Dangling kit

[PeeBee]

My buddy and I were on a fast drift off Portland a couple of years ago (Peveril Ledges for those who know it). This particular dive runs across a series of rock outcrops so that depending on which way the current is running it's like going up or down a flight of stairs. The trick is to stay close to the bottom as if you are going "up" then the current tends to throw you up and away from the bottom, it's great fun.
On this particular Up dive Keith was a fraction behind me and off to one side, for most of the dive but I suddenly became aware of him stopping! I was able to grab hold of a rock a few seconds later, but he was already out of sight as I peered back into the gloom looking for him. After what seemed ages (30 or 40 seconds) he emerged from the gloom and we continued the dive. Back on the surface he explained that as he'd flown over one of the ledges, his SPG had jammed in a crevice and he'd come to an ubrupt halt. He had then had to work back against the current to free it, which wasn't easy given how hard the console had been jammed in and how fast the current was running.

Lesson learned, dangling kit is dangerous. lol

Safe diving.

Pete

[Nick_lincoln]

There was an article about this in a recent issue of dive.

Most of my kit is in pouches or clipped closely too me. But there are some bits that will always hang a bit, torches in particular.

The number one offender I see hanging down off divers is a reel and DSMB. I've seen some bungeed together, they then are left to hang down off a D ring just waiting to catch on something. Get em' in a pouch or pocket!! And I notice this now, because I used to be an offender!!

[keelhauled]

Dangly kit was the bane of my life till I came across scubaclipz. No connection to me just good kit.

[ratcliffe]

I have been slowly making my kit more streamlined recently. I have never had a problem with anything dangling (apart from the time that my DSMB unrolled underwater whilst finning along, but thats another story ) but it does make good sense to not have loads of dangly stuff...

[Digger]

There's no excuse for unnecessary dangling gear. There are so many storage solutions that can keep your chest and body clear everything should be stowed appropriately.

You should make sure everything's stowed to stop it getting damaged too. Things getting caught on the bottom or a wreck can get you caught, but in the example you describe it might be the straw that breaks the camel's back on a hose and you could lose your SPG. And a whole lot of gas.

A really good one for controlling all the gear hanging off you in different places is to get someone to photo or video you on a dive in a normal position. Everything should be neat and streamlined, and looking at yourself is a good way to see what's sticking out of your profile.

Good lesson, well learnt.

Digs.

[ScubaKing]

Hi
It’s a good post and must have been a strong hose and gauge, this could have easily turned really nasty, it does not take long for a tank full of air to go when the HP side goes. My particular favourite for contents gauges and consoles is the retractor type clip. It lets you pull the gauges out to look at them clearly, then pulls them back out of the way without any fuss. Spending a bit of cash to get streamlined could also give you a payback in maintenance cost as well as the safety side.

Thanks

Richie King
Scuba Kings Gozo, PADI Dive Centre, Diving Holidays Gozo, Malta, Europe

[GLOC]

Originally Posted by ScubaKing

Hi
It’s a good post and must have been a strong hose and gauge, this could have easily turned really nasty, it does not take long for a tank full of air to go when the HP side goes.

As a side note, I was very surprised when Dobbo's SPG fell off in Stoney one session a year or so ago and how little gas did come out. It maybe high pressure, but the hole it is coming out of is tiny. Not sure what would happen if the hose itself would rupture but losing the SPG off the end isn't the big deal that a lot of people think it is i.e. empty your tank in 10 seconds flat.

Regards

[Dangerous Dan]

Originally Posted by GLOC

As a side note, I was very surprised when Dobbo's SPG fell off in Stoney one session a year or so ago and how little gas did come out. It maybe high pressure, but the hole it is coming out of is tiny. Not sure what would happen if the hose itself would rupture but losing the SPG off the end isn't the big deal that a lot of people think it is i.e. empty your tank in 10 seconds flat.

Regards

Yeah i think i remember reading somewhere that an LP hose failure will lose your gas quicker than a HP hose due to the size of the orifice.

Dan

[Digger]

Yes, LP hose will drain the tank faster. Larger hole required for performance, unfortunately larger hole for all your lovely gas to escape from in an emergency. The tiny hole on an SPG is because it has almost no flow so the hole is really only so the pressure can get down there, which doesn't need to be very big.

HP hose still wouldn't be very good mind

Diver did some tests where they opened a tank valve properly with a hose cut (HP, LP etc) and found that LP was worse by some distance I think. But the numbers aren't as bad as it might seem. At depth it is exacerbated by losing gas faster and narcosis, worth remembering.

Digs.

[StephenTh]

I was sitting next to someone on a rib when their HP (contents gauge) hose blew. Big bang (all that high pressure air tasting freedom at the same time), but then so little air escaping from the hose that you couldn't even hear it hiss.