Octo Orientation - perhaps a twist on "the norm"

[rhwestfall]

Originally Posted by nimoh
I have often thought that the octo should be oriented the opposite way. If you need to breathe from it yourself, it would pretty easy to route the hose around the back of your head to get it in the correct orientation, and if you need to donate, it's ready to do. Not sure why this isn't standard practice.



that is some very interesting food for thought...... I'd like to see other's thoughts on this (maybe start another thread)...

 

[*dave*]

I love this idea.

 

[g1138]

I think it would depend on the situation. If the diving pair is planning on ascending straight from the point of OOA, it makes no huge difference, and for the diver, having the octo in a orientation where he or she can readily use it for himself is ideal. Both divers could ascend horizontally-facing each other, or vertically-facing each other.

If however the divers need to swim a distance before ascending, then and only then would the alternate octo configuration make sense. But with that configuration, the diver then needs to be comfortable with wrapping the octo around their head if they need to use it themselves.

I personally see no reason to change my octo configuration. At best if you have an OOA diver whose calm enough to swim with you, he can swim above and behind. That will give him enough hose room to maneuver. And if you're not comfortable with that, you as the donor can swim upside down. Or both of you could swim on your side. It's not that different from being belly down, nor is it that complicated.

 

[nimoh]

I don't think it is all that easy to be horizontal facing each other with a standard octo hose, well it can be done obviously, just seems awkward to me. The position necessitates an awkward bend in the hose, in order to have the regulator right side up. I also think that swimming above and behind is not an ideal position for a diver to be.

Personally, I dive a long hose and it is not an issue for me, just a thought.

 

[Kharon]

There are good reasons for standardization. Try to teach a new "improved" knot to a sailor. It won't matter how much better or easier it is - the standard knots are the only ones to be used. They are known, understood, and do not have to be thought about. They are reflexive. I always dive a pony and it's clipped somewhat unconventionally - but the octo is on my left shoulder exactly where I was taught to have it. It's yellow, in a yellow octo holder ready to be pulled free by me or an OOA diver. Once things calm down I can pass the pony to them and we can ascend unteathered. Until the panic is over it's best that neither of us has to look for the octo. It's in the standard = expected position.

 

[knotical]

Some alternate air sources swivel and can be used upside down, so stowed orientation doesn’t matter.
Examples: Aqualung ABS, Mares MV, etc.

 

[nimoh]

There are good reasons for standardization. Try to teach a new "improved" knot to a sailor. It won't matter how much better or easier it is - the standard knots are the only ones to be used. They are known, understood, and do not have to be thought about. They are reflexive. I always dive a pony and it's clipped somewhat unconventionally - but the octo is on my left shoulder exactly where I was taught to have it. It's yellow, in a yellow octo holder ready to be pulled free by me or an OOA diver. Once things calm down I can pass the pony to them and we can ascend unteathered. Until the panic is over it's best that neither of us has to look for the octo. It's in the standard = expected position.

I agree, standardization is preferable.

I also think that sailing knots is a great analogy. It doesn't matter much if the knot is easier to tie, if the next guy doesn't know how to untie it. In diving, it doesn't matter much if the octo is oriented correctly, if the guy that needs air turns it upside down and bends the hose

Some alternate air sources swivel and can be used upside down, so stowed orientation doesn’t matter.
Examples: Aqualung ABS, Mares MV, etc.

probably the best of both worlds

 

[ekremer]

There are good reasons for standardization. Try to teach a new "improved" knot to a sailor. It won't matter how much better or easier it is - the standard knots are the only ones to be used. They are known, understood, and do not have to be thought about. They are reflexive. I always dive a pony and it's clipped somewhat unconventionally - but the octo is on my left shoulder exactly where I was taught to have it. It's yellow, in a yellow octo holder ready to be pulled free by me or an OOA diver. Once things calm down I can pass the pony to them and we can ascend unteathered. Until the panic is over it's best that neither of us has to look for the octo. It's in the standard = expected position.

Wait who teaches the left shoulder? Padi taught the right shoulder, and I always figured the rest of the recreational folks do the same thing.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I dive standard recreational dives, and am involved in teaching the same. My Octo has about a 60 inch hose, is on my right, under my arm, and tethered with a secure keeper just right of the center of my torso, from which it can be pulled away with no "untying."
At least once a year I practice with one of my dive friends swimming with myself and him both breathing on my tank, and then both on his, each using the others octo and each using the other' primary. We do five to ten minutes each way. I have an alternate air source reg that comes pretty much staring off the hose, as opposed to from the side, and that configuration works fine. The hose is short enough it does not dangle or tangle, but long enough to be useable. No doubt you technical divers and cavers require a different arrangement, but for recreational diving, I like what I have. The practice is worthwhile, and I encourage others to do so.
DivemasterDennis

 

[redacted]

As long as the hose length is adequate for the intended use, I don't really see any obvious advantage for such an unusual configuration. And I can see a possibility that an OOA diver unfamiliar (and unpracticed) with such a configuration may have a problem.