Regulator recovery

[Addicted2H2O]

@Zef I get what you're saying about reaching for the octo until you find your primary. But how many divers do you see that more often than not don't even have the octo secured and just have it dangling? Thus the necessity of having to do a reach/sweep recovery anyway.

I had to do a reg switch last week in Cozumel. The omniswivel on my ffm suffered an o-ring failure in the middle of a dive so I had to bail out of it and switch to a regular mask and reg, thus requiring my octo, at least for a few minutes. Obviously I keep mine properly stowed so it wasn't too hard to find. But I did have to find my primary hose again after disconnecting it from my ffm (before switch to my octo) so I could attach a primary 2nd stage to it again. So IMO better to just teach the skill and the student not need it. Never know what can happen.

 

[Zef]

Always an option, but finding the reg on the end of a long hose is just as easy. Reach to the back of your neck and there she is. With a short hose and horizontal, the reg is usually hanging to your right and you can easily see it. There's no need to freak out. If you don't feel or see it, just pop your octo in.

I am thinking about this entirely in the context of teaching the skill...say in a pool...to an open water student. In all my years diving I have never once had my 2nd stage inadvertently dislodged from my mouth. I have dived with people who had the ziptie break that holds their mouth piece on the reg and it slipped off, i have dived with people who were really anxious and bit off the bite wings of their mouth piece and had trouble keeping their 2nd stage in their mouth. I have been kicked in the face and had my mask dislodged but never had my reg dislodged....guess I am lucky.

I work with students doing their OW training in one of the clubs I am in. I wonder how the chief instructor would take it if I suggest, the next time he assigns me students to work with on this skill, that they should first switch to the octo and then recover the other 2nd stage.

-Z

 

[The Chairman]

But how many divers do you see that more often than not don't even have the octo secured and just have it dangling?

All of my students learn with a bungeed necklace. They always know where it is.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

All of my students learn with a bungeed necklace. They always know where it is.

And maybe that's what the industry should go to. But how many instructors actually teach that way? I can say all of our gear for classes has an octo keeper attached. I should know....I put them on myself.

 

[The Chairman]

But how many instructors actually teach that way?

Dive and let dive. Teach and let teach. I teach differently than most any other instructor I know. I think that kneeling in a pool session is anathema and more important than how to get an octo. But I wouldn't want to impose how I do things on others. I'm satisfied with providing an example. Dive and let dive. Teach and let teach.

 

[Bob DBF]

I teach that they get one try, and then they must go to their second. BTW, with a long hose the sweep is stupid. Horizontal, the sweep is also stupid.

This sounds quite reasonable. Stop, think, act, and get used to having a reg out of ones mouth, but long enough to panic.

It's been so long I don't know if I started it on my own or someone taught me, but I just go vertical, head down, and the reg will drop where it can be seen, or in low/zero viz, a very short sweep.

I am thinking about this entirely in the context of teaching the skill...say in a pool...to an open water student.

And part of the context is not to panic because you don't have a reg in your mouth, because you can quiclky and efficiently find it. And if you don't find it you can move to your alternate, and if there is still a problem you can go to your buddy. It's not just teaching getting air fast, it's teaching not to panic whilst solving a problem underwater.


Bob

 

[The Chairman]

It's not just teaching getting air fast, it's teaching not to panic whilst solving a problem underwater.

This is a great point and it's why I teach trim and neutral buoyancy first in my classes. Everything gets harder if you're out of control. Get your student happy and comfortable with being flat and neutral and everything else becomes simple. Yes, including finding your reg.

 

[rhwestfall]

it's teaching not to panic whilst solving a problem underwater.

^ +1

 

[Zef]

And part of the context is not to panic because you don't have a reg in your mouth, because you can quiclky and efficiently find it. And if you don't find it you can move to your alternate, and if there is still a problem you can go to your buddy. It's not just teaching getting air fast, it's teaching not to panic whilst solving a problem underwater.

This makes sense. Thanks.

-Z

 

[Zef]

This is a great point and it's why I teach trim and neutral buoyancy first in my classes. Everything gets harder if you're out of control. Get your student happy and comfortable with being flat and neutral and everything else becomes simple. Yes, including finding your reg.

How does one convince an instructor to not teach with folks kneeling on the bottom? That seems to be the standard fare for many instructors. as you know.

-Z