Where to attach a snorkel

[String]

I cant see possibly how "not having a snorkel" would cause more panic ! Snorkels are not needed for surface swimming, are not needed underwater and not needed for scuba diving in my view.

Trying to fold or stuff one somewhere is taking up space other equipment could utilise and is about as useful as taking a cuddly toy underwater - ie no use at all.

 

[Wendy]

I cant see possibly how "not having a snorkel" would cause more panic ! Snorkels are not needed for surface swimming, are not needed underwater and not needed for scuba diving in my view.

Trying to fold or stuff one somewhere is taking up space other equipment could utilise and is about as useful as taking a cuddly toy underwater - ie no use at all.

How is not having a snorkel at the surface going to cause more panic. It is in my understanding that a diver that is surfacing and that is paniced would more than likely not be using a snorkel at the surface anyway. I come to this conclusion because of divers in a panic pulling of their masks and pulling out their regs upon reaching the surface, last thing I owld do is stick a snorkel in my mouth. I'd inflate my wing and lay on my back and just float along at the surface.

 

[Sideband]

As this is a "DIR forum" -- it might not be aproprate to post this question here, as most "divers" here dont use snorkels. If you are than have at it. Just watch out for the Trolls...

"Basic SCUBA Discussions" is a DIR forum? How so? Did the post get moved from DIR or something?

Joe

Added--
As I complete the thread I see that it was indeed moved from DIR.
Joe

 

[jmlavoie]

How is not having a snorkel at the surface going to cause more panic. It is in my understanding that a diver that is surfacing and that is paniced would more than likely not be using a snorkel at the surface anyway. I come to this conclusion because of divers in a panic pulling of their masks and pulling out their regs upon reaching the surface, last thing I owld do is stick a snorkel in my mouth. I'd inflate my wing and lay on my back and just float along at the surface.

It seam to varies from people then. One time I end up having to says to a paniked friend "Your mouthpiece is no more attached to your snorkel", believe me, even with the greatest care, it did not helped because the buddy was convinced that the snorkel was the safest way to keep breathing at surface. In this specific case owever the panic started at surface.
Maybe it's because we jump in a river each spring with our wetsuit, mask and snorkel. We go there every year : Photo Down the River (Sorry the site is in french, I send only one picture, and the worse one). You get a strong feeling that the snorkel do the job against the waves.

Your explaination is very good and give me a good rational opinion on the subject. I'm still a bit perplex about sea and waves splashing around but I'll try by myself.

Sorry for those reading a borderline DIR thread, it was originally in DIR, but moved here. Snorkel are not DIR so that's why it's here.

 

[archman]

Anybody not diving with a snorkel should be well aware that there are places where the thing is required by local ordinance... whether you actually use it or not.

 

[gerardnealon]

I hate snorkels, especially on my mask. I think they are really annoying. Sometimes in rough seas it is very hard to breath through your mouth with out any equiptment. If a diver is out of air for whatever reason, its doesnt matter, having a snorkel could mean a lot. Although I still wont dive with a snorkel ;-) Ill just watch my air!!!!

Gerard

 

[BigJetDriver]

They make some really nice telescoping and folding snorkels that you can stow in a pocket.

There are times when they come in right handy!

 

[MyDiveLog]

I keep my snorkel clipped to the bottom on the right hand side of my BC, which has a built-in 'female' clip. I zip-locked a male clip to my snorkel. I used to keep it folded in the BC pocket, but it was too much of a pain to get it out. It works great this way.

One other suggestion: don't use the crappy plastic attachments that come with snorkels; these almost always fall off. I've found the cheap silicone snorkel keepers to work best.

 

[roakey]

This thread enjoyed a brief life in the DIR forum, which is why there's DIR references in it. So please show some understanding due to the thread being moved.

So the thread exists here for any and all comers to offer suggestions. A duplicate, but reduced version exists in the DIR forum offering only DIR solutions, as is the charter of the DIR forum.

Roger (moderator hat on)

 

[IndigoBlue]

Sorry about the hack and slay job on this thread, but I pared it down to [somewhat] fit in the context of DIR. The full thread still exists in the Basic SCUBA discussion section.

Stripping out the overhead and skin diving references in GUE's Fundamentals of Better Diving, it comes down to one sentence:

"While diving, snorkels are best left on the boat."

And that's it.

The idea is to put the energy into planning the dive to avoid emergency situations, rather than to carry all sorts of claptrap "just in case".

Like doing real gas planning so even if one of you loses their air at the worst possible point in the dive, you and you buddy can surface normally and get back to the exit point/boat/whatever breathing on your regs.

And if everything goes South, inflate your wing, roll over on your back and swim back with your face well out of the water. No need for any extra gear to accomplish that.

Roak

Roak you are exactly right, when it comes to tech diving, whether DIR tech or pre-DIR (read non-DIR) tech diving.

Since you are supposed to end up at the ascent line, at the boat, in tech diving, there is no conceivable time when you should need a snorkel on a tech dive.

For a non-tech dive, on the other hand, you should have your snorkel with you at all times however, because there are several ways you could end up needing it. Of course if you are diving with a 5 ft or longer primary hose for nontech diving, then having the snorkel on your mask is a mask stripping hazard if you ever should have to donate your primary. Oh well. Aren't you supposed to have a 2nd mask anyway??