Instantly out of air!

[John_B]

I would go with a bolt snap as well, so that there isn't an octo holder hanging off the BC while in use.

 

[guruboy]

Nothing wrong, just an opinion. I have a thought in my head that it might hit you while you're using the reg.

 

[SPARKMEL]

first... good job and thanks for sharing.

2nd... If I may ask, did your partner attempt to use her own Octo before signalling and sharing your air?

I ask, because that is where I would go first. The line for the octo 2nd stage may still be pressurized and might give you 1 or 2 more breaths. Also, there would no need to share air as in this case her octo would have worked just fine.

You last comment puzzles me. I have just passed my OW and i am very new to diving only doing 12 OW dives but we were taught and practised by padi instructors if we were ever out of air to signal to our buddy and take their octo. never once was it mentioned to take your own octo. very interesting. I really dont fancy when out of air trying to muck about with my own octo when my buddys octo is available..
maybe you more experienced divers do it differently.........

 

[jcaplins]

You last comment puzzles me. I have just passed my OW and i am very new to diving only doing 12 OW dives but we were taught and practised by padi instructors if we were ever out of air to signal to our buddy and take their octo. never once was it mentioned to take your own octo. very interesting. I really dont fancy when out of air trying to muck about with my own octo when my buddys octo is available..
maybe you more experienced divers do it differently.........

I was not implying that the OP should have done anything differently. I was merely asking the question.

In OW training, from my observations, the OOA training emphasizes actually being out of air, not a failed regulator or other component (maybe some instructors do more).

Switching to your own octo, on a standard recreational setup, can be a double edge sword; do you risk burning through the air in your octo hose or your lungs to purge the octo only to find you really are out of air? Maybe, Maybe not. How far away is your buddy? should be arms length, right. How many divers do you see staying at arms length?

I know my backup is a few inches from my face, and my buddy is at least 3 feet away. In the OP instance, going to her own octo would have been successful. Would it be the right move in other circumstances... maybe (probably) not. Based on the OP's story, they did everything right.

 

[SPARKMEL]

Fair enough, but if you were 20 m down and all of a sudden no air was coming through your regulator then surely the training you have recieved should automatically kick in and you signal ooa and take you buddys octo. at that split instant when it happens you have no idea why this is happening it could be a number of things but my instant reaction would be to get a supply of air.
I hope never to be in that situation.
i am not saying what you would or would not do was wrong i was just expressing that i was never taught to do that.

 

[Nwcid]

Well if I ever find I am out of air the first thing I do is go for my back up reg (right under my chin) while at the SAME time signal my buddy. That "solves" both problems. First off I am going for a second air source right away, if it works great, but I will still probably need a buddy to find the problem. If my back up does not work, my buddy is still there to help.

 

[billt4sf]

Well if I ever find I am out of air the first thing I do is go for my back up reg (right under my chin) while at the SAME time signal my buddy. That "solves" both problems. First off I am going for a second air source right away, if it works great, but I will still probably need a buddy to find the problem. If my back up does not work, my buddy is still there to help.

And make sure to test your secondary often so you know it's working. I take a couple breaths off my secondary underwater near the start of every dive. Also helps me retain the muscle memory of where it is.

- Bill

 

[Nwcid]

And make sure to test your secondary often so you know it's working. I take a couple breaths off my secondary underwater near the start of every dive. Also helps me retain the muscle memory of where it is.

- Bill

Isn't that part of EVERY pre-dive check?????

I generally use my second when doing tasks in the water pre/post dive like getting fins on or helping my buddy. It is easy to remember where it is since it is always right under my chin. I usually dont use my primary until I test breath it and then start to descend.

 

[Adobo]

Isn't that part of EVERY pre-dive check?????

I generally use my second when doing tasks in the water pre/post dive like getting fins on or helping my buddy. It is easy to remember where it is since it is always right under my chin. I usually dont use my primary until I test breath it and then start to descend.

I don't think it was part of the OP's and his buddy's pre-dive check. Otherwise, this thread would not have come along.

---------- Post added August 8th, 2013 at 10:53 AM ----------

You last comment puzzles me. I have just passed my OW and i am very new to diving only doing 12 OW dives but we were taught and practised by padi instructors if we were ever out of air to signal to our buddy and take their octo. never once was it mentioned to take your own octo. very interesting. I really dont fancy when out of air trying to muck about with my own octo when my buddys octo is available..
maybe you more experienced divers do it differently.........

Imagine a situation where it is your buddy who needs gas. He signals to you that he is out of gas. What are you going to do then? Are you going to tell him to find your octo? Or are you going to get the octo and hand it to him?

If getting to your secondary regulator requires "mucking about", then I would suggest that secondary regulator configuration is ill conceived.

 

[SPARKMEL]

Now i can see why accidents and mishaps happen and panic may occur. Just a month ago a passed my OW.
We were taught by several PADI instructors on pre dive checks, yes test the octo where it is located and how it is released and when diving with a buddy go through the ooa situation.
What you quote is exactly what i would do in an ooa situation and that is exactly what PADI instructors are teaching. BUT you seem to dismiss this. ARE PADI DOING IT WRONG. You should know and your buddy where the octo is located and if ooa happened the actions both of you should expect. We performed this several times without any issues as per the pre dive check.
If you read the current padi manual it will advise you regarding octo location and ooa situations. Surely it should be a universal practise if being taught by padi ??? why would it change......
I am new to diving but if i was not happy with any aspects of my buddys equipment or procedures then i simply would not dive with them no matter how experienced they think they are.. reading the accident and mishap forum has really given me great insight and taught me valuable lessons in diving.
A lady on our trip had over 50 dives and was looking forward to her dive. but something happened and she paniced and grabbed the instructors reg. talking to her afterward she was so upset with herself for doing this as she had never done this before as stated that she knew she had done wrong. To her credit she did dive with us later that day and really enjoyed the dive.
My point being if you are diving with padi qualified divers then actions and procedures should be the same for both divers...