This page shows examples of "non-hogarthian" diving
equipment configurations. The reasons the configurations
are not appropriate for the hogarthian style are listed
for each picture.
There are bonus points to be awarded to others who find things
I miss.
Click on the picture for a full sized version.
Tanks with a roll cage! The diver was also wearing a helmet.
1) Roll cage is not needed. How fast do you swim? How bad
do you scooter? If your problem is running into things
the solution is not cobra guards or a roll cage.
This will also limit you and your buddies ability to
shut off your valves.
2) Bungee on manifold to stuff the long hose. Can you replace
it by yourself? If the longhose tangles during deployment
can you see how to untagle it?
3) I believe this manifold does not use barrel-type orings
and lends itself to more leak problems.
1) Where is his long hose? I hope that he and his buddy are
really good swimming belly to belly...
2) Independent tanks. Require a more complex gas management scheme.
Require another HP guage which is more likely to fail than a manifold.
3) Two inflators for dual bladders. This gives you an extra failure point
and is not needed if diving dry. Your drysuit is your backup boyancy.
4) Butt mounted light. Can't see it so you can't easily solve any
problems...
5) Light cable is too long. You can see where the fellow has zip tied
the cable to itself.
6) Hoses do not cross behind the divers head. It is easier to hear
a leak when the hose runs behind your head.
7) Transpac. Too expensive. Too complex. Too cluttered.
1) Dives wet. You will enjoy caving much more when you start diving
dry. I do. Feel better after a dive. Sleep better too. If you are
getting cold you are asking to get bent and are "Doing it wrong".
2) Bizzaro light system attached to butt.
3) Backup lights bungeed where they are not easy to deploy.
1) Long hose on left side and stuffed in some manner I have never seen before. If
it is on his left post he might roll his buddies air off in a OOA sitution.
2) Butt mounted square light. A light like the AUL spectrum 14 is good to
300+ feet and is cheaper, mounts on your belt, does not have a screwon lid.
3) Reels on tanks. Good luck getting a line untangled back there.
4) He does have jet fins but they are large or medium. XL fit big
drysuit boots the best.
You have to respect a lady that can carry double steels!
1) Female (on right) shows traditional hose stuffing. I'm sure
that her buddy will not go for the reg in her mouth
and will find and deploy the coiled/stuffed hose behind her when
he is freaking for air... (I stuffed until the Master set me straight)
2) Notice the non-streamline stowing of her backup lights. Hope she
can find and deploy them easily in an emergency. I'll stick with
my new "Barry lights" chestmounted. You never need tank bungee.
(I had tank rings and tank lights until the Master set me straight)
3) Good physcial fitness is a big plus in cave diving... nuff said
4) Another computer on his right arm? The goal here is to minimize
the junk you bring with you and reduce the complexity. One computer
or depth guage/bottom timer per team member should suffice. A stopwatch
for counting stops is not a bad idea for more interesting profiles.
1) Lights where you can't get them.
2) Hose stuffed.
If you are a hogarthian diver in the know help out the newbies..
3) Wrong fins (green ones). Plastic fins are no cheaper than
the ScubaPro Jetfins and they will not last as long or give you
the same power. You need strong legs to cave dive and stiff
Jetfins take advantage of them.
This poor boy got taken to the cleaners. This gear was all brand
spanking new!
1) Shower head second stages that fail closed (upstream design)
2) Nice new AUL light with strain reliefs. He is not butt-mounting
which is good. It is fastend to his harness all wrong (see below).
3) How many Drings do you need? The answer is 3.
4) 2nd stages are on the correct posts.
5) Damn Bungee wings. I told the guy to make sure he could get them
inflated in the shallow end before he attempts something deeper. If
the bungee is installed too-tightly it will not allow the wings to
inflate completely. Bungee also traps air in pockets and prevents total
deflation.
6) Note the air whistle on the LP hose on the far right. What the heck
is this additional failure point for? To scare off gators?
7) Z-knife on left strap. Buy or Make a knife. Plastic hooks with
razor blades have minimal use. (I thought they were cool once)
8) Bungee around light to store cable? Tuck the extra in your belt
when not in use.
9) Others with sharper eyes pointed out the quick disconnects. I'm not
betting my gear on plastic connectors when I walk down to the water.
(My buddy and I both thought complex harnesses were cool. That is
until the Master asked us "Why?" and we had no answer)
10) Brass valve knobs that have no flexibility. You will break the valve
stem before the valve knob gives. They are also hard to grip compared
to the ScubaPro or Sherwood knobs.
11) A spare bulb kept in the cannister will save you a trip back to the
car once you get in the water.
This is another picture of the same rig.
1) Tank boots. Good if you want to catch line and want your tanks to rust.
Sand will get in and cut through paint to expose steel for rusting.
(I had tank boots until the Master set me straight)
2) Bungee to stow something in the future? long hose maybe?
3) Reels and Drings on the tank to catch the line where you can't
see it and work on it
This is how our friend decided to connect his light to his
backplate. Metal to metal....If this poor diver gets keyholed
he going to have a good time trying to get his light off.
If the clip jams how will you remove this light? Can he cut if off?
1) Two wing inflators for twice the fun! Only one is needed if diving dry.
2) Mask with light mounted to strap. Sweet and comfortable...
3) The backup lights don't look to bad. Anyone know what they are?
This concludes our lesson for today. Send me any good pictures you have
and we will disect them for the newbies..
Back to main cave page
Jeff Bentley
jeff.
