This raises the question that you could have a nice potential for two paniced divers. I would rather only have 1 paniced or stressed diver on my hands and one in total control.
#2. If the octo does in fact have funk or gunk in it and malfunctions..Now you have two extremely stressed divers on your hands instead of just 1. What's wrong with this picture. You could have just had 1 diver stressed and or paniced..Now you have a stronger chance for two stressed or paniced diver vs. if you had just given up your octo.
Some people on the board have told me that the reason for wearing the octo. around the neck is to prevent it from getting funked up. Well, this sounds extremely exceptable to me and I totally understand this if you have problems with getting into funk because of poor bouyancy control.
But..They will also go on to say that the reason you want to give your primary away is because the octo. may have funk it and you dont' want to give a paniced diver a funked up malfunctioning octo.
Now if this is not a total contradiction...I don't know what is.
I just thought we could start a new thread regarding these issues.
Point of this being. If your going to do a 7' hose, I'm old school and think it's better for the 7' to be your octo! I've heard all the rational for the other method. It's just simple. I disagree with it being safer.
