Spreading communicable diseases via regulator

[saxman242]

There's a difference between having a "longer" hose and using a hog loop. Its the hog loop which creates additional complexity and additional risk, particularly when diving with recreational divers who dive only a few times a year on their summer resort holiday. These are the types of divers who most typically run out of air (OOA) or low on air (LOA).

When I worked as a DM at a resort, I expected to be the air donor, particularly for LOA air hogs in larger groups.

I set up my secondary octopus with a longer (just under 2metres) secondary hose, with the secondary octopus orientated as a left hand regulator. (Apeks XTX is great for this).

When donating, this setup avoids the awkward "S" hose twist, and also the risk of breathing the regulator upside down, which a right hand regulator creates in an air donation. It's also easier to swim side by side with the donee to the right of the donor. And the longer hose makes it comfortable for both donor and donee.

In my limited experience, for recreational open water diving, this configuration is the simplest and safest for air donations.

How do you stow a 2m long octopus hose if not similar to a long hose set up?

 

[rongoodman]

I remember seeing some truly remarkable schemes for it in my old IANTD cave text, looped somehow next to a tank.

 

[Umuntu]

How do you stow a 2m long octopus hose if not similar to a long hose set up?

Put a loop of surgical elastic under the arm on the right shoulder strap. Fold the hose a few times in loops and tuck into the surgical loop. Attach octopus regulator in an elastic loop attached to right shoulder D-ring. It's all compact and deploys very effectively.

I remember seeing some truly remarkable schemes for it in my old IANTD cave text, looped somehow next to a tank.

Personally I don't like tucking the octopus hose into a rubber bungee tied around the tank. I do this only for a pony bottle regulator.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Hey I have an idea, just start solo diving and you’ll never have to deal with any of that OOA buddy crap again.
Or, make the buddy check the safe second and never touch it.
I like the solo idea. As a matter of fact, I like it so much that I have pretty much dumped all my buddies and have been solo diving now for at least 15 years. A buddy to me is one of my local friends, and as soon as we splash we are on our own until we see each other again after we come up. Same ocean same day.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Hey I have an idea, just start solo diving and you’ll never have to deal with any of that OOA buddy crap again.
Or, make the buddy check the safe second and never touch it.
I like the solo idea. As a matter of fact, I like it so much that I have pretty much dumped all my buddies and have been solo diving now for at least 15 years. A buddy to me is one of my local friends, and as soon as we splash we are on our own until we see each other again after we come up. Same ocean same day.

This is fully endorseable.
On my side, since when I stopped working as an instructor in 1989, my only buddies have been my wife and my sons. No risk exchanging the reg with them, and sure 100% there will be no misunderstanding to what reg to use in case of an OOA situation. The rule is simple, grab the one with a long yellow hose, hanging from the rubber band attached to the harness strip!