Long hose routing
#1
Posted 23 May 2008 - 12:46 AM
I've got my primary regulator on a seven foot hose off of my right post, but am running into the issue of occasionally having it come up from final loop around the back of my neck. It's a small irritant to have to put it back and work the slack back toward the first stage. I haven't tried this yet, but I saw a picture in a magazine where a tech diver with manifolded doubles had the excess length of his long hose bungied to the outside of the tank over his right shoulder. He had it in a loop similar to a sling-bottle rigging. From the picture this seems to make the routing quite streamlined and very user friendly for the diver in terms of the orientation of the second stage to his mouth. And it seems like a workable method of getting to the same (maybe even better) usability of the long hose for donating to an OOA diver...hand the second stage off and then a quick tug and the full length is available. No need to duck under and no need to unwrap it from under your shoulder either. Any input here on whether or not this is a good idea?
Mark
#2
Posted 23 May 2008 - 05:22 AM
I am curious as to why you are having so much trouble with the hose coming loose. I "tuck" mine, either behind my light canister, or into my waist strap when no light is worn. This controls it quite well, while still making it very easy to to deploy and then restow.
-JimG
#3
Posted 23 May 2008 - 06:05 AM
Here it is with my reg in my mouth
Edited by Latitude Adjustment, 23 May 2008 - 06:10 AM.
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Signed and Dated
#4
Posted 23 May 2008 - 08:44 AM
1) when using manifolded doubles and two separate regs, one with a long hose and the other without, which post do you mount the long hose on and why?
2) whether with manifolded doubles and separate regs, or with a single tank and one reg with two second stages, one with a long hose, do you routinely breathe from long or short? Please don't tell me what GUI/DIR preach as I am well aware of that. I'm after an solution that YOU have thought through and decided to adopt.
3) and of course the question of the thread - how do you stow the long hose? I dislike and distrust winding it around my neck, so I always stow it elsewhere. In any case, I have a spare mask around my neck and there isn't room for the hose.
4) how long is yours? When I switched to Poseidon a few years back I opted for a five foot hose rather than the seven foot alternative, and since Poseidon hoses seem to last for ever (unlike every other brand I've tried) I still have it.
Edited by peterbj7, 23 May 2008 - 08:45 AM.
#5
Posted 23 May 2008 - 09:00 AM
Long hose on the right post - this gives you a few more inches of play for donating gas, and ensures that the post will not accidentally roll off during a gas share.1) which post do you mount the long hose on and why?
I always breath from the long hose. During a gas share, the reg in the donating diver's mouth is the one that is most easily found (even in a lights out situation), and one of only two that is known to be safely breathable at that depth. Therefore that is the one that should go to the OOG diver, and then it's up to me to find one that I can breathe (usually the one on the necklace, which should be your back gas, and is therefore safe to breath at any depth).2) do you routinely breathe from long or short?
As I mentioned previously, I wrap mine - this method is very streamlined, and makes it easy to deploy and easy to restow without assistance. If I carry a spare mask, it goes in a pocket.3) how do you stow the long hose? [...] I have a spare mask around my neck and there isn't room for the hose.
I use a seven foot hose for all diving, even single tank recreational stuff.4) how long is yours?
-JimG
Edited by JimG, 23 May 2008 - 09:02 AM.
#6
Posted 23 May 2008 - 09:55 AM
#7
Posted 23 May 2008 - 11:23 PM
Not a good idea - the hose cannot be easily restowed once it has been pulled. The "wrap" method is more streamlined and has no potential failure points (no bungee to snag or break, etc).
I am curious as to why you are having so much trouble with the hose coming loose. I "tuck" mine, either behind my light canister, or into my waist strap when no light is worn. This controls it quite well, while still making it very easy to to deploy and then restow.
-JimG
Jim,
I don't have a canister light yet, and I don't have weight pockets on my harness, so there is nothing to hold the hose down by my waist. hence, I'm getting too much slack up around my neck and the hose occassionally floats over the top of the back of my head. The problem will likely go away when I get a canister light, but in the meantime I will have to try the "tucking it into the waist strap technique". Another gold nugget...thanks.
