Weird buddy experience

[Hickdive]

How can an open circuit diver be a buddy for a rebreather diver (and vice versa)?

A rebreather diver isn't going to share their loop with a buddy needing gas, they're going to have some form of OC bail-out therefore it doesn't actually matter if the person carrying that bail-out is OC or CC.

All other buddy assistance scenarios are independent of what kind of scuba is being used.

 

[T.C.]

How can an open circuit diver be a buddy for a rebreather diver (and vice versa)?

The rebreather diver carries a bailout bottle for himself or his buddy.

 

[John_B]

By having the gas the buddy would need in case of emergency and know the basic of the other diver's equipment. Similar to any buddy pair.

A rebreather diver isn't going to share their loop with a buddy needing gas, they're going to have some form of OC bail-out therefore it doesn't actually matter if the person carrying that bail-out is OC or CC.

All other buddy assistance scenarios are independent of what kind of scuba is being used.

The rebreather diver carries a bailout bottle for himself or his buddy.

And how, exactly, is that appropriate for an instabuddy situation, such as the OP's experience? The bailout mix may or may not be appropriate for an OOO open circuit diver, but the air or nitrox in the OC diver's tank is very likely not in the rebreather diver's deco plan, which is probably incompatible with a no-stop recreational dive plan. (Remembering that we're in "Basic Scuba" here.)

In my mind, this is no different than a tech diver with 21/35 in doubles and a 100% O2 deco bottle, buddying with an OC diver with 32% in a single AL80. While I might at least understand which gas was what and what the depth ramifications are (assuming standard tank markings), would the garden variety recreational diver? What is minimum gas for the buddy pair in that scenario? Then add the complexity of at RB on top of that? I know that I personally wouldn't have the first clue how to provide aid to a RB diver, and I certainly wouldn't be privy to any possible deco obligations, nor know what effect a gas switch at a particular depth might be.

Now I'm not saying I wouldn't try to come to someone's aid in an emergency. I most certainly would, to the best of my ability. I'm saying I would never consider buddying with a diver on a rebreather, that it wouldn't have even occurred to me as an option.

 

[fjpatrum]

And how, exactly, is that appropriate for an instabuddy situation, such as the OP's experience? The bailout mix may or may not be appropriate for an OOO open circuit diver, but the air or nitrox in the OC diver's tank is very likely not in the rebreather diver's deco plan, which is probably incompatible with a no-stop recreational dive plan. (Remembering that we're in "Basic Scuba" here.)

In my mind, this is no different than a tech diver with 21/35 in doubles and a 100% O2 deco bottle, buddying with an OC diver with 32% in a single AL80. While I might at least understand which gas was what and what the depth ramifications are (assuming standard tank markings), would the garden variety recreational diver? What is minimum gas for the buddy pair in that scenario? Then add the complexity of at RB on top of that? I know that I personally wouldn't have the first clue how to provide aid to a RB diver, and I certainly wouldn't be privy to any possible deco obligations, nor know what effect a gas switch at a particular depth might be.

Now I'm not saying I wouldn't try to come to someone's aid in an emergency. I most certainly would, to the best of my ability. I'm saying I would never consider buddying with a diver on a rebreather, that it wouldn't have even occurred to me as an option.

I've only been on a boat with one rebreather diver but he did a standard rec dive like everyone else on the boat. It seems to me any instance where a rebreather diver is going to accept an OC rec diver as an instabuddy the rebreather diver must consider both divers' gas mixes prior to accepting the buddy. That should negate any concerns about gas incompatibilities. Any buddy discussion with these possibilities should discuss them thoroughly.

 

[Redshift]

If they are diving together, then the bailout mix will be appropriate for the OC diver. And because this is Basic Scuba and the discussed scenario was Rec diving, the divers will be within their NDL.

 

[DaleC]

So it would be interesting for the OP to post regarding whether that conversation actually occurred. I would buddy with a RB diver but would assume both of us to be autonomous units (gas wise). I'd have my AAS and they'd have their bailout.

Now I'm a little curious if the weird buddy was new to RB's and subconsciously worried about nodding off, thus getting ticked off that the OP wasn't sticking to him like glue???

 

[T.C.]

And how, exactly, is that appropriate for an instabuddy situation, such as the OP's experience? The bailout mix may or may not be appropriate for an OOO open circuit diver, but the air or nitrox in the OC diver's tank is very likely not in the rebreather diver's deco plan, which is probably incompatible with a no-stop recreational dive plan. (Remembering that we're in "Basic Scuba" here.)

I doubt that a technical diver will be insta-buddying with a OC rec diver to do a technical dive. Any planned deco is technical diving. If a tech diver is looking to tech dive with me as a buddy, I'm saying no.

The gas mix should be discussed with the buddy team. If it is a problem, a new insta-buddy is obtained.

I know that I personally wouldn't have the first clue how to provide aid to a RB diver, and I certainly wouldn't be privy to any possible deco obligations, nor know what effect a gas switch at a particular depth might be.

Same as any other diver. Get them to the surface. Forget deco stops, gas switches, etc. Get them to aid and the land of unlimited breathing media.

DCS is survivable. Drowning to death is not.

I'm saying I would never consider buddying with a diver on a rebreather, that it wouldn't have even occurred to me as an option.

I have. We throughly discussed our plan, and safely dove it. He carried a slung pony, as did I.

 

[Hickdive]

If they are diving together, then the bailout mix will be appropriate for the OC diver. And because this is Basic Scuba and the discussed scenario was Rec diving, the divers will be within their NDL.

Precisely.

 

[Histrix]

Now I'm not saying I wouldn't try to come to someone's aid in an emergency. I most certainly would, to the best of my ability. I'm saying I would never consider buddying with a diver on a rebreather, that it wouldn't have even occurred to me as an option.

Right. This is why we ultimately ended up as a group of four. Nobody was really comfortable pairing off with the guy on the rebreather. We had no idea this was going to be an issue before we showed up at the site.