7ft Hose and travel

[jbisjim]

How do dive operators look to 7ft hoses on your rig. I am traveling to Bonaire in a few weeks and plan to dive there. If you have had any experience on travel with your 7ft hose rig let me know

I dive doubles and have become very comfortable with my 7ft hose rig and I have hard of some divers translating that to a single tank rig as well.

 

[Diver0001]

I've been in Egypt with mine and it only raises passing interest.

To translate it into a singles kit isn't difficult. Just make sure you route the long hose straight down along the tank and hook it under your weightbelt so the hose doesn't float up over your head.

I think if you shuffle through my photos you'll see me diving with a dolphin using my long hose config and nothing about it looks weird. Notice, however that in order to get the hose to go straight down the tank that you'll end up with the inflator hose sticking up a little further on the left..,... oh well... minor trade offs if you ask me.

R..

 

[herman]

I typically dive a 5ft hose and this year dove old school- vintage double hose, old backplate and no BC. Other than some interest I have had no problems. Bonaire is the capital of diving freedom, no DMs, no scuba police just diving any way you choose.

 

[Peter_C]

I try to dive the same configuration no matter whether it is singles or doubles, warm or cold water. Both my single and doubles rig have 7 foot hoses, and my can light always goes with me.

 

[H20Bubbles]

I have dove my 7ft hose in both Cozumel and Fiji... there were no questions asked or eyes raised. I have started seeing them more often in different locations.

 

[RJP]

People in Bonaire were so busy commenting on my drysuit that they never even noticed my 7' primary.

 

[Rick Inman]

When I first started diving with the hog setup, long before I did any kind of technical diving, when I'd do those warm water vacation charters I always got labeled as the "tech diver". No, I'd say, I just like the configuration. Oh, they'd say, tech diver wannabe.

Things have changed in the last few years, though. Many, many more people dive the long hose bp/wing config, and it's much more common to see all over the diving world.

 

[scubamickey]

Sometime they notice our 7 ft hoses, sometimes they don't. We don't really care what their thoughts are on the subject so we never ask.
You should not have any problems but do be prepared for an occasional stare or question.
Bonaire has Benji Schaub who is a GUE instructor on the island. I'm sure you're long hose won't be anything they have already seen before.

 

[H20Bubbles]

I'm sure you're long hose won't be anything they have already seen before.

Yeah, those on Bonaire are just naturally gifted and the long hose isn't what it is elsewhere.... sorry.

 

[jjwdiver]

I always dive with a long hose. If ever asked about it, it is a good way to let that person know why its used. I have had a few ask and they understood it. Others couldn't care. As a divemaster, I explain to those I'm diving with that do not know about it..how I intend to "share air" if necessary. Not preachy, just informative.

my thoughts