Equipment Config simply wrong outside Florida?

[neilh]

Originally Posted by Keith Whittaker

Mid way through your dive one of the newbies frantically swims up to you signalling OOA. The potential for confusion between the two systems seems to be a recipe for disaster. Your thoughts ?

In this situation it should be ok. If the diver is signalling OOA then at least they still have it together, so when you donate your primary even though it might not be what they expect I would have thought they would stuff the reg in front of their face in their mouth. Even in the panicking situation as others have said the stats seem to suggest that most divers take the primary.

Once they have a reg and can breathe you can calm things down and take it from there.

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

The question was, is the GUE rig suitable for UK diving? We don't dive by your rules of gas reserves and run times. As a result your cylinder choices are problematic. A by product of this is our cylinder choices are not suitable for rigging all stages left.
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Whilst the GUE system and its rules are perfectly suited to its equipment and vice versa, it is fair to say that the same rig doesn't necessarily work with different sets of rules.
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Seeing as the question was asked specifically about the rig and not about the system as a whole, I felt it was fair to comment on some of the problematic issues.

That's an extremely important point Mark - you're right of course that the GUE rig is designed to work hand-in-hand with the procedures, etc. It isn't supposed to be taken independently. It's just one part of the Holistic approach

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Back up red SMB, yellow SMB, PLB, wreck reel (Pathfinder is fine its what I use for laying line) and a proper cutting device preferably on a lanyard.

IMHO The single most important thing missing from the standard rig is adequate surface signaling. No flags and no PLB's. Not sensible in UK conditions or come to think of it, as has been proved over and over again, in Red Sea conditions its not such a good idea ether.

A silly mini SMB or even a standard red SMB is NOT adequate surface signaling equipment.
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This is what happens in real life and we should take steps to minimise the risks.

Fair points - but remember that the basic rig is about a compromise that is appropriate for all types of diving. None of those signalling items are practical for cave use, for example.

What should happen is that you adjust what you take on a dive to suit the conditions. You take what is necessary for the dive and leave what is not.

For UK conditions you're absolutely right - appropriate signalling devices should be carried. There's nothing that says you can't or shouldn't. If they aren't carried then that's down to the decision of the divers/team and not due to restrictions of the system.

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by JAG

I took her short hose and buddy breathed for a minute or so, then we swapped and she took my my long hose. Her exact words were, "I want a long hose, you were too in my face!"

And who could blame the poor girl, after having that fizzog in her face



Safe diving,
Steve