Zeagle's Express Tech: The first and last BC most will ever need (or want)

[Jim Lapenta]

Just out of curiosity, why would you put your octo at your waist where it's practically invisible to a stressed diver who may need your assistance? Did someone tell you that was acceptable? I would never allow that in my classes. The octo needs to be conspicuous and easy to get to. By you or anyone else.

---------- Post added September 20th, 2015 at 09:34 PM ----------

That means in your mouth or clipped up near the right chest d ring.

 

[AdivingBel]

I have taken several classes with my current ET config that has my octo in a snorkel keeper on my right waist d-ring and no one has questioned it (neither have any of my dive buddies or insta-buddies for that matter). It has a big yellow faceplate on the end of a long yellow hose. My right waist d-ring is moved forward so it is actually about 1/2 way between my waist buckle and my right side. It's located there for this purpose plus I also use the underlying tri-glide as a tie off point for the right side strap of my Zeaqgle saddle strap (that I use in lieu of a standard crotch strap). The left waist d-ring is moved forward in a similar fashion for the other saddle strap connection. Having the waist d-rings moved forward also allows for additional room for extending the shoulder webbing when donning and doffing. It is very apparent where my octo is located.

 

[mi000ke]

Just out of curiosity, why would you put your octo at your waist where it's practically invisible to a stressed diver who may need your assistance? Did someone tell you that was acceptable? I would never allow that in my classes. The octo needs to be conspicuous and easy to get to. By you or anyone else.

---------- Post added September 20th, 2015 at 09:34 PM ----------

That means in your mouth or clipped up near the right chest d ring.

I did not think it would be that hard to see. I was taught to donate my primary, as were my dive buddies. We always discuss our octo set up and sharing method before we dive. Mine is on a quick release clip, which seems a lot more accessible to a dive buddy than having it on a necklace, which it seems a lot of people use. Anyway, I'll take your advice about moving it to the right chest.

 

[Dannybot]

I know it's been mentioned somewhere in the prior 43 pages, but what's the preferred width for crotch strap? No tech diving or scootering, just warm wate travel.

 

[The Chairman]

I did not think it would be that hard to see.

It's really not. I don't get my panties in a wad when someone chooses to put their octo in a different place. It's just not that big of a deal, just make sure you and your buddy know where it's at. I do prefer to have it necklaced and all my student gear is set up that way. No biggie either way!

I know it's been mentioned somewhere in the prior 43 pages, but what's the preferred width for crotch strap? No tech diving or scootering, just warm wate travel.

It's an individual preference. I like 2" as it's less likely to become crack floss!

 

[hazmat]

It's an individual preference. I like 2" as it's less likely to become crack floss!

Are you diving naked?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

In some parts of the northeast, and I'm sure other inland locations with vis that we typically get, the difference between the octo up on the chest and down on the hip can be the difference between finding it and not finding it. On the hip I have seen numerous divers enter the water blissfully unaware that it has become dislodged and is now trailing behind them. Not what you want to have happen in a stressful situation. On crowded boats you are also risking someone setting their tank on it and damaging it.
For my classes it's not enough that you and your buddy know where it's at. Anyone should be able to easily locate it. That means the one or two weekend wonder who was not taught gas management and is now coming at you wide eyed with both hands grabbing for your reg or your octo should at least be able to see it. Whether they go for it or the one in your mouth is a 50/50 proposition. If it's down on your hip pretty much assured they won't even glimpse it.
As regards the earlier point about it coming loose. If your octo is that secure that you're not really concerned about that, it's possibly too secure and may delay deployment. I use nothing but surgical tubing and zip ties for octo holders. Cheap, easy to replace, not likely to grow legs as some of the commercial ones on shop BC's seem to do from time to time, and they don't restrict deployment in any way.
Clips on the hose, things that jam in the octo mouthpiece, etc. are less desirable.

 

[The Chairman]

Are you diving naked?

I'm usually only wearing a swimsuit, which doesn't always provide enough 'resistance' to the butt floss phenomenon!

In some parts of the northeast,

Here in Key Largo, we simply teach our students not to run out of air!

For my classes it's not enough that you and your buddy know where it's at. Anyone should be able to easily locate it.

Jim, I'm glad you're passionate about diving and diving instruction, but you're making a mountain out of a molehill here. Most divers are taught the 'Golden Triangle" and look for the octo in that region. I'm sure anyone out of air will home in on any octo in that vicinity pretty quickly. However, donating the reg in your mouth is not very common. Few will go grab for that unless they've been trained that way or are freaking out. I've only had to donate air to OOA divers twice but never with my buddy. In both cases they tried to grab my necklaced octo and both failed to get it. Once I saw them, it was easy enough to donate my primary. Neither seemed to care what they got. One was from another boat and I never got to talk to him. The other, however, expressed real surprise that I gave him my primary and that it was sooooo long. He even started to berate me on the boat for having a 'tech set up' on a recreational dive and then had second thoughts. I talked to him and his buddy about the fact that they were responsible to monitor their buddy's air as well as their own and that there is never a good excuse for running out of air or allowing your buddy to do so. Since I've started using an SPG, I've never run out of air. Since I've started teaching, I've never had a buddy or student run out of air. I don't care how you stow your octo, but running out of air is the really unacceptable thing.

My classes learn that there are at least a hundred ways to skin a Scuba cat and that they need to familiarize themselves with their current buddy in terms of limits, safety skills, gear set up and signals. It's just not that hard and nothing to get upset over.

 

[Doby45]

My specific desire (Mr. 15 dives here) to have my octo on my commercial rubber necklace is a selfish one. I hate with a passion to see crap dangling from me or other people. My SPG is on a bolt snap on my left waist D ring, not coming off unless I want it off. I did not want to put a bolt snap on my octo for fear it could slow down or prohibit the deployment of the octo. I hate those little black hose clippy things as they just suck in general and through my short amount of training I have seen those things successfully put on the hose and then right after a GS entry the octo is floating around like a fart in the breeze. I don't like the scumball things either as it fully covers the mouth piece, which is a great thing if you are dragging it along behind you (I hate that). So I decided upon the necklace, easy to deploy (tested that), keeps it up near my face (keeps it clean and accessible to me), easy for a freaked out diver to locate as it is right near my other reg (take either, I don't care). I have to agree with Jim regarding the necklace keeping the octo from getting crushed thanks to some fool putting their tank on it too as mine hangs from the first stage if the bottle is upright.

 

[phoenix31tt]

Few will go grab for that unless they've been trained that way or are freaking out. I've only had to donate air to OOA divers twice but never with my buddy. In both cases they tried to grab my necklaced octo and both failed to get it.

don't you think they may have grabbed for the one in your mouth hadn't your necklaced reg been right there and so very easy to find/grab?

we can talk about how running out of air is totally unacceptable till we're blue in the face but the fact remains it happens, and as you pointed out it could happen where you need to donate to a total stranger. Based on your 2 for 2 examples BOTH grabbed the necklaced reg, i'm pretty sure they looked for a reg then grabbed. If you're in horizontal trim i can see how finding that octo clipped to your waist could be a task, probably causing a panic and grabbing or the one in your mouth either way.

The other point is valid as well... i've seen many divers with octo's clipped on the waist, well that is if you called clipped "dangling" and you called waist "sand"

either way, given an easy choice between waist and chest, i'd go with chest any day. There are no potential issues with clipping on the waist but we can see their are potential issues with the waist... so why not just go for the better choice if you can... and for that matter necklace and donate primary