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Question about air sharing (slrpnk.net)

submitted 1 month ago by The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net to c/scuba@mander.xyz

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Would you share the main stage, or the secondary stage?

I just got my open water certification from SSI, and I think I remember my manual saying you should share the main stage, and use the secondary yourself - also called the octo, I think? But when I dived with my instructor, she taught me to share the secondary.

My instructor is certified under both SSI and PADI (maybe others), and when I looked it up I did see some people mention that sharing the secondary/octo is the PADI way, and sharing the main is the SSI way. Is that true?

Which way were you taught? Which would you do? If you're an instructor, which way do you teach? And more importantly, why?

To me, how my instructor taught me makes the most sense, because what you hear in most rescue situations is that you have to make sure you are safe first so you can be in a position to help; so it follows that you should keep breathing out of your main and share the secondary (instead of interrupting your breathing to switch).

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[–] elucubra@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago

Primary is the stage attached to the tank, HP (high pressure) Secondary, LP (low pressure) the one(s) you put in your mouth. The octopus is an extra secondary, as backup, or to share.

The octopus should have a plug or shroud, to keep it free of debris.

It's a good idea to give it a short purge before diving, to test.

The octopus (usually but not always) yellow is the one to share 1st, and if that fails, buddy breathe with your own.

The octopus should be held by a clip on your BCD, or in the absence of a hose clip, tucked in a shoulder strap making a loop. Free octopuses are not a good idea for several reasons, like debris, you can't see if it's open or bubbling, it can snag, etc.

[–] trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

I'm not sure what SSI teaches now, with PADI I learned to donate the octo.

With GUE I learned to donate the primary.

Their reasoning is that when someone is out of air you should give them one that you're 100% sure is working as they're probably running out of breath.

I've seen too many divers drag their octos through the sand/sediment to not agree with them. If I'm out of air I'd rather not get a mouth full of mud first. Besides that, if someone is starting to panic they're likely to take the primary from you anyway because it definitely works and is the easiest to find.

This is also the reason that agencies that focus more on tec diving prescribe having the primary on a long hose for easy sharing and the secondary on a shorter hose hanging on a necklace for easy access. That way you're also sure it's not dragging through the mud.

[–] pp99@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

octo is longer to allow a second diver to breath and allow some freedom of movement near you. both should be able to continue diving with your arms locked. sharing your main would be a lot more uncomfortable. Also the octo is bright yellow to allow a second diver to easily see it and take it maybe without you knowing... no time to explain without air! I don't think padi or ssi teach it differently. In case your octo is broken or unavailable then yes you share your main but it is more like an emergency situation as you should take turns to breath

[–] rodsthencones@startrek.website 1 points 1 month ago

My dive buddies keep it simple.

If they are out of air and they have time, they will get to me and take my octopus/secondary.

If they need my air and can't wait, they pull my main out of my mouth and Buddy breathe till we figure out who gets what regulator.

Seems simple that way. If they start grabbing my gear, I just wait and see what they want. They know how to buddy breathe, so I just trust them to give it back at some point. If not, I use my octopus.

The dive ends when you get in trouble, so either way you are starting for the surface. So move to upright facing means the length of hose does not matter.