air hog sharing dms' air

[firstdive2005]

I have witnessed divers that suck down an al80 in 15 mins @60fsw, could be worse I guess. I watched the diver take a long hose octo from the dm and continue diving for a bit. The diver still has approx. 1000psi left in his tank for his safety stop. The dm lets him go up with the surface marker after 5-10min. The rest of the divers usually continue unless they are ready to ascend at that point. This gives the air hog about 5-10min more bottom time. Let me be VERY CLEAR I am not condoning this action I just want opinions to the practice.

My thoughts:

The air hog was the dms' buddy.
Everyone else was buddied up.
**If there was an issue, is the dm responsible for the other divers or is he just a guide. If he is umbilicaled to the air hog does it give him time to switch back?
Is it a violation of written training rules as far as an instructor-dm is concerned.

 

[rstofer]

So?

Each of the other divers had a buddy. The DM had plenty of air for himself and his buddy. What's the problem? Presumably the DM had a very good handle on how much air he had and how much he might need. It doesn't take a lot to surface from 60'. Especially since his buddy had a bunch of air.

Even if one of the buddy teams messed up, the DM could still move away from his buddy who still had 1000 psi. And there are other divers as well. Total air for the herd is probably more than adequate.

We debated air sharing a week ago. There is never consensus on SB but a number of people didn't have a problem with it. I don't. But at some point, it is time to surface.

Was this a training class? Or was it just a dive? Things are a little different when DMs and instructors dive for pleasure. That was also debated without consensus a week or so back. I contend if it is a pleasure dive, the DM or instructor is under no obligation to dive strictly the way he would teach a class. Others thought instructors were on duty 24/7.

Did the DM have an official capacity or was it just another dive? If they are not being paid in some official capacity, they have no particular obligation to anyone other than their buddy. This was also debated without consensus.

Personally, I don't have a problem with it. I usually tend to dive my own dive and let others dive theirs. It's not my business how a buddy team decides to share air. I will say that in the early years, my buddy and I would do air sharing by swapping regs just to relieve the boredom. We'd just be swimming along using each others tank. No big deal...

Richard

 

[redacted]

That is one of the services I provide to my buddy also. She can be very appreciative.

 

[String]

The diver still has approx. 1000psi left in his tank for his safety stop. The dm lets him go up with the surface marker after 5-10min. The rest of the divers usually continue unless they are ready to ascend at that point.

This sounds fine to me. I've got no issue with it.

**If there was an issue, is the dm responsible for the other divers or is he just a guide.

If he's employed as a guide and not part of a sanction course he's just that - a guide. He shouldnt be expected to be responsible for all the other supposedly qualified divers. He's a tour guide, there to point things out.

Is it a violation of written training rules as far as an instructor-dm is concerned.

Nope. If he's not on a course or teaching no standards like that apply.

 

[spectrum]

My beloved is also a power breather and we have been known to share resources.

As long as everyone retains enough personal gas to manage a situation I have no problem with leveling the playing field.

 

[Thalassamania]

Fine with me ... what's the big deal?

 

[jridg]

I've seen this done in the Caribbean as well - the DMs dive several times a day - all year - they have their consumption down to a science - occasionally, they will allow an 'air hog' to share in order to increase the enjoyment of the dive. The one I saw ordered 100cf tanks for the rest of the week to compensate......no issues here.

 

[rstofer]

What's this? Consensus?

Richard

 

[seaducer]

I've seen people do this. Don't see any issues with it either...

 

[Steve50]

Tip the DM