The O2 arrangements I've seen use a special regulator that can provide
a controlled feed to two or more face masks.  (Resuscitation masks are
available with a connection for oxygen feed and a shut-off valve on the
bit for the rescuer's mouth).  Used with an elastic strap, this set-up
would make it possible for you to drive the boat even if there is no
one else to attend to the victim (though it would important that you
could keep them in sight to make sure the mask is not dislodged, etc.).
 Also, out here at least (and I think in the US as well), oxygen tanks
are always painted green, clearly marked O2, and have a different valve
arrangement than a standard scuba tank.

Robert Delfs



On Fri, 27 Jul 2001 06:31:48 -0400, Lee Bell wrote:

>Your post is timely.  Few private boat owners have O2 available and even
>fewer have significant quantities.  Thanks to my wife's close call with CO
>poisoning (not dive related), I'm a bit more sensitive to this issue.
>Yesterday, I filled my promise to myself to put O2 on my boat.  For a
>variety of reasons, I chose to use a full size 80 cubic foot tank with a
>dedicated scuba regulator.  Now that I think about it, I may put a second,
>second stage on it just in case there's a reason to provide O2 to more than
>one person.  The tank is very well marked, and both it and the regulator are
>quite noticably different from any others I own or use.  I chose this
>combination because:
>1. The 80 cubic foot tank fits the tank holders on my boat.  I can secure a
>tank this size better than a tank of any other size.
>2. An 80 cubic foot tank makes more gas available to me than any of the kits
>I saw advertised by DAN, by about twice.
>3. A demand second stage regulator will extend the time I can keep a person
>on O2.  Becauise my decision to carry O2 is not strictly diving related and
>because I often fish 30 or more miles from shore, this could be important.
>The downside, my inability to put someone who is unconscious on O2 without
>attending them (making it hard for me to drive the boat), is minimized by
>the fact that my first action in helping an unconscious victim would be to
>call for emergency medical evacuation.  All of my range is close enough to a
>Coast Guard station for effective response to such a call.
>4. In a pinch, like the one Bjorn mentions, I can combine his solution with
>mine.  I an return to the 10 foot stop(PPO2 of 1.3) AND breathe O2.
>
>The downside is that I have to be careful to ensure nobody picks that tank
>to dive below 20 feet (PPO2 1.6).  I think I can manage that.
>
>Lee


Robert Delfs
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