Which regulator should you donate?

[koi]

So, I was talking to another diver today and told him that I was thinking about going to a 7' hose on my primary. He then asked me why I couldn't just place a 7' hose on my octo. His reason was that, by remvoing the primary from your mouth and donating it in an OOA situation, you would be creating a potential hazard. He questioned why I couldn't simply keep the primary in my mouth, while donating the secondary on the 7' hose. The advantages of this would be eliminating a step, while still retaining the benefits of a long hose (less restrictive, etc.).

I couldn't think of a decent answer other than problematic stowing of the extra hose on an octo. Whereas, there wouldn't be a problem with the normal routing of a 7' hose on the primary.

Any opinions?

 

[The Kraken]

It's because when the guy freaking out wants some air, all he can see is the little bubble making thing sticking out of your mouth and that's what he goes for.

 

[glbirch]

Part of the concept of sharing your primary in an OOA situation is the idea that the person who is OOA may be desperate and is going to grab for the first reg he/she sees, which is going to be the one in your mouth. As well, if you are donating to someone OOA then by giving them your primary you are giving them a reg that you know is working right and won't add to their stress.

 

[mer]

His reason was that, by remvoing the primary from your mouth and donating it in an OOA situation, you would be creating a potential hazard.

With practice, you are not creating a hazard by removing a reg from your mouth, especially if you backup is in a very accessable location, like bungeed below your neck.

I agree with Kracken about which reg would get taken in a 'less than calm' situation.

Stowing a 7' octo would be a PITA.

 

[koi]

Right, in a panicked emergency situation, it would be beneficial to have the primary on a long hose. And, more likely, he would grab that reg rather than the one slightly further down around your neck.

However, what about the calmer situation where your buddy simply approaches you and signals that s/he is low on air and needs some?

 

[glbirch]

Right, in a panicked emergency situation, it would be beneficial to have the primary on a long hose. And, more likely, he would grab that reg rather than the one slightly further down around your neck.

However, what about the calmer situation where your buddy simply approaches you and signals that s/he is low on air and needs some?

Second part of my reply above. By donating the primary you know that someone already under stress is getting a regulator that works. (You were just breathing off it, right?) If you donate your octo which has been hanging off your BC, in a pocket, dragging through the sand, or wherever you stored it for the last ten dives there's a chance it could have problems and add to the stress load of someone who already has problems.

 

[Beth_M]

So, one would hope that after donating your primary, your backup functions properply. Otherwise, wouldn't you have essentially swapped places with the low on air/OOA diver?

My point is, whether or not you're donating a primary or backup, shouldn't you ensure that both are working properly so there's no question as to the integrity of either reg?

 

[MechDiver]

Donating the long hose is based, in part, on how a doubles manifold is setup, and the fact that the primary (long hose) comes off the right post.
There are many divers who wrap and stow a long hose for an octo, but it is less than optimal IMO.

This has been discussed many times in the past.

MD

 

[glbirch]

So, one would hope that after donating your primary, your backup functions properply. Otherwise, wouldn't you have essentially swapped places with the low on air/OOA diver?

My point is, whether or not you're donating a primary or backup, shouldn't you ensure that both are working properly so there's no question as to the integrity of either reg?

Of course you should. Doesn't mean that everyone does though. If there is an issue with the octo for whatever reason, who would be better equipped to handle the situation; someone who's half panicked already because they're out of air and trying to catch your attention to get you to donate to them or you, the person who just took a lungful of air before they handed off thier reg and are still (hopefully) thinking clearly?

 

[Scuba]

This is a good discussion for an analytical exercise in optimization and its custom application.

What are the chances of these events occurring. Hint, they are neither 0 nor 100 %.

Trouble switching regulators?
Locating regulator in mouth? Donating?
Locating backup/octo? Donating?
Not finding backup/octo in place?
Recovering with backup strategy for donor and donee?
Donor encountering trouble without a reg in the mouth in average time it takes to switch regs?
Chances of it taking longer?
Chances of backup/octo not working?
Chances of backup/octo containing foreign matter which must be cleared first?
Chances of detecting this before attempting to use it?
How long to clear?
What complications can arise from this?
Complications if foreign matter is ingested by donor or donee?
Chances of recovering from possible complications by donor and donee?
Which reg is an OOA diver more likely to grab?
Chances of donee immediately needing a breath.

Affects of hose routing, accessing, recovering, entanglement, donating, caused by different configurations?

And on, and on, and on .............

Just a small number of possibilities from an infinite number. Many unanswerable with certainty. But this can prove to be a useful exercise in helping us think of other ways of doing things. Think of the consequences which can result from the way we do things. Take note of our strengths and weaknesses. Realize how we can improve. It can help us to gauge order of importance. What is critical. What is not. What is possible. What is more likely to happen. Prioritization and sequence. In what order should something be done. What are the backup procedures.

We will see how different individuals and conditions will vary the odds of an occurrence and when changes should be made.

Then again, some may just become utterly confused.