Is a Swimthrough an overhead?

[Snowbear]

One of the reasons I started this thread is I am occasionally the DM on the charter boat mentioned and have briefed and "led" this dive several times. It's rare that a diver turns down the dive and even more rare that a diver opts to do the dive, but stays out of the overhead.

It's pretty obvious by my description of the site that this formation is a bit less benign than a coral arch in a tropical area

 

[whitedragon13]

we have some HUGE swimthroughs here in Hawaii, although, when I was tagging along my wife's OW training dive, the instructor took us through a narrow (maybe 1 1/2 shoulder widths) cave which had a 90 degree turn. Only the instructor and I even had lights. I was NOT happy with him for taking my wife in there.

 

[doole]

It's pretty obvious by my description of the site that this formation is a bit less benign than a coral arch in a tropical area

Well that's how I read it.

Do you look for a customer with a particular skill level on this dive?

 

[Kim]

It sounds a bit strange to me. Wouldn't you be open to all kinds of claims if something ever did go wrong, and the diver was found not to have an overhead cert?

 

[Dive-aholic]

It's not just up there that happens. In my trip to Belize a couple of weeks ago, we went through a 40' long swim thru - yes 40 feet! No questions regarding experience, certs, etc. The DM did mention that any diver that didn't want to do it could just swim over the reef and meet the other divers on the other side. One of the divers that did the swim thru was on his 11th dive!

 

[Snowbear]

Do you look for a customer with a particular skill level on this dive?

Yes. The boat owner usually won't take someone there who has never dove with him or someone he knows. Sometimes that means we dive another site first, then if he feels the divers are up to it, he'll do that one. He gets a lot of repeat customers, so when he gets a boatful (6 paying customers), he'll do that one.

I have seen him take folks there based on what they say about prior experience as well. In fact.... early in my dive career (about 3 months) I had the honor of diving with a BSAC instructor trainer as a buddy. Here is a report on that dive day - the first dive was at Boulder City. In the picture, that's me standing on the platform

 

[Snowbear]

It sounds a bit strange to me. Wouldn't you be open to all kinds of claims if something ever did go wrong, and the diver was found not to have an overhead cert?

That's kinda what I'm thinking.... and why I posted this

Since it's short (~ 20') and open at both ends, we've been calling it a swim through. But..... though it has not happened, it's actually possible for someone to screw up badly and not end up being able to "blow and go" directly to the surface. If you are a reasonably competant diver with a reasonably together buddy, it's highly unlikely you would be unable to exit even if you have a problem. But Uncle Murphy is known to show up at the most unopportune times... hence this discussion.

I agree it's outside the scope and intent of an overhead for training dives.... but is it really an overhead environment for a competant diver who is not prone to panic??

 

[Diver0001]

One of the reasons I started this thread is I am occasionally the DM on the charter boat mentioned and have briefed and "led" this dive several times. It's rare that a diver turns down the dive and even more rare that a diver opts to do the dive, but stays out of the overhead.

It's pretty obvious by my description of the site that this formation is a bit less benign than a coral arch in a tropical area

ON the one hand it's a judgement call but on the other if something happend I think you would be a little exposed liability-wise.

And I don't suppose a lawyer would really care much who the boat owner knows or dives with if you were the DM doing the dive. If you're supervising/guiding in the wtaer it's your call.

R..

 

[Snowbear]

If you're supervising/guiding in the wtaer it's your call.

Yeah. I know. That's why I'm trying to figure out if I should be supervising/guiding dives like this.

I will gladly take trusted buddies on this dive. But I've been thinking lately I should probably not be taking the boat guy's customers on this dive in a DM capacity.

 

[Diver0001]

Yeah. I know. That's why I'm trying to figure out if I should be supervising/guiding dives like this.

I will gladly take trusted buddies on this dive. But I've been thinking lately I should probably not be taking the boat guy's customers on this dive in a DM capacity.

That would be my approach too. I like swim throughs too and I can understand customers wanting it but I just say no. I'm not ready to deal with the legal consequences if it goes pear shaped.

R..