Posted by MHK on April 09, 2001 at 16:09:24:
In Reply to: Re: how I understand it posted by Steve on April 09, 2001 at 15:50:23:
Yeah but lent is almost over and so is tax season so we maybe should hash this out before the end of the week ;-)
Seriously, I'm trying to understand what you feel you are gaining and I simply don't see it..
It seems to me at the end of the day we all accept that we should have a primary and a back up. Most of us feel that way but there are some in the solo crowd that believe they don't need a back up reg since they will never donate it. That abiration aside most will have 2 regs..
So the options are not infinite, and bear in mind that we strive for uniformity amongst teams memebers and we do not change our configuration from dive to dive or environment to environment. It's the same whether we are in Cayman or in Lake Superior, whether we are in Florida or California we are uniformly configured so in the event of an emergency ( which I agree with you should rarely, if ever, occur) that we all think, act and are configured alike...
The benefits I see of donating the primary include, but are not limited to, handing off a reg that you know to be working to the diver that is in immediate need of a breathe. In my mind that is the primary goal and it's urgent and immediate. Even to the extent the OOA diver grabs it from your mouth while you aren't paying attention you should not be paniced yourself because you have been trained to simply duck your chin down and you have a fresh breathe in seconds. You don't need to look for a retaining device, you don't need to be concerned with freeflows, collecting contaminents or dangling hoses that may drag in the silt. It's quick, it's efficent, it's streamlinned so I don't see what you have improved...
In the space of inches you have both a primary and a back up that are both available in an instant and to the extent either freeflow you'll know immediately..
Furthermore, there is no need to *learn* varying systems as to where the reg is if you need it...
Just my 2 cents...
Later