Mark
#8
Posted 24 May 2008 - 07:28 AM
#9
Posted 24 May 2008 - 07:48 AM
I use a 5' hose on a doubles and singles diving. On doubles, the hose sometimes becomes loose since I don't have a can light yet either. On singles, it seems to stay put a little better because the valve is in the center of my back vs the right side so there is less slack
#10
Posted 24 May 2008 - 08:29 AM
Depending on the harness layout and the other gear being carried, I'd tend to take the hose vertically down one side so that the free regulator is back at the top and in front of my arm just below the shoulder. That's clearly visible both to me and to another diver, and it should be easy to locate both bungee loops for restowing. For a five foot hose I'd probably have a single loop down and up, but for seven I may have two down and two up.
There's no right answer even for a given gear configuration, and what's right for one set of gear may be totally wrong for another. Or even when the same gear is used by different sized people. You need to look at yourself in the mirror with gear on, look down and see what you could reach, and examine what opportunities the harness gives you. And don't be afraid to try several alternatives in the water until you find one that feels comfortable, looks sensible, and works.
To answer your specific question, I'd be unlikely to use the waist strap for bungee placement, for several reasons. It's probably too far down. The hose protrudes through and past the bungee loop, so the hose will end up sticking below the BC and very liable to tangle. It may also end up too far forward, with similar consequences. It'll probably be free to move around, which means both that it'll end up in the wrong place AND you won't be able to find it for restowing, especially with gloves on. And remember that the hose will be coming down parallel to your body, so you want the loop to be presented at right angles to that.
This is all a bit rambling, as the answer to your question has to be to examine your gear and make the best choices. But maybe it's given you some ideas. Remember - there is rarely just one correct way of doing anything. Experiment!
#11
Posted 25 May 2008 - 08:39 AM
Some people hook it under the knife sheath in front, rather than tucking. I tried that myself for awhile, but eventually went back to the "tuck" method - it allows for more adjustment in the tension in the hose, which makes things a little more secure.I will have to try the "tucking it into the waist strap technique". Another gold nugget...thanks.
-JimG
#12
Posted 26 May 2008 - 04:03 PM
#13
Posted 26 May 2008 - 06:04 PM
I have been routing my hose under my arm and then tucking it down into my waist strap.
If I would be wearing a light it would be tucked under my light.
This has worked great. My hose doesn't float over my head and it is easy to pull and deploy if needed.
Formerly known as gis_gal and name tattoo'd for a small bribe!
#14
Posted 27 May 2008 - 11:39 AM
"For the diligent diver, closed circuit rebreathers are actually safer than open circuit scuba." Tom Mount
#15
Posted 27 May 2008 - 07:29 PM
May I ask for people's views on use of a long hose? I have a few simple questions:-
1) when using manifolded doubles and two separate regs, one with a long hose and the other without, which post do you mount the long hose on and why?
2) whether with manifolded doubles and separate regs, or with a single tank and one reg with two second stages, one with a long hose, do you routinely breathe from long or short? Please don't tell me what GUI/DIR preach as I am well aware of that. I'm after an solution that YOU have thought through and decided to adopt.
3) and of course the question of the thread - how do you stow the long hose? I dislike and distrust winding it around my neck, so I always stow it elsewhere. In any case, I have a spare mask around my neck and there isn't room for the hose.
4) how long is yours? When I switched to Poseidon a few years back I opted for a five foot hose rather than the seven foot alternative, and since Poseidon hoses seem to last for ever (unlike every other brand I've tried) I still have it.
1) Right post. After routing it seems to come out in the proper place in front of my face.
2) I routinely breath from the long hose as it is the one I would hand off in an OOG situation. The short hose is bungied around my neck. Yes, this is the DIR method, but I am not religious about it.
3) I use the wrap with a 7' hose, but I tend to use a 5' hose for recreational diving and that I bungee to the tank. 5' isn't long enough to wrap. I carry a spare mask, but that is in a pocket. I am curious why you are keeping that around your neck?
4) I've used both, but 7' makes sense for penetration diving. This gives you enough length to share the hose and exit single file rather than side by side. 5' is a bit short in this context. In open water it really doesn't matter.
Edited by Geek, 27 May 2008 - 07:37 PM.
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