Teaching Question

[wetb4igetinthewater]

So from all of these posts, I think the approach I will take is this:

Slap 40lbs of lead onto the student
Hand them a 50lbs lift bag
Hand them a spare air and say good luck.
Also, say "Welcome to Scuba" as they jump in the water

I wasn't expecting you to memorize my blog series!

 

[sheeper]

ah...that is always the question. but it shouldn't be.
for my OW classes (and my IDC classes), neutral buoyancy is the very first thing i teach in the pool (right after breathing). The key is not to force it but to encourage the habit and model it yourself!

 

[humanuma]

I am still debating whether to have a "long hose" set-up or "recreational" set-up for the alternate.

For our DSDs, we use the ScubaPro Air 2 to streamline and simplify the gear.

 

[AnotherDiverHere]

@wetb4igetinthewater was kind enough to come onto the podcast and have a discussion about his thoughts on this topic.

You can listen to the conversation in the link below:

Off Gassing: A Scuba Podcast
Round Table: Should neutral buoyancy be taught in Discover Scuba or Open Water

​

 

[Angelo Farina]

For our DSDs, we use the ScubaPro Air 2 to streamline and simplify the gear.

An Air2vis a greatclbdevice for increasing redundancy and safety.
But having an Air2 does not allow to remove the secondary air source.
An Air2 can be added, but does not replace a standard secondary regulator (which, in my view, should be fed by an independent secondary first stage, mounted on a separate valve and post).

 

[humanuma]

An Air2vis a greatclbdevice for increasing redundancy and safety.
But having an Air2 does not allow to remove the secondary air source.
An Air2 can be added, but does not replace a standard secondary regulator (which, in my view, should be fed by an independent secondary first stage, mounted on a separate valve and post).

Actually, the Air2 was designed as a backup regulator. In case of emergency, the diver switches to his or her Air2 regulator and donates the primary.

https://ww2.scubapro.com/en-GB/HKG/regulators/products/air2-5th-gen.aspx

For DSDs, we as dive professionals are managing the air consumption. Thus, the student diver should never have an out-of-air scenario. Additionally, ascending with an alternate air source is not a skill taught in PADI's Discover Scuba, so kitting them with an entire extra hose and regulator is more of an entanglement risk, an additional point of confusion, and a rather useless waste of dive gear.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Actually, the Air2 was designed as a backup regulator. In case of emergency, the diver switches to his or her Air2 regulator and donates the primary.

https://ww2.scubapro.com/en-GB/HKG/regulators/products/air2-5th-gen.aspx

For DSDs, we as dive professionals are managing the air consumption. Thus, the student diver should never have an out-of-air scenario. Additionally, ascending with an alternate air source is not a skill taught in PADI's Discover Scuba, so kitting them with an entire extra hose and regulator is more of an entanglement risk, an additional point of confusion, and a rather useless waste of dive gear.

Did you try using an Air2 in a true OOA situation?
Or in case the primary fails?
It is a mess!
When working as DM at Maldives we had 15 liters tanks, but customers were using 10 liters tanks.
There was no depth limit at the time and our Cmas standards did allow for deco stops.
As you can imagine, at almost every dive there was some customer Out of Air...
So we (DMs) started using 3 second stages and two first stages. Of course one of the three second stages could have been an air 2, making the setup simpler...
One of the second stages was routed to the left shoulder and with a longer hose, so good for being donated.
After those repeated OOA experiences and also several cases of yoke O-ring extrusions, I learned that it is always advisable to use two separate first stages on two independent valves.