What if...? Equipment Issues

[jnunn04]

* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
find, replace and clear. use octo if there is any delay.

* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
I had a mask strap break while diving in the local quarry. It fell slowly and I was able to grab it. I held it back to my face, cleared it, and held it there with one hand as we swam back to the entry/exit point. Used back up mask for second dive.

* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
Actually had a fin come loose once - but I was able to retighten. If lost, thumb dive - one leg may cramp quickly.

* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
Dead horse has been beaten....

* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
Also had something similiar - not night dive but St. Johns river - very "murky." Each had one light and buddy's went out. Boat was right above us so stayed VERY close to buddy, shared light - knowing we could thumb dive at any time and on a shallow dive. I know it wasn't the RIGHT thing to do, but that was our decision.

 

[Diver0001]

Equipment issues
* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?

At one time or another I've had all of those things happen and the answer to all of those questions is the same: I followed my training, solved the immediate problem and either continued or terminated the dive as appropriate.

Frankly, if your skills are up to snuff then most equipment problems are in inconvenience as opposed to a "problem"

R..

 

[KD8NPB]

* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
1. Bite necklace octo, recover primary, reset.
2. Avoid by staying out of kicking range of buddy.
* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
1. Alert buddy, see if he can recover it. If he can't, thumb the dive and put a bounty for it on scubaboard.
2. Carry a spare mask, inspect mask strap annually.
* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
1. I've had this happen before. Remove the fin and hold it, alert buddy, thumb the dive.
2. Inspect fin strap annually, ensure all screws ARE TIGHT.
* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
1. Add air to drysuit and/or deploy SMB, alert buddy, thumb the dive.
2. Inspect zipties, BC annually.
* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
1. Deploy backup, alert buddy, thumb the dive.
2. Carry a backup or two...little lights are cheap and easy to stow.

 

[kelemvor]

This thread looks like fun! Here goes:

* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
This happened to me on my 11th dive. I was at Ginnie springs near the grate at the bottom of the ballroom and my buddy and I were working up to hang onto it for a few minutes. I fell back a little since there wasn't much room to go side by side and took a fin in the regulator. We trained for losing a reg repeatedly in my class, and I thought I would freak if it happened. It's probably no big deal for you experienced guys but I immediately did the regulator recovery exercise from class and it worked perfectly. Kept my cool the whole time and impressed myself. I'm a much more confident diver now that I actually had a little trouble and realized I could follow my training without panic! It seems odd to write, but because of that incident I would call it my favorite dive.

* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
Open my eyes. We practiced this numerous times in class and on the checkout dives. Signal my buddy I needed help; and if we could find the mask I'd stick it back on my face. The first couple nights in my classes my strap was not tight enough and kept floating off my head so I know it will stay on in a pinch with no strap. I think it would be the end of the dive, though. If I couldn't find it, I'd still end the dive probably do an ascent similar to the sharing air ascent since it would be tough to manage my ascent rate with limited vision.

* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
If I could get the fin, I'd try and clip it onto something or hold it and end the dive. I expect it would be slightly more difficult ascending with one fin, but should be doable. I admit I haven't tried this scenario. I think it's unlikely that I'd need to but I could signal my buddy to do an assisted ascent similar to the sharing air ascent. Even if I somehow lost both fins, I could probably ascend slowly as long as I was on top of my buoyancy control.

* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
Signal my buddy that I had a problem, show him what was up and try to ascend slowly. If the valve pulled out I'm assuming the scenario is no air in bladder. I've been focusing lately on reducing my weighting and any dives I've done to date I'm confident I could swim up with no inflation. My buddy should be able to help keep me afloat if necessary using the procedures we learned in class. If that failed I could drop my weights if necessary and use my snorkel (once on the surface). Depending on how long I needed to stay at the surface I might empty my tank to make it less negative or drop it if I was still having a problem. Fortunately for me, I'm almost 10lbs positive with just swimming trunks on so floating is a breeze.

* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
I don't know why anyone would do a night dive with only one light, but.. since I should be able to see my buddie's light I'd move over to him and let him know I had a problem and end the dive. If I couldn't find my buddy I'd turn on my computer's back light and ascend/end the dive. I haven't done a real night dive yet (it's on my todo list!) and need to do some studying here. However we did do both a blackout dive through an obstacle course in class as well as a lights out obstacle course dive with a flashlight. They were fun even in the pool! I'll be doing the naui advanced classes in a few months and night/low vis is one of the specialties I want to do. I won't be planning a night dive until that time and I figure after the class I'll know what to do in this situation.

 

[Buliwyf]

Equipment issues
* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
switch to my octo, then worry about finding and checking the primary for damage
* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
use my hand if i find the mask, ask bud for a spare mask, thumb dive if not
* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
NBD, don't need fins to surface, thumb the dive
* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
start swimming up, inflate dry suit, dump a little weight if I have to
* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
does not compute. Who uses just one light?

 

[DevonDiver]

* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
Put it back in.
My fall-back plan would be to put in my bungee necklace mounted secondary.

* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
Non-issue. I use a velcro/neoprene mask strap. Why doesn't everybody?

* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
Non-issue. I use bungee/spring straps. Why doesn't everybody?
In the VERY unlikely event that they'd fail, I can re-secure them with a zip-tie (I always carry a few).

* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
This happened on a technical wreck dive - where I tore out an OPV doing a tight restriction. I ascended using trim position that traps the 'bubble' in the BCD.

* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
Non-issue. I carry a back-up.

 

[sbk12rs]

I'll be starting my classes in a few weeks , this thread is just another example of why sites exist and their importance .

 

[Reku]

Equipment issues
* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
Put my other reg in my mouth. sidemount
* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
Stow that mask - use my backup. I think I am one of the few who have a backup mask...
* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
I use spring straps - it is unlikely they would break - that said ... I keep some extra webbing in my pocket I'll tie the fin to my foot if I have to...
* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
I dive with no air in my bc at depth - I dive a drysuit year round - use that the rest of the dive - no reason to call a dive over something so minor... or you know roll to the opposite side that the hole is on so the air stays in ... there are a few options.
* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
Non Issue - I carry back up lights.

 

[seeker242]

Equipment issues
* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?

1: Put it back in!
2: Stay away from people's feet!

* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?

1. Make physical contact with buddy and signal up to end the dive. OR, put on backup mask if carrying one.
2. Maintain your gear properly!

* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?

1. Signal buddy up to end dive.
2: Wear spring straps!

* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?

1. Signal buddy up to end dive and swim up, which would not be a problem with a "balanced rig"
2. Maintain your gear properly!

* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?

1. Make physical contact with buddy and signal up to end the dive.
2. Always carry a backup light, or two![/QUOTE]

 

[KJ4GXU]

Equipment issues
* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
grab the reg if I see it, if I don't sweep my right hand down beside my leg and bring it up to see if I can retreive it, if no luck on the first or second try grab my alternate air source and use that until I can figure out where my primary went to.
* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
Alert my buddy and assess whether I can easily fix the mask where I'm at (separated connector etc) or not. If not might continue the dive. Your vision might be blurred but as far as I know there's no immediate danger to not having a mask on. You can still equalize and generally see decently.
* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
alert my buddy, see if it will reattach (Strap connector came off vs broken) end dive if the fin can't be fixed where it is.
* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
Had this happen during advanced open water. Surfaced after a dive and went to inflate the BC and nothing happend. LPI had separated from the inflator tube. Alerted instructor. He had me put my reg in while he checked it out brief examination showed it couldn't be fixed in the water. Divemaster and I returned to shore together to repair it. Seriously considered dropping weights but went for it and made it without too much effort. About a 200 yard swim on the surface fully weighted with no BC. A zip tie later, a brief surface interval and back in the water.
* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
Curse myself for not having a backup, alert my buddy, use his backup if he has one available, end the dive.