Streamlining Your Gear

[O2BBubbleFree]

...related to streamlining... which I’m all for...

Even in my PADI OW course, I instinctively saw the advantages of streamlining. Kelp diving caused me to put more thought into it.

Now that I’ve encountered the Borg* here on SB**, I really see the merit in the DIR configuration 92.6% of the time, but here’s one thing I’m having trouble with; maybe you can point out something I’m missing:

Let’s take extraneous factors out of the picture by say I’ve minimized my gear and have done all I can to prevent danglies. I still have a few items to stash in a pocket. The standard DIR answer is thigh pocket, right?

Here-in lies my question. When I’m cruising along horizontally (the majority of my dive time), no matter what kick I use, my thighs are moving in several planes***, while my upper body (ideally) is only moving head-first.

So, given two pockets of equal dimensions, a pocket on the thigh is causing drag in several directions, while a pocket on the upper torso is only causing drag in one direction.

So, what’s the advantage of a thigh pocket over an equivalent pocket at the waist?****

Thanks,
Paddy O'Furniture

DISCLAIMERS:
*No offense intended to either DIR divers or the Borg. Since I’ve noticed DIR folks refer to themselves as the Borg, I thought it was a fun and fitting term to use.

**SB only, since the only long hose divers I’ve had a chance to observe have been tech wannabes that exuded a strange combination of arrogance and cluelessness.

***Even if you watch an expert doing a frog kick. Side-to-side thigh movement is limited, but still present.

****Asterisks were half-price today.

 

[Web Monkey]

What's the transparent hoopy thing in front?

Terry

All you have to do is view some of the photo galleries on this board...
Couldn't find a good streamlined picture though ... not even a DIR diver.

 

[mossym]

that'd be a big bulle of air i think, someones blowing rings beneath her

 

[Robert Phillips]

Here-in lies my question. When I’m cruising along horizontally (the majority of my dive time), no matter what kick I use, my thighs are moving in several planes***, while my upper body (ideally) is only moving head-first.

So, given two pockets of equal dimensions, a pocket on the thigh is causing drag in several directions, while a pocket on the upper torso is only causing drag in one direction.

So, what’s the advantage of a thigh pocket over an equivalent pocket at the waist?****

Thigh pockets are located in the lee of your shoulders when travelling in an horizontal position, so they are out of the flow ( unless you have very narrow shoulders. )

In OE2X's original post when he mentioned kelp getting caught on his pockets as he passed, well, it's like opening a curtain. It followed the contour of his body as he passed through. Having swam through kelp you should now exactly what I'm talking about.

 

[DiveGolfSki]

What's the transparent hoopy thing in front?

Terry

Photo Essay .... Art. It's a bubble ring. Don't know how it's done though.

 

[Jarrett]

that'd be a big bulle of air i think, someones blowing rings beneath her

Seriously? How do you do that?

 

[rockjock3]

Well ... here's a link to a picture of Uncle Pug ...

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/22757/si/Uncle Pug

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I am new to diving and also know there is a difference between tech and rec diving. My question is though is it normal to put all your other harnesses and straps across and over you weight belt including directly over the buckle?

 

[MikeFerrara]

Where can you find info on this? I'm new and I do have half the store hanging from my D-rings, but I try to streamline it as much as possible. Would love to see some ideas on how to do that.

Things I thought of:

Using two clips on diff D-rings to basically pin my octo to my chest for easy access
Tuck the excess octo hose under my arm
Clipping my primary computer and tucking it into my cumberbun (which brings the hose tight to my body)
Tucking my inflator under my primary computer to keep it tight to my body
Clipping my secondary computer so that its under my right pocket and out of the way but accessible
Adding shears and a knife to my cumberbun strap
Putting anything I am not currently using in pockets, ie lights, safety sausage

How do these sound? Any ideas on improvement?

The picture in post 12 of this thread is a good example of what's wrong with the configuration that most are tought although it doesn't illustrate the extent of the functional difficulties. In answer to your specific points...
Put your backup reg on a short hose and wear it on a necklace so it's right under your chin and there is no unsightly loop of hose.

Put your primary on a longer hose and wrap it around your body. You have more room when sharing air and everything stays right wgainst your body. gets rid of another ugly dragging loop of hose.

Don't use a consol. There's nothing about depth gages, computers (except air integrated and those are just sill anyway, IMO) or compasses that suggest that they need to be on the end of an HP hose. Use a simple SPG on the end of a shorter hose and clip it to your waist. Another nasty loop of hose gone. Put your computer on your wrist (right wrist) so you can see it without changing position and while you're oporating your inflator/deflator. Wear a compass on the left wrist or in a pocket if you don't need it all the time.

Use a shorter inflator hose so it doesn't dangle. They don't need to be 3 feet long.

All those changes are functional as well as far more streamline.

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

Hi Robert,

Thigh pockets are located in the lee of your shoulders when travelling in an horizontal position, so they are out of the flow ( unless you have very narrow shoulders. )

And if you move those same pockets up to your waist (in the same orientation) they will still be in the same slipstream, right? Actually more so, since they are closer to the shoulders, and there would be less time/distance for the slipstream to return to static state.

In OE2X's original post when he mentioned kelp getting caught on his pockets as he passed, well, it's like opening a curtain. It followed the contour of his body as he passed through. Having swam through kelp you should now exactly what I'm talking about.

Sure I do. Well, kind of. I've never had kelp get caught on anything, but I haven't been in a channel as narrow as he describes. However, I fail to see your point on this one. Maybe you could elaborate more? Again, same pockets, same orientation, just higher on the body. As the kelp slides by it hits the pockets in the same way, just a little sooner.

 

[roakey]

Seriously? How do you do that?

Use the search function and search for "bubble ring" or "bubble rings"

Roak