SCUBA Problems, Solutions and Prevention

[Jcsgt]

What are the most common problems in SCUBA, what are the solutions when those problems arise and how do we prevent them from happening in the first place?

Here's a list of problems off the top of my head. I'm sure there are many, many more that I am forgetting:

OOA
disorientation in dark/silt-out
entanglement
tank slipping out of band
regulator free-flow
mask gets kicked off
BC inflater out of control
down draft on wall
current issues (too strong, changing)
getting blown off ascent line
unconscious diver at depth/on surface
buddy missing at depth/on surface
ascending too quickly
coming up wrong ascent line
getting left by the boat

 

[Doc]

#1) Running out of money or vacation time to travel.

 

[Gary D.]

:balloon

 

[Jcsgt]

#1) Running out of money or vacation time to travel.

Oops, forgot that one on my list. Solution I guess would be to win the lottery. That would also be the prevention.

 

[sasscuba]

Running out of vacation time always bites me in the butt.

 

[tekdiver170]

Some of your problems listed on your list are not too common, but others are spot on. As a working DM on a boat I can tell you the way to avoid most of those is to, "LISTEN TO THE BREIFING ON THE BOAT." I'm not pointing any fingers just trying to communicate with anyone that reads this post. Most of the things I see are people not holding onto the line going up or down, not paying ANY attention to their buddy, not checking their gauges or depth. Surfacing where they are told not to for safety reasons, going the wrong way on a guided dive...

Most of the time it is diver error, being too confident that they are the worlds greatest diver. Revert back to your training, make sure you have the experience to be on that kind of dive, check your gauges, and listen to the DM.

 

[ItsBruce]

I'll add being too warm or cold as the result of erroneous exposure protection.

 

[Wildcard]

Mask clearing and bouyance control have to top the list.

 

[TheRedHead]

unplanned deco obligation

diving beyond training

exceeding the MOD of a Nitrox mix

 

[tedtim]

and forgets to give you a call to cancel.