Posted by GOPACK on September 05, 2001 at 21:23:39:
I have enjoyed greatly your “lively” discussion regarding OOA emergencies. I believe I have learned much ..... Thank you!!!! I will definitely practice OOA situations with my buddy wife..... And not on my knees in a pool!
I’m not in your league. I am a right coast warm water “softy” by your standards. I know my limitations and dive within them. Eighty percent of what I want to see is in 40’ of water or less. I do wall and wreck dives (no penetration) to 100’ maximum depth (my personal limit). Enough about me ... now to my confusion:
It is not clear to me from your discussion regarding the Farnsworth fatality as to why the two divers were buddy breathing. (My definition of buddy breathing is two divers breathing alternatively off the same regulator). Did the OOA diver have a first stage failure, which negated the use of his primary and oct or was he literally OOA, which naturally resulted in the regulator failure to supply air? Was either diver equipped with an oct? If both divers were equipped with oct’s, why did not the OOA diver utilize the donors oct or primary in lieu of buddy breathing?
I’ve been lead to believe that a first stage regulator will fail open (not closed) resulting in a free flow and not a complete loss of air. Is this not correct?
Thanks !!!!!