Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

According to the HUB owner’s manual, the chief benefit of squirreling away the second stage hoses and console in zippered pockets is that doing so reduces drag. This, of course, begs the question: If these items need to remain out of sight to reduce drag, how are you supposed to be able to use them?

• The owner’s manual states that the primary second stage hose needs to come up out of the right-hand pocket and into the user’s mouth. This would be easier if the second-stage hose had a swivel at the end of it, like the Sherwood Maximus. Unfortunately, it does not. This means that, unless the user deploys a considerable length of hose (more potential for entanglement), the hose will be tugging unconfortably at his or her mouth.
• The owner’s manual also states that the instrument console and alternate-air-source second stage can be temporarily affixed to attachment points on the outside of the BC. It does not state, however, that this is something users should or must do.

The consequences of HUB users leaving these items zipped up, out of sight (which the manual seems to suggest is necessary to achieve the goal of reducing drag), are not difficult to imagine:

• A computer console that is zipped up, out of sight, is likely to be monitored less often than one that is readily available. This can lead to divers running low on air, or exceeding no-decompression limits more frequently than would occur if this information was easier to monitor.
• If an out-of-air diver comes up to a HUB user whose alternate-air-source second stage is zipped up, out of sight, the only available second stage he’ll know to go for is the one in the HUB user’s mouth. Face it: An out-of-air situation is one in which neither diver wants to have to hunt for an alternate-air-source second stage in a zippered pocket.

The benefits of separation »

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