Hey Hoover ~ Did you ruin someone's dive?

[jbd]

What happened to divers knowing how much gas they use and how much bottom time to expect so they could do a pre-dive brief with their buddy? Bad form.

Do you really expect that this can be taught in the typical 3 to 4 session blitzkrieg class So much easier to say," be back on the boat with 500 psi in the tank". Which is kind of like saying, make sure you land the plane with a quarter tank of fuel

 

[Northeastwrecks]

When I first started diving, I bought HP120's so that I wouldn't have as many hoover issues. I also worked aggressively on not being a hoover and it has paid off.

I don't usually have the buddy problem because I don't show up without an assigned buddy.

However, if a hoover got on my nerves enough, I suppose that I could teach them to skip breath..... (that's a joke)

 

[mempilot]

You detest divers that don't want to be paired up with hoovers diving too small of a tank for the intended dive. Wow.

Yep. I was a hoover once. Ran low on gas once. Bought a 100cf and stopped renting 80's on dives that required more gas. I think I even PO'd a buddy one time by heading back to the line earlier than expected. I realized my shortcomings. I learned real fast how to calc SAC and plan a dive based on it. What's wrong with expecting others to seek the same knowledge?

I'm not an instructor, so I'm not going go into teaching mode if the boat tries to pair me up with a 240lb'r wearing an 80 on a 105' dive. I just decline the pairing and go solo.

I detest divers who make a big stink about this.

We all started out the same - flopping around, "boneless" in the water, erratic air consumption.

There will always be someone "better" or "worse" on air - so why get your knickers in a not at someone for something that is uncontrollable?

If you're experienced enough to care, then you're experienced enough to ask your buddy a few questions about their diving history to get an idea of what their consumption is.

And unless you paid for a private tour...thems the breaks for not squeaking up to the guide about your "amazing" air consumption, and diving without your own "consumption-approved" buddy.

 

[jbd]

We all started out the same - flopping around, "boneless" in the water, erratic air consumption.

Sad but all to true--however it need not be this way. Simply teach better diving skills and teach gas planning and management.

 

[mempilot]

You're so right my friend.

Do you really expect that this can be taught in the typical 3 to 4 session blitzkrieg class So much easier to say," be back on the boat with 500 psi in the tank". Which is kind of like saying, make sure you land the plane with a quarter tank of fuel

 

[mempilot]

However, if a hoover got on my nerves enough, I suppose that I could teach them to skip breath..... (that's a joke)

Why, is skip breathing bad?

 

[FatCat]

Sad but all to true--however it need not be this way. Simply teach better diving skills and teach gas planning and management.

But still air consumption will only improve with time and experience. You can teach gas planning all you want, it won't change the fact that new divers will consume more air than experienced divers mostly because of nerves (whether they realise it or not).

You can teach all the diving skills you want, and STILL there will be an enormous difference between beginners and experienced divers.

Sheesh, me, I detest divers who brag about how little air they consume...

And mempilot, be glad there are people who automatically switch into teaching mode. If everyone adopted the "look after yourself" attitude, this board would be dead. As would most of its members.

 

[OE2X]

I'm pretty much of a hoover in compared to the Pugster. He will have a 104 at 2600 psi and I'll have a 130 at 3500. We'll finish the dive with him at 1800 and me at 16 -1800. It's a good thing he gets cold quickly otherwise he wouldn't want to come up before me.

I think if you are a hoover you need to tell your buddy before hand. It makes the dive plan a lot easier.

If I paid $50-$75 for the dive, I would be disappointed, but wouldn't take it out on the buddy. For the second dive I might ask for a buddy who was more experienced. I might also try to help the person out. Check their weighting, anxiety, body position etc... Once they started getting low, I might offer my long hose to breath off of as well. It really depends on the person. If they are cool, then sure I'll help them out. If they are a total AH - then no. I'll look for another buddy.

 

[opiniongirl]

Sad but all to true--however it need not be this way. Simply teach better diving skills and teach gas planning and management.

Absolutely - including that the more experienced buddy should probably be finding out buddy's air pressure well before 15 minutes into the dive - especially when diving with a new buddy. "Hoovers" tend to be fresh out of OW, and you can't expect them to dive like experts....you can talk and teach until you're blue in the face - but it's no replacement for practicing by actually diving...

 

[H2Andy]

Sheesh, me, I detest divers who brag about how little air they consume...

man, i used to use less air than a worm under ten feet of ice... and then
i quit smoking.

no kidding. once i quit smoking, my air consumption shot through the roof.
it's not nearly as bad now, 1 year and 9 months later, but it's nowhere
as good as when i was a smoker.

can't brag no more :cwmddd: