A buddy with no Octo?

[jim T.]

I feel that not having redundancy for yourself as well as for your buddy is the height of foolishness. Granted if I knew my buddy exceedingly well and had practiced buddy breathing with him/her on a very recent basis, I MIGHT consider a one time shallow shore dive with them.
Panic can overcome anyone even very experienced divers under some circumstances. I always dive with a slung pony bailout bottle (as well as an SS1) so I'd probably feel ok diving with someone without an octo/safety 2nd but I wouldn't feel very confident about them if they didn't care enough about themselves to provide their own backups let alone one potentially for me!

I first dove in the '70's when I had no octo/safety 2nd, power inflated b.c. (horseshoe collar) and even air pressure gauges were fairly new, but now that all of those things are readily available and in use, I believe it to be the heighth of false economy (financially) to forego them. (And I'm a very thrifty guy!)

My view is that 45 bucks is a heck of a lot cheaper than a funeral!

 

[DennisS]

Recreational limits covers a lot. Are we talking 10-20 ft beach dives or 130 ft wreck dives. Yes to the former, no to the latter.

 

[RJP]

Would you dive with a *trusted* buddy who did not have an Octo, Pony, or Independent doubles?

Actually, upon further reflection - and several of your other posts - I think your question is based on a faulty premise.

I would NOT trust a diver - good friend, dive buddy, whatever - who went diving without a BCD and without an alternate breathing source.

Seriously, you're asking if we would dive with a person who is lacking basic scuba equipment required to dive.

No way.

 

[CIBDiving]

....Seriously, you're asking if we would dive with a person who is lacking basic scuba equipment required to dive. ....

What "Required to dive"? Is there some law I'm not aware of that says what eqipment you must have? Believe it or not there are a LOT of divers who can buddy breath and don't mind doing so if nessesary. I didn't use a BC for 15 years - many didn't.

 

[ScottB]

This thread and the OOA Escape plan poll thread, were more out of curiosity.. because as I was researching vintage diving for the results of BCD-less diving, I noticed that almost noone used an octo..

What I am currently intending to do is to try out the rig without octo/BC while wearing a tshirt and trunks in a pool.. to see if I can can control buoyancy..

If I can, I'll add an octo before I dive open water.. If I can't, I'll add a wing with a safety second integrated inflator..

If I find that I can control my buoyancy without a BCD, for open water I will bring alternate flotation aids (SMB that I can fold and turn into a horsecollar, lift bag), that can be stowed in a smaller package then typical bcd.

I really wasn't trying to be a troll or incite a war.. but I was somewhat expecting that to happen.. I'm really glad everyone has been civil, as this was intended to answer my own curiosity, and *also* to make a few people think 'What if' (I got to the dive site and my buddy had no octo, 'What if' my buddy's octo FAILS and my only option is to buddy breath or start a CESA)

I try not to ever overlook conventional wisdom for safety, however I do like to pay attention to what is happeneing, think out of the box and ask why alot =)

 

[RJP]

What "Required to dive"? Is there some law I'm not aware of that says what eqipment you must have? Believe it or not there are a LOT of divers who can buddy breath and don't mind doing so if nessesary. I didn't use a BC for 15 years - many didn't.

I bet you had to walk up hill, both ways to/from school, in a blinding snow, with no shoes, as well.



But seriously, what people "used to do" based on standards at the time is really immaterial. Cars "used to" come without seat belts. People "used to" bicycle without helmets. Homes "used to" be built without smoke detectors.

Since then, we've come to a better understanding of simple prudent steps that can be taken to avoid foreseable and preventable problems.

Sure there's no "law" that requires a BCD or alternate source, but neither is there a law that requires a mask, fins, proper exposure protection, etc. Semantics regarding "requirements" notwithstanding, the only person more foolish than a diver entering the water without what a reasonably prudent person would consider "standard" equipment for the dive at hand, is the diver who knowingly enters the water as his buddy.

 

[dl348]

Back to the original question, ... Nope

 

[jonnythan]

Someone without a donateable regulator doesn't care that much about my safety.

No, I won't dive with them. Not because I think the lack of an octo/backup regulator is a death sentence, but because my philosophy on diving is incompatible with a buddy that has this attitude.

 

[Paco]

Not likely to happen. I've seen many, many divers and have yet to see one without an alternative air source.

 

[CBulla]

This thread and the OOA Escape plan poll thread, were more out of curiosity.. because as I was researching vintage diving for the results of BCD-less diving, I noticed that almost noone used an octo..

What I am currently intending to do is to try out the rig without octo/BC while wearing a tshirt and trunks in a pool.. to see if I can can control buoyancy..

Bouyancy can be controlled like this. Its how I learned to dive hence why I don't have a problem diving with a buddy with one reg. My first rig had a tank that had simple webbing, a first stage and a regulator. I wore 16# of lead on a belt (because I was told thats what I needed) and I managed to work in 30' of water quite easily.

The hardest part of learning to dive for a C-card and what I have done all my life is that now I have all sorts of extra gear.