Which side does the Octopus go on? Left or right?

[SDAnderson]

Does it matter which side the Octopus is place on? So What and why

Alternate 2nd stage strategies...

• Door #1: Under the right arm, clipped to something located on the chest. OOA, donate the octo.
• Door #2: Under the left arm, clipped to something located on the chest. OOA, donate the octo.
• Door #3: Over the right arm, bungeed just below the chin. OOA, donate the primary.
• Door #4: Who cares which side its on, so long as its either pinned beneath the waist strap or dragging in the mud. OOA, panic and shoot to the surface.

1 is preferred in the Americas.
2 is preferred in much of Europe.
3 is optimal.
4 is most common.

 

[Captain CaveMan]

Good one Reefraf.

 

[Standingbear56]

Alternate 2nd stage strategies...

• Door #1: Under the right arm, clipped to something located on the chest. OOA, donate the octo.
• Door #2: Under the left arm, clipped to something located on the chest. OOA, donate the octo.
• Door #3: Over the right arm, bungeed just below the chin. OOA, donate the primary.
• Door #4: Who cares which side its on, so long as its either pinned beneath the waist strap or dragging in the mud. OOA, panic and shoot to the surface.

1 is preferred in the Americas.
2 is preferred in much of Europe.
3 is optimal.
4 is most common.

I choose door # 3 thank you! # 4 is the reason why someone may just grab your primary out of your mouth, in which case see door # 3.
Safe Diving,
George

 

[CJM]

I choose Door #1. I like it under my right arm clipped to its retainer snapped onto a D-ring on my chest. I can safely get my right arm under the hose, turn it and give it to a buddy if needed.

 

[TheAlmightyHubbard]

I choose Door #1. I like it under my right arm clipped to its retainer snapped onto a D-ring on my chest. I can safely get my right arm under the hose, turn it and give it to a buddy if needed.

I second that.

 

[diveguy1]

I prefer a standard placement on everybody. For me (U.S.) on the right side, over the shoulder. If I'm out of air, I know where the other diver will have it. If it's over the arm, I can easily grab it from behind, in the front, or from above.

 

[RikRaeder]

Here in Japan, they typically mount them on the left side. As long as your buddy knows where to find it, it's "right." From what I hear, if someone really needs it, they're most likely to grab the primary out of your mouth, so be sure YOU know where to find your secondary. Anyway, you're the wife, so just tell your hubby that he's wrong.

 

[TSandM]

If you are going to use the gas-sharing strategy to equalize supply, I would highly recommend converting to some type of long-hose setup. My husband and I do this routinely when we are forced to dive Al80s (in the tropics). We share about halfway through the dive for about five minutes. As we tend to operate as a fairly close-knit buddy pair anyway, needing to stay within 7 feet of one another is not cumbersome or irritating.

I do believe that anyone considering using this technique should be quite sure of their buoyancy control and situational awareness, and have their own air supply immediately at hand, in the event that the divers are separated by something out of their control. My own air supply is my backup regulator, which is immediately beneath my chin.

 

[offthewall1]

Does it matter which side the Octopus is place on?
I had the oct on the left with the gauges and just my main regulator on my right!
My hubby has his Oct coming under his right arm and attached to the right lower part of his BCD. His regulator comes over his right shoulder, to his mouth. "So we are arguing on who is Right and Wrong"!!!


Oh, I remember why we had it on our left side...for Low on Air, buddy swimming. we want to swim a little more because I have a ton of air left so my oct is on my left for my buddy to use and he will grab my strap near my armpit to hold on and his left hand is still avalible to use for the low pressure hose to inflate and deflate and my left had is free to do the same... But we will not get seprated as long as he holds on to my strap pit! And we swimm off together side by
Is there a safety issue here? So What and why

The correct answer is - whichever side you prefer it to be on. From there it is always a nice gesture to remind your dive buddy and possibly others you're diving with where your alternate air source is...

BUT - setting it up for the reason you have given is unacceptable. Allowing your low on air buddy to mooch of you while continuing the dive is dangerous and outside of common sense standards.

If he is an air hog - make him use a larger volume tank or a set of doubles.. or better yet - get him to work on his consumption rate so he doesn't need to place the two of you in such danger...

Be Safe - and happy diving