Getting your buddy's attention

[Diver0001]

Hory once bubbled...
What's a recommended method of getting your buddy's attention?

I see a lot of divers using a 10-12" length steel rod with a 2 foot length lanyard attached to their BCs. They hit their tanks with the rod. They also use this rod to get a hold on the ground when crawling against a strong current. I found it quite practical. Tried getting one from an LDS (who didn't have one) who told me that hitting your aluminum tank with a rod and causing a dent could damage the tank and eventually cause an explosion. Any truth to this?

Anyway, am curious on how you guys try to get your buddy's attention UW.

Hory

I usually tap or squeeze his arm or pull a fin if he's ahead of me. If I can't reach him I try to flash him with my light or yell something through my reg.

Personally I don't like those divealert things. I go underwater partly to get away from noise pollution. I also don't use a tank banger but if the other techniques don't work for you then it's definitetly an option.

R..

 

[nessum]

scubatoys once bubbled...
Actually called a Sub-Duck... not ducky... The are about $60 and do work great. We make it mandatory for all our instructors and divemasters to carry them, and it's easy to come up with signals... 2 short one long means head to shore... etc.

Make sure you get the one for your inflator... The standard one fits most all BC's - it's just if you have an octo inflator like a Air 2 - then you'd need one of the other styles.

Here's a link for them: http://scubatoys.com/store/Scuba_Acc_signal.asp

Yeah, one of my instructors for my rescue course had one & it was pretty effective. He was the only one in the group with it so we knew who to look to.
He was informing us that the tech divers don't find them all that practical though. Apparently one of the LDS' local tech instructors tried using his on a dive at about 160ft & the pressure made it stick open. This is draining air from his tank (of whatever mix he was using & caused his buddies great concern. one of them was ready with a alternate as the instructor effectively whalloped the quaker. It died, not him.