Stages & SPG

During a Dive on Saturday I had decided to take a couple of Stages in with me.
These where Ali80 & Ali7 both with 50% and hung to the left the dive was reasonably short only 10mins at 40mtrs with a bimble around the 25 -20 mtr area then surface to Coffee with Sausage and Bacon wraps.

I was having difficulty locating my SPG so signalled to my team member that I could not find it. Cylinders where located Ali80 inside Ali7 outside. Kev located the SPG clipped to the D Ring as it should have been uncliped and then handed to me an then clipped back on after a gas checked. So I was hoping the the few members we have that dive 2 stages Left could help me out with some of the tips on location & reaching my SPG

Before descending or even entering the water, locate spg, untangle it and place it over the stage clips. The weight of the stages should keep their clips to the lower part of the D ring leaving the upper part free for you to clip off to.
Or stick ya stages on the right.

Practise on land reaching for and recognizing the feel with gloves on to become familiar with it.

Dont listen to him hes a breaver diver and what do they know on a serious note, I clip the SPG on after the stages so its on top. Iv also realised when using 2 stages the added weight means more air in the wing, which causes the standard DIR length/ 60cm HP hose to be pulled very tight around the inflated wing, which makes it quite hard to clip and unclip so when carrying extra stages I use an 80cm HP hose this eliminates any problems.
Please keep them all left

2 stages, 'air' in wing, DIR...does not compute.

Air being loosely used for that stuff you breath and is pumped into your wing but to keep it nicely DIR were refer to it as trimix or nitrox. Let me know if thats not acceptable and i'll list the gasses in there percentages

Just another option for you to consider. I route my SPG along the wing's corrugated hose so that the SPG hangs by the wing inflator. It's always accessible that way.

I find it easier to just use the generic term, gas.

You can also reach back, push the tail end of the tanks away from you from the inside and that will pull the d-ring straight out. You should then be able to drop your hand straight down on top of the SPG.

Just needs practice AG

Thanks Neil,
Is it better to have the 80 inside or outside.

I'd have said 80 inside, 7 outside - but that's based on very little experience of diving with two stages and I'd struggle to remember which way up they go these days

Dont know what gasses your using in them stages whether your using one as a bottom stage and one as a deco stage or both as deco stages with dfferent gasses. Although the notox system should always be used so it shouldnt matter which way the cylinders are slung its always ideal to do lean left rich right even though your slinging both cylinders on the left as you would use the lean gas first and need to restow your reg, its a PITA trying to restow a reg when youve got another cylinder on top of the one your trying to get to. Plus if the rich gas is under another cylinder and not in easy reach its harder to get the wrong reg.
As Neil say put the 7 on top it will sit nicely over the 80

Thanks Si,
Neil You need to come Diving Soon mate

Sounds interesting mate - wossit all about then?

having a good time with your mates

Excellent answer!