Lanyards to tether children to buddies

[Diver0001]

Has anyone seen or used long lanyards that can tether a child to an adult buddy while snorkeling or diving? How safe is this practice, in the right conditions of course!
And where can you buy them, or do you have to make them yourself?
Thanks

The thing you're referring to is called a buddy line. I see them used often in Holland (even by experienced divers) They have certain pros and cons:

Pros:
- Impossible to lose your buddy.
- Can give some new divers a sense of security = less stress
- gives some possibilities for communication via rope signals

Cons:
- guaranteed to involve 2 people in every incident
- tangle hazard
- more difficult to use competently than it would appear at first glance
- leads to lazy buddy contact

Speaking only for myself I don't use them. If I need contact with my buddy I will hold on to him (and visa versa). I believe that what you build up in terms of lazy buddy skills is a bad habit that will cause more harm than good in the long run. It's much better in my opinion to learn excellent buddy contact, which eliminates the need for the buddy line.

In addition, I believe it's often employed as a solution to the wrong problem. If the need to not lose your buddy is based on the fear that the buddy would be incapable of being alone for a minute or so and/or that the buddy would show poor judgement by not ascending or following the contingeny plan for separation then the big issue is your buddy's skill set. The problem is therefore, not the potential of getting separated but of the buddy's skill set.... The solution, therefore, is not a buddy line but working on the skill set.

R..

 

[TeddyDiver]

Has anyone seen or used long lanyards that can tether a child to an adult buddy while snorkeling or diving? How safe is this practice, in the right conditions of course!
And where can you buy them, or do you have to make them yourself?
Thanks

Like the Dutch said about buddy line it's used more or less frequently in esp. in the northern Europe. Read the thread here in the SB under Accessories/Buddy line use. There's more specific info about proper use and the pros and cons. If you choose to use it, take the first times in easy environment to get used to it.
I wouldn't pay much attention to opinions by people who have never used one... It's like the P... preaching about birth control...

 

[Juls64]

I hate it when I see kids or wives tied to the ultimate dive leader.

I would hate someones wife tied to me too, but my husband might enjoy it.

Juls

 

[jva]

You should also know it's not attached to your BC or something like that.. It's a line with a loop on each end.. But I don't use it either.

 

[DaFireMedic]

In search and rescue, we use a piece of webbing that we each hold on to, and can be let go by either person at any time, but we also know exactly where the other is at all times in low viz/zero viz environments. I would agree that actually being attached to the other person underwater would not be wise, but could not something like this be used?

That being said, if I found myself overly concerned about it, I would probably wait until my child was a little older before allowing him/her to dive. I'm evaluating my son right now, who is approaching the minimum age, but I dont feel he's yet mature enough, and will wait probably 2 more years to see.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I would hate someones wife tied to me too, but my husband might enjoy it.

Juls

Juls, I realize someone needs to make a sacrafice, I'll volunteer to be tied to you. :11:
Good comeback..

 

[Deep Lake]

A brightly colored bungee cord with the ends removed so that it is nothing more than a strechy piece of rope about 3 feet long works well. There should be an understanding that the purpose of the cord is to remain in contact and yet maintain proper spacing between divers. It is much like teaching a dog to heel correctly, never to far and never too close, always aware of direction and speed. After 5 to 10 dives you should find you don't need it any more eccept for special circumstances or to reinforce the skill.


Good luck
Dan