Alternate Routing of BCD Inflator / Corrugated Hose / Inflator Hose

[RJP]

I am not real sure my corrugated hose being routed 6 inches lower with the inflator in the same place will really make or break the situation. .

If you're face down in the sand, at 130' of not-so-great viz, I'm going to come on top of you, reach for your left shoulder, and try to find your hose. It won't be routed over your shoulder. In short, if it's not "where it should be" I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to figure out where it is. You're gaining nothing from routing it as you do, as near as I can tell.

As for no real Tech Dork would try this ... TOTALLY disagree. Tech diving was built on innovation and outside the box "personal preferences." What do you think other divers said when guys showed up at the caves with 7' primaries looped around the necks, or full 80 slung on their sides. Better yet, a combat diver with his doubles turned upside down. And too that point, what if you were helping an unknown side mount diver, his inflation equipment would be much more foreign in a stress situation trying to find inflator a then where mine is.

Absolutely not, because I would notice immediately that he was a side-mount diver and know where a side-mount diver's inflator is.

Even early innovation in cave diving was done among small groups of a close community who were innovating and standardizing together along the way. We're further down the road than that now. There are a few different "standard" ways of doing things. Personally, I would not want to be the outlier on somthing like this when there is zero benefit as far as I can tell.

 

[relmbl]

Here is another little benefit tidbit. When the inflator is slung from the shoulder, the inflator buttons are in an unnatural position when bungees down. It is not until you point it up for ascent that the thumb is on inflate and finger on the vent buttons. With the inflator routed the way I have it, you grab it like a piston and you fingers are immediately in the right position without having to crank the wrist or raise your elbow to get the proper grip. This way, thumb always inflates, finder always dumps and you keep the same grip the entire time.

---------- Post added March 14th, 2013 at 08:29 AM ----------

RJP - The no real benefit is where my issue is. In that sense, you might be right. It does streamline the DS inflator hose and really unloops the BCD Inflator hose. It is much cleaner with little dangle. The real benefit is streamlining and hose routing. BUT, how much do you reinvent something for a benefit with is relatively small. It also cleans up the left d-ring area which is nice for light head, tools etc.

I also don't think we are that far down the innovation road. I know from my experience that when I try new things I often better understand all the little elements.

It's hard to visualize and with work I haven't photoed the set-up but if I was face down, you would see the corrugated and be able to pull it out. It's less hidden than it sounds. That point you and I could go on and on about. The real value in the discussion is does the new idea or way of routing solve a problem or just make hoses look pretty... That is where I am not 100% percent convinced about my own argument.

 

[RJP]

The real value in the discussion is does the new idea or way of routing solve a problem or just make hoses look pretty... That is where I am not 100% percent convinced about my own argument.

As we say in my line of work "It solves a problem that doesn't exist."

:d

 

[fnfalman]

If you're face down in the sand, at 130' of not-so-great viz, I'm going to come on top of you, reach for your left shoulder, and try to find your hose. It won't be routed over your shoulder. In short, if it's not "where it should be" I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to figure out where it is.

So you're telling me that you don't know your buddy's equipment configuration?

Because if you're not his buddy and you found him at 130-ft face down, chances are he's already a gonner. By that point, does it matter to try to "control" the possibly dead person's ascension? Just get'im to the surface.

 

[RJP]

So you're telling me that you don't know your buddy's equipment configuration?.

Of course I do, because it's just like mine.

Because if you're not his buddy and you found him at 130-ft face down, chances are he's already a gonner. By that point, does it matter to try to "control" the possibly dead person's ascension? Just get'im to the surface.

As a crew member on a dive charter, I'm pretty sure all of our customers would prefer we assume they are still ALIVE if we happen to come across them unresponsive in the water. Having done so in the past, I can assure you that those who did survive have been quite grateful.

 

[nimoh]

I don't see anything wrong with experimenting with different configuration ideas. I wouldn't be taking such a configuration out on dives with a bunch of unknown divers, but rather sticking with some normal dive buddies that are aware of what I am testing.

I am curious to hear about your findings, although at this point from the sound of things, I am in the "fixes a problem that doesn't exist" camp

 

[fnfalman]

As a crew member on a dive charter, I'm pretty sure all of our customers would prefer we assume they are still ALIVE if we happen to come across them unresponsive in the water. Having done so in the past, I can assure you that those who did survive have been quite grateful.

Since that you are providing a professional service to the paying customers, isn't it encumbent on you to make sure you know your customers' equipment configurations so that you can probably do your job?

I'm not paying you so that I can accomodate your wants and needs. I'm paying you so that you can accomodate my wants and needs.

 

[fnfalman]

I am curious to hear about your findings, although at this point from the sound of things, I am in the "fixes a problem that doesn't exist" camp

I wonder how many old timers grumpled about the advent of SPGs, octos and BCs?

 

[Oldbear]

So you're telling me that you don't know your buddy's equipment configuration?

Because if you're not his buddy and you found him at 130-ft face down, chances are he's already a gonner. By that point, does it matter to try to "control" the possibly dead person's ascension? Just get'im to the surface.

What if I don't know this person from Adam...they're not my buddy...they're not my customer??? So I might not know their equipment configuration.

Fnfalman...I do agree with you that at 130' chances are the victim is already dead. I approach any (dive) rescue scenerio as if the victim is already dead...I am just trying to revive them and hope that my efforts help. I am not an EMT, Paramedic, PA or doctor with the cool gagets. I have extensive first responder training from being a Combat Medic in the Army to current first aid, CPR and diver rescue from several agencies. When rescuing a victim and stress levels are at an all-time high, haveing standardized equipment could be the difference in that "Straw That Broke The Camels Back."


While I appreciate the OP's attempt to come up with a better wheel...I would like to see a video of its performance. Maybe the OP is on to something.

Thanks Relmbl for sharing your idea...

~Oldbear~

 

[RJP]

Since that you are providing a professional service to the paying customers, isn't it encumbent on you to make sure you know your customers' equipment configurations so that you can probably do your job?

I'm not paying you so that I can accomodate your wants and needs. I'm paying you so that you can accomodate my wants and needs.

I want to save you. If you don't feel the need to accomodate my "want" in that case... that's entirely your right. Just let me know before you enter the water. In fact, let me know before we leave the dock so I can help you get your gear off the boat before we get under way.