What's the point of a long hose?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I am a new diver, but I am educated in the differences between using an Octo off of your inflator vs. an octopus regulator off of the 1st stage. The experienced diver did the right thing by going for your primary regulator since the Octo is for you during the air share situation. That is one of the reasons I decided to use a 19cf pony during my quarry dives since I do not want any quarry diver having to use my primary regulator. Naturally if I get ambushed and he steals it that is a different story, but if I have the choice I am always giving them my pony.

Different view: Handing off your pony to a OOA idiot (er diver) could be a real dis-service to them.

When you hand off your primary - you are absolutely 100% certain that you are handing the oxygen deprived diver a working air source cause you have been testing it continuously throughout the dive.

When you hand off your pony - it may or may not be working. Is the valve opened, is it full, did the 2nd get filled with crap or did it free flow. Can they read the SPG (or is it a tiny one). A lot depends on how you choose to rig and carry it of course. As the diver most familiar with it and not being air deprived for more than a few seconds, you are most able to work with the pony.

 

[rjack321]

but if I have the choice I am always giving them my pony.

You're rarely given the choice. Using a long hose with a backup bungied under your chin is consistent with how 99% of OOA divers respond - by grabbing for what's in your mouth with the obvious bubbles coming out of it. Since you have gas you can much more calmly put you backup in your mouth. Its not stuck under anything else, out of sight, or jammed with silt or junk.

Ponies and octos work more reliably for low but not yet out of gas divers. Long hoses (and bungied backup is part of the system) work to donate to both low and OOA divers.

 

[openmindOW]

Most of the 360 degree swivels are known for being high in failures.

I know someone who had a failure at a swivel. He was a competent, calm diver in shallow water. There was no emergency, but it made me decide agains swivels.

 

[el yucateco]

this would be use in overhead environnement such as cave diving for example. Some cave have narrow passage where the best way to share air will be to extend the air surveif one the diver is in a bad situation....:blinking:

 

[TSandM]

I wanted your suggestion on hose length for the "Long Hose" configuration on a rig.

"Long hose" can refer to anything from a 40" hose to a 7' hose.

The 40" hose routes under the arm, but may then require an angle adapter to allow the reg to sit comfortably in the mouth. If it is not routed under the arm, the reg will sit well, but you have a HUGE loop of hose flapping in the breeze.

A 5' hose is sometimes used for open water diving. This routes under the right arm, across the chest, around the back of the neck, and into the diver's mouth from the right. It is a streamlined configuration and is managed like the 7' hose, but it is sometimes too short for a person with a broad chest, who may need to go to a custom length (6') to get full mobility of the neck.

A 7' hose is standard for overhead environments, simply because it permits donation to a person who can then swim in front of you through a single-file restriction. The 7' hose routes down the diver's right side, under something at the right hip (typically a light canister, but it can also be a pocket, knife, or anything else that will capture the hose), up across the chest, around the back of the neck and into the diver's mouth from his right. This is also a very streamlined configuration, and the hose is long enough to be comfortable for all divers. It can be a little difficult to manage a 7' hose well with a traditional BC, if there is no way to put something on the waistband to capture the hose. Just folding it and putting it through the waistband works okay, but it can easily pull loose if it's tugged a little bit, or if the diver's exposure protection compresses.

 

[DBailey]

Its not stuck under anything else, out of sight, or jammed with silt or junk.

What a nice broad generalization.