DIR-F Tokyo, Thanks and Kudos...

[Kim]

Any major differences since 1999 Kim?

Thomas

Not that I could see. I was half expecting that they might have adopted the DIR/GUE approach as to which regulator gets the long hose - but apparantly not - they basically leave it up to personal preference, just as long as one of them is long.

 

[Mar Scuba]

Wow, this thread really has evolved, first from attaboy to some DIR talk and some unintentional flaming and then now talking about standards!

All this talk is making me thirsty!

 

[boomx5]

Congratulations on the class guys!

 

[Jonathan]

the Dogs Bollocks are not a DIR wing and more to the point Matt you don't stock them

 

[WaterDawg]

Congrats on the class guys! dont worry we do this on GoatDawgs all the time!

 

[Strife]

Personally I think it's a moot arguement. I've never seen an OOA diver - and barring a tank blow out (also never seen - didn't really hear about, except in theory) - it should never happen. If my buddy, (normally my wife) ever had a tank go I'd have a back up reg in front of her face probably before she realized what had happened - I'd see the bubbles while she was still wondering WTF. If she or anyone else ran their tank down at depth so that they weren't going to make it back up on their own, again - I'd know, and be ready. Isn't that what a buddy is for???

I agree that because of the different procedures involved DIR tends to stick with DIR. I also normally only dive with people that share the same procedures as me - it makes sense. It's a very good idea to check those procedures in pre-dive planning when you hit the water with someone new - it's good to be on the same page, whatever that page is.

As far as the statistics I think that you are correct - OOA doesn't really happen often. Most accidents I've heard about come from too fast ascents - and that I have seen - and on several occasions have forcibly grabbed someone and dumped BCD air to pull them back down. That said, that's what I try very hard to impress on a new buddy that I don't expect to see - or that their tank is at 20bar at 25 meters.
Actually the only other person right now that I dive with except my wife is a Japanese JUDF instructor. He doesn't even have an octopus - probably why JUDF still requires old school buddy breathing skills!!!

I only have 100 dives, but I have seen 3 OOGs happen. Two of them I acctually donated my reg to someone due to their lack of gas management, and one a buddy had to donate his when another buddy had a tank o-ring give out on him at 40 ft. Both times the easiest solution was that I could grab my primary (it's kind of hard to miss right there in my mouth) instead of searching for a "quick release" octo or having him search for it regardless of color. Everything losses color at depth anyways, so what is the point of a special colored Octo?
You say that you practice Share Air drills with this stuffed "6-foot" alternate. How do you restow it by yourself? With the seven foot primary all I have to do after a share air drill is wrap it back around my head and tuck under my light or through belt. With this method, my buddies and I are able to practice drills multiple times during every dive. This helps not only your ability to deploy the hose, but also your buddy awareness. You never know when your buddy is going to pull an OOG on you. You also never know when he is drilling you and when it is for real, so you treat every drill like reality. You also will treat reality like a drill during the crutial portion (donating the hose) and this helps avoid stress.