7 foot hose and Snorkel problems

[TSandM]

I did my DM pool work with a primary donate system, but with a 40" hose routed under my arm. It kept my reflexes the same, but avoided the snorkel problem.

 

[DogDiver]

A 7 foot hose and snorkel should never be used in the same sentence.


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[decompression]

Except....."I traded my snorkel years ago for a 7' hose and now I'm cool"


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[TMHeimer]

If it is required that you're snorkel be attached to your mask, why not just use the shop's equipment with standard hose lengths for the course? Then go back to your own stuff after and stuff the foldable snorkel in your pocket if you want it. There are times I take my foldable one with me and times I don't, but this isn't the snorkel thread. One can be philosophical and want to do the Rescue Course with your own equipment because that's the way you'll be later on if you actually have to rescue someone. Or, you can take my "school" philosophy (as a student and teacher over time) and do whatever you have to to get your "degree".

To my knowledge, PADI always requires a snorkel for everything--as a student or dive pro. Whether it has to be mask-attached or not I don't know or care. I just attach one to my mask and be done with it--until I'm diving alone of course. In fact the one I attach is very "new" looking as opposed to my old large bore snorkel that I would use for actual snorkeling. But the one I use makes me "look good" for the class.

 

[beanojones]

To the best of my knowledge there is no agency that mandates having a snorkel attached to your mask. Such a configuration is ideal for snorkelling but pretty stupid for scuba diving. I have met a few (2 or 3 at most) divers over the years that believe a snorkel has some use whilst surface swimming (I am not part of this group). Most kit configurations would allow the stowage of such a device for deployment at the surface, a BC pocket for example. Since the snorkel has no application whatsoever once submerged wearing it whilst underwater would appear to be a rather odd thing to do. Attaching it to your mask where it could entangle with other equipment is not just odd but idiotic.

While you are absolute correct about snorkels, PADI for one took forever to change from "snorkel must be on the mask" to snorkel can just be somewhere on in the gear, and if I remember the timing right, it was about when they decided tech existed.

So there was a time when it had to be attached to the mask, and this was not just from misinformed course directors (as is usually the case), but was directly from PADI itself. (Wearing a snorkel on the mask strap, and the swim test not allowing MFS, were the first two standards I regularly and knowingly violated.)


While I wish it was not the case, I have met many, many people who somehow think a snorkel would somehow be of use to diver in trouble. None of them ever saw what actually happens to a diver who goes to a snorkel (most people never see anyone in real trouble anyway), so they continue to think that.

 

[chrisch]

....
To my knowledge, PADI always requires a snorkel for everything--as a student or dive pro. .

A snorkel is not required equipment for the PADI Cavern speciality. To their credit PADI set the benchmark to teach cavern as a cave certified instructor. Quite what one would do with a snorkel in a cave I don't know

The mask-attached PADI tube is just inertia. It is what was thought right in the past and the present has yet to catch up. Slowly it will disappear as more intelligent thinking pervades the industry. Whilst it is fun from time to time to mock PADI they are the main entry route for the majority of divers into the pastime. I don't have an issue with them. The long hose and primary donate method is generally accepted as the best option for more advanced or technical diving, call it what you will. Given the enthusiasm for "tec" diving I am surprised anyone wants to identify themselves as a "rec" diver any more by wearing a snorkel. To me the argument is old hat. Snorkels have very little, if any, place in scuba diving. It is only a matter of time before PADI drop the idea.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

If you must demonstrate skills, then you should be in the same configuration as those you are demonstrating to. In this case, either you switch to a standard recreational rig or put your students in a long hose configuration. Otherwise, demonstrating skills becomes too confusing.

If you are not demonstrating skills, just having the snorkel on your person satisfies the requirements. I would often just clip a J-snorkel to my harness in much the same manner one would a backup light.

When doing demos ... such as in a pool for OW students ... I'd leave the long hose home and use the standard recreational primary/octo configuration.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[chrisch]

.....
When doing demos ... such as in a pool for OW students ... I'd leave the long hose home and use the standard recreational primary/octo configuration.
...

So would I. I think that is the best practice. No need for a snorkel though.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

So would I. I think that is the best practice. No need for a snorkel though.

Snorkeling skills are a inherent part of OW training ... at least for the agency I've been teaching for since 2004 ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Colliam7]

When we did our out of air scenario and i removed my 7ft hose to give to the out of air diver it caught on my snorkel and took a few seconds to untangle it before i could get it to the diver (which could be an issue if this happened again and is not a scenerio).

It definitely could be. Several years ago, one of our CAs - an AI, in fact - was working with a OW class, wearing a mask-mounted snorkel, and using a long hose. One of the OW students had a problem (on a platform, at 20 ft) and spit her second stage out. The CA went to donate her primary to the student and in the process knocked her own mask off, so she was 'blinded'. Now, there was a panicked OW student without a regulator in her mouth (who started to bolt to the surface), and a blinded CA without a regulator in her mouth. In the end all turned out 'OK': the instructor was appropriately working with another student but maintaining good peripheral vision, and intervened with the panicked student, while the CA went to her necklace reg, and a DMC retrieved the mask for her. But, by all accounts it was something of a cluster. So, the issue is very real, and can have serious consequences.

Now, its a problem only when I have my snorkel on, which is only for class. So I can survive tomorrow, but I start my DM on Wednesday and am not sure if I must have my snorkel throughout the course.

Perhaps, a more germaine issue: as a dive professional, you should be facile, and fairly consistent, in the use of your equipment. Ultimately, you want to find a configuration that allows you to dive safely, and comfortably, and perform whatever tasks you need to perform (e.g. function as a DM). So, simply being able to 'survive tomorrow' is probably not the best solution. As an Instructor, I wear my mask on my snorkel for convenience. But, I don't use a long hose when I do. That doesn't achieve the 'consistency' I might otherwise prefer, but it is a practical solution, for me.

1. Do I have to have it through my DM?

YES.

2. . . is their another way to route the long hose so this isnt a problem if i have to use a snorkel in the future?

As others have said, don't re-route the long hose. That will just create alternate problems. Attach the snorkel to your rig, where it is easily accessible for use and demonstrations. And, oh by the way - the instructor for the DM course may have her / his own thoughts on what equipment s/he wants you to use (or not).