deco bottle placement

[Doubles]

Sorry, bilateral stage/deco bottle placement doesn't work for me and wasn't the way I was trained. . .

That doesn't mean that it wouldnt work for someone else, and not every one is trained that way.

Which makes a nice point, there is more than one way, training, practice, and comfort with your rig are very important.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Another trick I use on IDing my correct gas switch bottle from the obvious listed above in this thread is to use a piece of waterproof medical tape attached to the backside in the second stage gas vent,,,you write your MOD here....now you have another checks-n-balance in your hands to look at----works very well in low/no vis situations!

I like this idea very much.
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Couple of little things I do in addition to those already mentioned (or if someone's mentioned 'em I missed it)...
I have a green valve handle on my O2 bottle; black on leaner mixes. (The bottles came with the different color handles and I thought "that's cool.. I'll make the green one oxygen" )
I carry my O2 and 80% in 40s, my 50% in a 30. (I've never carried 80 and 100 together, and don't see myself doing that, so, so far, my lean mix is in a 30 and my rich mix is in a 40)
I use a Calypso second for O2 or 80%, and a Micra for 50% (Legends for back gas) - I can identify these three by feel.
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Where I carry 'em depends on whether it's an open water dive or a cave dive (whether I'm going to carry all the bottles for the whole dive or be dropping 'em off), and whether I'm carrying a stage bottle as well. For example, the "rich right" rule works fine in open water even when carrying both bottles on the left, but I reverse 'em in a cave because I'll be unclipping the rich bottle first and it's easier to shed from the outside in, and reattach from the inside out. This isn't a problem because by the time I pick up the rich bottle I'm already breathing the lean one - no chance for confusion...
etc...
As GDI said earlier

Bottom line is that the diver needs to do what works best for them and offers the safest way for them to work and move during a dive.

Rick

 

[GDI]

No . . . (click Public Profile View for Kevrumbo and refer to photo):
I ride the Scooter with my right hand & arm, with my right side Sagittal Body Plane streamlined and just presenting above relative to the slipstream of the Scooter: guess what would be in the propwash turbulence if attached under my right armpit as you suggest? Also, aside from the Long Hose issue, I have easy unfettered access to my rightside Drysuit Thigh Storage Pocket and those items that I may frequently use during a dive (Wetnotes, Spool, Scooter Leash etc.).

Sorry, bilateral stage/deco bottle placement doesn't work for me and wasn't the way I was trained. . .

Fair enough. I have tried it both ways (one side and both sides) I find it easier on both. Your picture on your public view looks like you only have one cylinder? My public view has a older picture. Today my cylinders are even tighter with out affecting access to any equipment.

(Gilless get back TO WORK)

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I like to plan for zero visibility gas switches so tape on the second stage etc, does not really do it for me as it would still be impossible to read in zero viz, extemely low light etc. What I do is make a small strip of 3/4" elastic with small loops sewn in each end that is then routed through a small plastic hardware store D-ring. I attach it to the mouthpiece by routing the zip tie securing the mouthpiece through the loops in the elastic. This then allows the elastic to run over the front of the mouthpiece where you get an unmistakeable tactile clue that you are on your richest mix. The D-ring allows it to be readily pulled over the side of the mouthpiece where it is out of the way. However if for some reason you need gas right now, it is low profile enough that you can still use the reg until you have time to square things away. As long as you do this to the reg on your richest mix, you will never get it confused even in zero visibility.

If you don't want to go the elastic/D-ring route on your rich mix reg, you can use a distinctly different mouthpiece on the rich mix deco reg such as a Comfobite mouthpiece with the strip that runs along the roof of your mouth. There is then no mistaking that mouthpiece with a conventional mouthpiece just by how it feels in your mouth. The comfobite mouthpiece is actually not a bad way to go either as it will stay in your mouth during a long deco stop with zero jaw pressure required.

I also use different second stages with different mouthpieces on my deco regs than on my back gas regs giving a tactile clue that I am not on a backgas reg by mistake.

In addition, I prefer to carry a bottle on each side. It offers better balance and trim and assuming you are using 30's or 40's they are small enough in diameter that mobility and range of motion are not restricted on either side and you retain the option of being able to reach between a deco bottle and yourself even with bulky dry suit cuff rings if the need arises. If you stack them on the same side, that side gets cluttered and range of motion suffers.

And of course, placing one on each side allows you to trace the hose to either the left or right bottle giving you another umistakeable tactile clue that you have the lean or rich mix in zero visibility. The potential for a mistake is much greater if both deco bottles are on the left.

 

[TheRedHead]

And of course, placing one on each side allows you to trace the hose to either the left or right bottle giving you another umistakeable tactile clue that you have the lean or rich mix in zero visibility. The potential for a mistake is much greater if both deco bottles are on the left.

If you follow all the procedures associated with the method (4 inch numbers indicating MOD, bottles hooked in proper order, tracing the regulator back to the bottle, checking depth and having all this confirmed by the team captain), it is the safest method. You have 2 people verifying the gas switch. But all the pieces are necessary in order for it to work.

 

[TheRedHead]

Another trick I use on IDing my correct gas switch bottle from the obvious listed above in this thread is to use a piece of waterproof medical tape attached to the backside in the second stage gas vent,,,you write your MOD here....now you have another checks-n-balance in your hands to look at----works very well in low/no vis situations!

What if you inadvertently put the wrong regulator on the tank? Having the tank contents marked in big numbers is inherently safer than marking a regulator to identify the tank.

 

[Rick Murchison]

What if you inadvertently put the wrong regulator on the tank? Having the tank contents marked in big numbers is inherently safer than marking a regulator to identify the tank.

You do both.
You can "what if" yourself into anything...
As Chuck Yeager said one day when a young pilot was "what iffing" every problem they were examining, "Well, some day you're gonna die. If you screw up that many things in a row, that's the day." (or words to that effect)
Rick

 

[TheRedHead]

I was originally taught by TDI instructors left lean, right rich method. In an IANTD class, I learned and dived with the all left method (with its associated components) and find I like it much better. I don't agree with the philosophy of diving as if one is a solo diver and prefer team diving. However, the method would work if you were seperated from your team because you rig yourself and your bottles exactly the same way every time and it becomes ingrained in muscle memory. I think the key to deco bottle placement is to decide upon a placement and never vary from it.

 

[Doubles]

I think the key to deco bottle placement is to decide upon a placement and never vary from it.

Smartest statement so far

 

[Kevrumbo]

That doesn't mean that it wouldnt work for someone else, and not every one is trained that way. Which makes a nice point, there is more than one way, training, practice, and comfort with your rig are very important.

Silly question,I know you were trained to do it one particular way,and have a feeling it is DIR,but have you tried it the other way? I do dive typically with a deco/stage on the left now,but there was a time that most generally did,and it worked well,even for the reasons you mentioned. I drive on the right side of the road,but sometimes I leave the country and drive on the left,and do just fine. I'm knocking what is working for you,that is great,but there is more than one way to do it and these methods have been around for a long time.

This is why it works for me (and anyone else riding a X-Scooter with Deco/Stage Bottles): http://www.dive-xtras.com/scooter/video/montana2med.html

My right hip/flank area already has a Light Canister and a Diver's PLB (EPIRB) Canister, so there's no room left to add a Stage/Deco Bottle to that side. . .