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Question about air sharing (slrpnk.net)

submitted 1 week ago by The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net to c/scuba@mander.xyz

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Would you share the main stage, or the secondary stage?

I just got my open water certification from SSI, and I think I remember my manual saying you should share the main stage, and use the secondary yourself - also called the octo, I think? But when I dived with my instructor, she taught me to share the secondary.

My instructor is certified under both SSI and PADI (maybe others), and when I looked it up I did see some people mention that sharing the secondary/octo is the PADI way, and sharing the main is the SSI way. Is that true?

Which way were you taught? Which would you do? If you're an instructor, which way do you teach? And more importantly, why?

To me, how my instructor taught me makes the most sense, because what you hear in most rescue situations is that you have to make sure you are safe first so you can be in a position to help; so it follows that you should keep breathing out of your main and share the secondary (instead of interrupting your breathing to switch).

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[–] pp99@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

octo is longer to allow a second diver to breath and allow some freedom of movement near you. both should be able to continue diving with your arms locked. sharing your main would be a lot more uncomfortable. Also the octo is bright yellow to allow a second diver to easily see it and take it maybe without you knowing... no time to explain without air! I don't think padi or ssi teach it differently. In case your octo is broken or unavailable then yes you share your main but it is more like an emergency situation as you should take turns to breath