Juggling computer and inflator hose

[gt3073b]

Here's one of those things that just felt dumb one day and has bothered me since.

On ascent, I'm constantly juggling the computer and the inflator hose. My solution has been to pull the computer (Suunto Cobra) and hose across my chest and hold it with my right hand and hold the inflator hose with my left hand.
It works, but it just feels awkward. What is the best technique for this?

I could throw hardware (and money) at the problem but that rarely helps.

Should I save my pennies and ebay my Cobra for a Vytec?

A cheap wrist mount gauge and SPG would work but I like starting at the sand and working my way up the wreck and tables would penalize my dive time with that profile. If I get a wrist mount gauge as a supplement to my existing computer, I could use my ai computer for most of the dive, then watch the depth on my wrist during ascent. As long as I start my ascent with enough NDL time for ascent, deep stop, and safety stop, I wont have to watch the computer as closely.

Should I grow another left arm? Is there some trick technique to this? A picture (even on land) would be priceless!

If I wasn't juggling, I'd probably try the horizontal ascent (or even supine :11: like some folks on the board) to really smooth things out.

Thank you,
Bryan.

 

[RocketMan]

Well, I wear my computer on my right arm. Inflator hose in left, computer on right.

 

[ClayJar]

I can only imagine the fun of trying to hold a console computer and the inflator at the same time. I wear a Gekko like a watch on my left wrist, and for ascents, I just flip it around to the inside of my wrist, where I can watch it and my inflator quite easily (and still have a hard free for whatever I need).

 

[scarefaceDM]

your fumbaling is normal..humm..Computer on a hose is nice but there is the problem you have..fumbling with two tasks in one hand...

One solution is just hold the computer in your right hand...not so bad your doing it anyways. BUT

Best solution..as mentioned above...wrist mounted computer on the RIGHT arm.

No fumbling involved...

 

[Drewski]

Can you switch the SPG console to the right side of your regulator and run it under your right arm?

Nothing says it HAS to be on the left...

 

[JessH]

Sounds like you already know the answer. Go wrist mount and clip off your SPG/console. Doing so becomes much easier once you realize that you don't gain anything worthwhile from having an AI computer.

Your idea of adding an analogue depth gauge to your right wrist and keeping your computer isn't a bad one. Once you have ascended to your safety stop(s) you shouldn't have to worry about NDL time anymore because you should be offgassing. I also find that analogue depth gauges work better than most digital ones for judging ascent speed.

I never did like having my depth gauge on the spg hose. I now have a brass spg on a short hose and a bottom timer on my wrist and I never want to go back.

Now that I think of it I still have my suunto wrist mounted analogue depth gauge that I used before getting my bottom timer. If you decide to go that route I might be willing to sell it.

~Jess

 

[MSilvia]

Ditto the wrist mount on the right arm idea. That's what I do too.

 

[ScottB]

There isn't a law stating you have to route your console to your left side....

If you want to run it to your right side, but think space might be tight with the octo over there....

If you use a standard octo set up.. you could reverse the sides.. and then the octo would be facing the proper way for an buddy..

If you prefer to use the octo as YOUR backup, you could put it on a shorter hose and bungie.... if your buddy needs air, donate your primary....

Besides that....... if you are pushing your computers NDL that close..... maybe you haven't thought about one thing... decompression theory, is just that, a theory.... every person responds differently on different days.... some days your computer's ndl profile might be very very conservative (compared to your physiology), you might have an extra hour of bottom time.... on some days.. it might be so aggressive (compared to your physiology), that you get bent..

(physiology to be health, hydration, rest, medications, anxiety, etc etc etc)

Take care and best wishes

 

[Cheekymonkey]

You can always hook the computer/gauges on a chest clip in a position for you to be able to see it while you make your ascent simply by looking down... Another option would be to set an alarm on your dive compouter for your ascent rate, many times the alarm can be set to whatever ascent rate you want to cap yourself at more conservative then normal.

 

[Charlie99]

Why are you "constantly juggling the computer and the inflator hose"?

Staring at a computer to judge ascent rate is IMO the hard way to do it. Pick out some floating gunk in the water and use that to judge your instantaneous ascent rate. Occasionally look at your computer to see if the depth and time match up with where you what to be at that time.

In the same way, you shouldn't have to be continuously dumping air. Use your lungs for fine control, and you just need to dump a few times on the way up.

Better technique would eliminate the need for changing gear configuration.