Bolt snap on long hose?

[JohnN]

I recently replaced my primary (84") hose. . . it wasn't tucked in properly, became snagged on a tank valve when I back rolled off a boat and developed a nasty bulge where the fitting is swaged on.

I find I rarely (as in never) use the bolt snap on the primary. I know I'm supposed to snap it to my right "D" ring when exiting the water, but I keep the secondary in my mouth until I'm entirely clear, and it seems to drop nicely over my shoulder when I spit it out.

What are the thoughts about leaving the bolt snap off? Am I going to die a slow and painful death? Will the scuba police swoop down and arrest me on the spot? Do I just have too much spare time?

 

[Rainer]

Don't do it. You're going to drop that second stage and it's going to hit the ground/boat deck/etc and cause you issues. If it isn't in your mouth, just clip it off. It's easy, simple, and cheap.

 

[KevinNM]

Yup. It needs to be clipped off, and you can't do that without the bolt snap.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Your mouth, my mouth or clipped off. Make it a habit.

Tobin

 

[Trace Malinowski]

You should make cleaning up the long hose a habit. A dangling long hose may get caught on a boat ladder, slip from around your neck and damage the second stage, or your diving may progress to the point where you will wish cleaning up was a habit such as when gas sharing or deco switching.

I mean, let's face it, you can do whatever you want, but divers will often judge you by things like masks on foreheads and unclipped long hoses.

 

[redacted]

I attach a tank valve o-ring to each of my primaries in lieu od a bolt snap. then I keep a double ender on each of my chest D-rings that I can use to clip it off when necessary.

 

[PfcAJ]

Also you need to clip it off if you're receiving gas from another diver. 7' of loose regulator hose is asking for it to get snagged on something.

 

[tbone1004]

I have gone away from the normal bolt snap attachment to this slick thing that Brett showed me a few years ago. It's slightly adapted for my Poseidons, but runs like that on my "normal" looking second stages. Easily removable, slides down the hose if you need to donate, and holds the second stage much closer to the D-ring which is great

 

[Ruphyo]

I have gone away from the normal bolt snap attachment to this slick thing that Brett showed me a few years ago. It's slightly adapted for my Poseidons, but runs like that on my "normal" looking second stages. Easily removable, slides down the hose if you need to donate, and holds the second stage much closer to the D-ring which is great

A star you are! Thanks. I have copied straight away.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Don't do it. You're going to drop that second stage and it's going to hit the ground/boat deck/etc and cause you issues. If it isn't in your mouth, just clip it off. It's easy, simple, and cheap.

Although I have always had a bolt snap on my long hose, I learned the hard way to remember to always clip it off when not in use. In addition to dropping onto the ground/deck with a disconcerting thud or worse, if it's lying next to your rig on a bench, someone could inadvertently sit on it or place a tank on it. Now, I make it a habit when I'm assembling my gear that the very first thing I do, even before attaching the first stages to the valves, is to clip that second stage off. If it's not in its storage box, in my hand, or in my mouth, I strive to remember to clip it off.