For those of you preferring a more definite price guide, Allan Hesse has some kit to sell;

Uwatec Aladin Air integrated computer inc. manual, 70% battery - £140
Technisub LED pocket backup torch (dry cell) - £10
Strobe light (unused) - £10

All in good condition or unused, contact Allan 020 7632 9886 (day) or 01372 729 040 (eve).

or why not persuade him to donate those last few bits and bobs to the auction? Go on Alan - you know it's a good cause!

To James Long, a Padi advanced open water diver, Jamie Dickson NAUI open water diver, Katie Lindsey, Padi rescue diver, and Dee Ward, just starting out – welcome! Hope to see you on Wednesday.

Don’t forget, lots of trips are being planned, per the Jan Newsletter – some of which are great opportunities to carry out training, have a look at the dairy and book up!

Fresh information and techniques from BSAC - brought to you by Phil. This month: a change to AAS procedures.

Alternative Air Source Practical Process

For any HSAC members who are not aware I have been asked to provide any changes in diving techniques that come from BSAC. This month I would like to cover use of Alternative Air Sources (AAS).

An AAS is most likely to used when one of a diving pair (receiver) has problems with their gas supply and hence need to share with their buddy (donor), it is this process that is being reviewed. BSAC updated this in the last 6 months so you may be familiar with the old technique that needs updating.

Previous training was based on the following sequence for the exercise:

1. Receiver giving an out of air signal
2. Donor offers their octopus air source at eye level.
3. Receiver spits out their mouthpiece
4. Receiver takes donor's spare octopus air source and puts it in their mouth
5. Receiver purges or blow clear the octopus air source and then can breath of it.
6. Both divers make a grip on each other to avoid separation.

New training is as follows for the exercise:

1. Receiver takes donors octopus air source (an out of air signal would be helpful but is of secondary importance).
2. Receiver spits out their mouthpiece
3. Receiver puts donor's spare octopus air source and puts it in their mouth
4. Receiver purges or blow clear the octopus air source and then can breath of it.
5. Both divers make a grip on each other to avoid separation.
6. Gripping the front of the stab jacket clear, of quick releases, is a good place. Holding the jacket is perfectly secure without having to stretch to grip the tank which is more difficult.

Reason for Change - This is purely to meet reality. Experience shows that during an out of air situation receivers do not wait to be offered an AAS they just take. What we want to do is encourage divers to take the AAS and not the one in our mouths.

Kit Set-up - In order to encourage the receiver to take the AAS of the donor we need to make sure they know where it is. The HSAC standard is to have the AAS hose running across our fronts, made clear by a bright hose wrap and fastened by a quick release mechanism.

This means that it is easy to see, easy to access and we know where it is kept on the divers person.

Hope all is clear - let me know if you would like to discuss.

Phil Clifton

Lastly, it seems that that shed envy is spreading through the population - see this link to "Readers' Sheds" for those sharing Janos’ preoccupation, sent in by Rob. How do you think we compare?