Getting your buddy's attention

[Hory]

What's a recommended method of getting your buddy's attention?

I see a lot of divers using a 10-12" length steel rod with a 2 foot length lanyard attached to their BCs. They hit their tanks with the rod. They also use this rod to get a hold on the ground when crawling against a strong current. I found it quite practical. Tried getting one from an LDS (who didn't have one) who told me that hitting your aluminum tank with a rod and causing a dent could damage the tank and eventually cause an explosion. Any truth to this?

Anyway, am curious on how you guys try to get your buddy's attention UW.

Hory

[El Orans]

Hory once bubbled...
What's a recommended method of getting your buddy's attention?

Anyway, am curious on how you guys try to get your buddy's attention UW.


Due to great visibility :( I stay within an arm's length.

[FredT]

Hory once bubbled...
Tried getting one from an LDS (who didn't have one) who told me that hitting your aluminum tank with a rod and causing a dent could damage the tank and eventually cause an explosion. Any truth to this?
Hory

NO. The tank would fail visual inspection long before you could damage it enough it could explode.

Tapping the tank with the side of a hard object is pretty standard as a "look this way" or "find me" message. The round edge of the rod is bound to do less damage than my knife blade, which I have been using off and on for 30 years.

Screaming works well too, as does "grunting" through your reg. Grunting carries farther but doesn't imply the life threatening imperative of the scream.

Diving at night or in dark enclosed spaces use rapid movements of your light in front of the buddy to signal to them. Some cavers have an entire dictionary of light signals.

A yank on a buddy or tender line in very low vis works well too.

FT

[Wendy]

FredT once bubbled...


NO. The tank would fail visual inspection long before you could damage it enough it could explode.

Tapping the tank with the side of a hard object is pretty standard as a "look this way" or "find me" message. The round edge of the rod is bound to do less damage than my knife blade, which I have been using off and on for 30 years.

Screaming works well too, as does "grunting" through your reg. Grunting carries farther but doesn't imply the life threatening imperative of the scream.

Diving at night or in dark enclosed spaces use rapid movements of your light in front of the buddy to signal to them. Some cavers have an entire dictionary of light signals.

A yank on a buddy or tender line in very low vis works well too.

FT

Rapid movements means that you are having some sort of emergency. Just uese a slow back and forth movement in from of your buddies view with your light to get attention.

[Hory]

Everyone, thanks. I do prefer that stainless steel rod to a knife. Appreciate all the responses.

Best,
Hory

[jbichsel]

Hory once bubbled...
Tried getting one from an LDS (who didn't have one) who told me that hitting your aluminum tank with a rod and causing a dent could damage the tank and eventually cause an explosion. Any truth to this?Hory

Maybe if you take your gear off, bring a sledge hammer with you, and beat the crap out of the tank!

Tapping the tank with a small rod MAY eventually chip some paint, but you would have to be so aggressive to damage the tank, that you would deplete your air supply before you could actually hurt it.

Get the rod, use the blade or butt of your knife, etc.....

There are also some accessories you can buy or make. A piece of surgical tubing run through some sort of hard ball, wrapped around your tank. Pull the ball away then let it go to 'slap' the tank.

No worries.

[Uncle Pug]

... but it can't direct attention.

Focused HID light beams rule.

Passive communication: you see your buddy's light beam and know where he is, what he is doing, where he is headed, what he is looking at, ect. ... and if you don't see his light beam you know you need to start looking for him.

Active communication: light signals such as *OK?* *I want your attention* *go this way* *OOA* *ect.* are easy, you just signal with your beam where you know your buddy is looking (that is where he has his light beam pointed.)

[SharkOfBonaire]

Our instructor has a small hard plastic ball with an elastic cord through it, that she puts around her tank. When we "wander" off too far, she reaches behind her, pulls the ball and lets it bounce back against the tank. Works great!

Edit: Ehm... I hadn't read jbichsel's post yet... sorry for the repeat ;)

[seanrollins]

You know those surface alert screamers that connect between your low pressure hose and your bcd nipple? There's one called a Ducky that works underwater. I've heard them underwater and they quack. Unfortunately, I haven't seen them in the LDS, but I know they're out there somewhere!

Oh, it's also really loud on the surface still. Great tool to have.

[scubatoys]

Actually called a Sub-Duck... not ducky... The are about $60 and do work great. We make it mandatory for all our instructors and divemasters to carry them, and it's easy to come up with signals... 2 short one long means head to shore... etc.

Make sure you get the one for your inflator... The standard one fits most all BC's - it's just if you have an octo inflator like a Air 2 - then you'd need one of the other styles.

Here's a link for them: http://scubatoys.com/store/Scuba_Acc_signal.asp

[roturner]

Hory once bubbled...
What's a recommended method of getting your buddy's attention?

I see a lot of divers using a 10-12" length steel rod with a 2 foot length lanyard attached to their BCs. They hit their tanks with the rod. They also use this rod to get a hold on the ground when crawling against a strong current. I found it quite practical. Tried getting one from an LDS (who didn't have one) who told me that hitting your aluminum tank with a rod and causing a dent could damage the tank and eventually cause an explosion. Any truth to this?

Anyway, am curious on how you guys try to get your buddy's attention UW.

Hory

I usually tap or squeeze his arm or pull a fin if he's ahead of me. If I can't reach him I try to flash him with my light or yell something through my reg.

Personally I don't like those divealert things. I go underwater partly to get away from noise pollution. I also don't use a tank banger but if the other techniques don't work for you then it's definitetly an option.

R..

[nessum]

scubatoys once bubbled...
Actually called a Sub-Duck... not ducky... The are about $60 and do work great. We make it mandatory for all our instructors and divemasters to carry them, and it's easy to come up with signals... 2 short one long means head to shore... etc.

Make sure you get the one for your inflator... The standard one fits most all BC's - it's just if you have an octo inflator like a Air 2 - then you'd need one of the other styles.

Here's a link for them: http://scubatoys.com/store/Scuba_Acc_signal.asp

Yeah, one of my instructors for my rescue course had one & it was pretty effective. He was the only one in the group with it so we knew who to look to.
He was informing us that the tech divers don't find them all that practical though. Apparently one of the LDS' local tech instructors tried using his on a dive at about 160ft & the pressure made it stick open. This is draining air from his tank (of whatever mix he was using & caused his buddies great concern. one of them was ready with a alternate as the instructor effectively whalloped the quaker. It died, not him.