to clip or not to clip?

...everyone dropping at the same time is the more conservative approach.

Not really. One way to look at this is to see which approach leaves you with more backgas at the dive's maximum penetration.

Say Kim and I make a stage dive. We drop stages at 1/2 +200, and turn the dive at 1/3 of backgas. It's a given that Kim will turn the dive. In the first scenario, we both drop stages, then she turns the dive on thirds. I have a little more than 2/3 left.

But in the second scenario, I don't drop my stage until long after she has. So that means that for every cubic foot of extra gas I breathe out of my stage, that's how many more cubic feet I have in my doubles, so I'm not even close to thirds.

In an emergency, having lots of gas on your back is the name of the game.

But whichever way makes you the most comfortable!

[aw]

In an emergency, having lots of gas on your back is the name of the game.

Yeah, I suppose so. I guess there's some pros and cons to both approaches. On a typical dive assuming nothing goes wrong, I'd love to drop that bottle asap if im going to get turned earlier than my thirds anyway.

[skip]

...everyone dropping at the same time is the more conservative approach.

Not really. One way to look at this is to see which approach leaves you with more backgas at the dive's maximum penetration.

.....

In an emergency, having lots of gas on your back is the name of the game.

more backgas is not necessarily the name of the game - like when it's your first stage that blows, or a backgas tank valve. having a stage with a bit more gas is then the name of the game. I dive the stage to 1/3, everyone drops stages when first team member hits thirds; plenty of gas for back gas failures (if you can make it to stages you are home free). And if someone else grabbed your stage and you get back and it's gone, well there's enough gas in the stage tanks for all team members to exit safely.

I am much more comfortable with more than enough gas in my stage for two to exit on it, than with keeping a few hundred extra psi in my backgas.

but I'd still dive with you whether it's half or thirds for stage and whether or not you drop it when I do.

-skip

[curtschu]

Not always. There are two schools of thought: one says that everybody drops stages when one person hits a given pressure. The other says that each person drops his/her stage when he/she hits the number. Almost every team I dive with belongs in the second group.

There is a third and forth option to consider too.

3 everyone drops at a predetermined place regardless of pressure, you may have switched to back gas 100 ft ago but this is a better place to drop. IE just before the Hill 400 jump is better than after.

4 Keep your bottle with you. You will notice with a properly fitted stage and proper swim technique you are very comfortable. If you solo often you swim with AL right?

[Kelly Jessop]

I frequently dive river cave that has old twisted nylon line that doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy when you look at the condition. In those cases I never clip a stage to the line in fear that the line may break. I run a reel from the line to a drop point,and place my stage on the line from my reel.

[jeandiver]

I frequently dive river cave that has old twisted nylon line that doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy when you look at the condition. In those cases I never clip a stage to the line in fear that the line may break. I run a reel from the line to a drop point,and place my stage on the line from my reel.

COOL !
Thanks for the idea...Never thought of that one.
See , us newbies always learning...
I'll keep that one in my "pocket" , if you don't mind.

Jeano Beano

[jeandiver]

I frequently dive river cave that has old twisted nylon line that doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy when you look at the condition. In those cases I never clip a stage to the line in fear that the line may break. I run a reel from the line to a drop point,and place my stage on the line from my reel.

COOL !
Thanks for the idea...Never thought of that one.
See , this newbie is always learning.
I'll keep that one in my "pocket" , if you don't mind.

Jeano Beano

SIGH!!!!
Sowwy for the double post.
Gads , I swear sometimes.

Da Blushing Bean

[FW]

I frequently dive river cave that has old twisted nylon line that doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy when you look at the condition. In those cases I never clip a stage to the line in fear that the line may break. I run a reel from the line to a drop point,and place my stage on the line from my reel.

That is also useful where the line isn't near the floor at the drop point. Trying to hang stages from the line is never a good idea.

[Webmaster]

You can also take a lift bag, inflate it to pin it on the ceiling and clip them to that with a line to the main. Handy if the mud or silt is really bad where you'd like to drop and you have enough room.

Of course you'd want to make sure the lift bag could hold all the bottles you wanted to hang from it. And it might be better not to use one with an open bottom to prevent accidental dumpage.

Marbry

[Webmaster]

more backgas is not necessarily the name of the game - like when it's your first stage that blows, or a backgas tank valve. having a stage with a bit more gas is then the name of the game. I dive the stage to 1/3, everyone drops stages when first team member hits thirds; plenty of gas for back gas failures (if you can make it to stages you are home free). And if someone else grabbed your stage and you get back and it's gone, well there's enough gas in the stage tanks for all team members to exit safely.

I am much more comfortable with more than enough gas in my stage for two to exit on it, than with keeping a few hundred extra psi in my backgas.

but I'd still dive with you whether it's half or thirds for stage and whether or not you drop it when I do.

-skip

It will leave you with more gas in some of the stages, but it also means it will be farther back to get to the first stage bottle than if each person had dropped when they needed to individually.

Marbry