No mount setup

[khacken]

So what is the normal no mount setup? Is it just basically a stage setup? I was thinking about just adding an octo to a stage tank, just in case. Also, I was thinking about putting a necklace on the primary, just until I get used to the rig.

Please note that this will be in OW on a platform at 20 feet. I know better than to attempt this in a cave at my training/experience level.

[mwhities]

So what is the normal no mount setup? Is it just basically a stage setup? I was thinking about just adding an octo to a stage tank, just in case. Also, I was thinking about putting a necklace on the primary, just until I get used to the rig.

Please note that this will be in OW on a platform at 20 feet. I know better than to attempt this in a cave at my training/experience level.

I donned my BP with no wing and a 3mm shortie in a pool and clipped of an AL30 and played for a half hour or so. It was quite FUN as it feels totally free.

Also, google "monkey diving".

Michael

[RN]

If you're going to dive a single tank in the overhead you need to have an h valve so you can have redundant 1st stages. An octo does almost nothing for redundancy. And it's not really no mount just because it's one tank. No mount means not having tanks mounted while getting through restrictions. You can be side mount with 2 cylinders and have to no mount to get through a restriction.

[khacken]

I do not plan on having it mounted to me. Instead I am just going to hold onto it. Like I stated above, I am going to be using it in OW. Sounds like an octo is not needed then.

[fixxervi6]

For no mounting aluminums I've just ditched one cylinder, took the other one off swimming just pushing it ahead of me by holding it out front.

If I were going to do this in a cave, I would not do it without an H valve

[Jay]

Better yet is to twin two small aluminum or steel tanks, like 40's.

Make sure you have a leash shorter then your reg hoses!!!!!!!!!

[billyf]

I use two LP46’s
Camban them together, use a PVC pipe where the manifold was (used as a handle)
A venture wing strapped to the tanks and covered with innertube.
As for regs I just use my sidemount regs and stuff the long hose along the tanks.
I made a harness and have a 1.5mm vest that I removed the hood from which goes over the harness

http://www.cavediver.net/forum/gallery/files/3/8/7/1/nomount46s.jpg

[aainslie]

Your opening statement worried me. In many ways no mount is more dangerous in OW than in a tight restricted space. The key issue is, how far will the tank go if you lose control? If it drops away from you you are in a deep pile of doggie do. It's hard for that to happen in a lot of no-mount caves unless they're vertical.

[Kelly Jessop]

Make sure you have a leash shorter then your reg hoses!!!!!!!!!

Important to have a tether

[Brian Kakuk]

Kelly is right, ensure that you have some sort of teather, like a 24" lanyard or a thick bungee that can be clipped to your cylinder(around the neck or valve) and to your harness. The lanyard/bungee should be shorter than the length of the breathing hose you are using.

Cylinders are not only our air supply, but also our ballast, so separation from the cylinder gets bad quickly in either open water or cave.

Safe diving,
Brian

[Kelly Jessop]

Kelly is right, ensure that you have some sort of teather, like a 24" lanyard or a thick bungee that can be clipped to your cylinder(around the neck or valve) and to your harness. The lanyard/bungee should be shorter than the length of the breathing hose you are using.

Cylinders are not only our air supply, but also our ballast, so separation from the cylinder gets bad quickly in either open water or cave.

Safe diving,
Brian

Attachment is something I see debated. I prefer the highest d-ring near my shoulder,and around the neck of the tank. Some people contend that both ends should be releaseable,and others just the attachment point on the gear. Brian,do you have any experience with 1" webbing? Someone mentioned that once,but never thought more about it.

The other thing which seems so obvious that it shouldn't have to be discussed,but dive your rig in open water repeatedly until muscle memory develops,not to be tested in the cave.

[Brian Kakuk]

The teathers that I currently use are 24 inches of 1/4 inch bungee with large bolt snaps on each end. One goes to either a choker around the tank neck/valve, or it can be clipped into a round ring permanently mounted around the tank valve (valve is installed through this ring when it's screwed into the tank). An H or Y valve is mandatory.

The other clip is attached to my upper shoulder D ring. Side does not matter, but I'm right handed, so it ususally ends up on the right. This keeps the attachment point high with a snag on the lanyard less likely.

Again, this teather needs to be shorter than the breathing hose used so that the reg can't be pulled from your mouth if you drop the cylinder in open water or in a vertical restriction like Andrew mentioned. Sometimes we no mount in vertical restrictions out here where the bottom of the cave is around 400 feet deep, so it would be a very bad place to be separated from your only gas supply....you go up after losing your balast...and your tank goes down....quickly into the depths.

As for open water training, when I teach this course, we do land drills, at least one practice session in open water and then repeat all the skills in the cave...Side Mount course is a prerequisite for No Mount. I usually teach this course at the end of a side mount course for side mount divers students who did well and are interested in small cave.

My biggest concern with teaching this kind of course is that the student MUST realize that this is an extreme form of diving. It has the same risk as long/deep cave diving does.....fininte gas supply with the the probability of an exit that will take much longer than the entry did due to low visibility and snags. Gas reserves must be extremely conservative....Again, talking about over head environments.

Safe diving,

Brian