What's In/on Your Bc?

[DiverDownD3]

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Contact is nice, but it is not always necessary, nor is it always grab the BC and up you go. On a long hose, it tends to be a light grip on the back of the arm if you're swimming towards the exit. On ascent, it's face to face, but not usually gripping onto one another. With suitably experienced divers, it's not exactly difficult. With a new diver, yeah, keep a hand on them.

When we were doing the buddy swim and ascent we were taught to turn the diver around and hold the back of the arm of the OOA diver. I just felt like with the long hose I didn't have to be right on top of him. At one point my buddy was trying to ascend too fast so I was able to drop down to his waist and let out more air of my BC than necessary to slow him down. Yes it was sloppy, but as was said it was between 2 inexperienced divers and was something I'm sure will get easier with time

 

[Doby45]

The way I was taught. Direct contact. Face to face (the eyes tell a lot about the condition of a diver). Both holding inflator at highest point to dump air as needed. Easy peasie even with a full blown rec rental configuration.

 

[divad]

The way I was taught. Direct contact. Face to face (the eyes tell a lot about the condition of a diver). Both holding inflator at highest point to dump air as needed. Easy peasie even with a full blown rec rental configuration.

How often do you find yourself with an OOA diver on your BC? I guess, ideally, you would just pop him in your BC.

 

[Doby45]

How often do you find yourself with an OOA diver on your BC? I guess, ideally, you would just pop him in your BC.

As of yet, I have not had to deal with an actual OOA diver. My experience has only been in training, thank God. Or did I miss the point of your post?

 

[divad]

Or did I miss the point of your post?

Yes.

 

[Doby45]

Yes.

AH HA!!!! I got it, finally. Yes, this has been off topic, my apologies.

 

[divad]

I'm not really qualified to cast the first stone myself.

 

[dmaziuk]

The way I was taught. Direct contact. Face to face (the eyes tell a lot about the condition of a diver). Both holding inflator at highest point to dump air as needed. Easy peasie even with a full blown rec rental configuration.

Mine was right hand on the shoulder strap (each other's). I can see how you wouldn't need to do that with someone who you know isn't going to bounce around and jerk the hose etc. -- but I believe matching your speed and direction will work much better with some degree of physical contact.

 

[Colliam7]

The way I was taught. Direct contact. Face to face (the eyes tell a lot about the condition of a diver). Both holding inflator at highest point to dump air as needed. Easy peasie even with a full blown rec rental configuration.

Mine was right hand on the shoulder strap (each other's).. . . I believe matching your speed and direction will work much better with some degree of physical contact.

These approaches are consistent with the general pattern of teaching (across agencies) in OW, and presumes (reasonably) that the recipient may be under a degree of stress. It also reflects the limitations of a 40" AAS hose. One of the things that a long hose (5' - 7') does provide is a level of flexibility in the relative position of each diver. For example, as one poster suggested above, it allows the use of an echelon formation, with the OOA diver in the 'lead' position, and the donor trailing ~ half a body length (usually on the right side), while maintaining physical contact with the OOA diver. It is worth noting that this approach did come out of an environment (cave / tech) where divers were perhaps a bit more experienced, and less likely to be in 'panic mode'. To them, sharing air is a relatively comfortable process. That is not guaranteed, of course, just a general observation..

Irrespective of what hose lengths you use, regular procedure training is appropriate.

 

[BertStevens]

We now return to on topic replies...

I have a DAN TAG and flashlight on my left chest D ring. A backup light on my right chest D ring. An SMB/spool on my butt D ring. Knife on left waist band and shears on right waist band. And my SPG is clipped to my left hip D ring.