Pre-dive buddy check; How many of you actually do it?

[parrothead600]

In our training, we are all taught to do an inspection of our buddy's gear to make sure that there won't be any problems durring the dive.
Since I got certified, I have dove w/ several different buddies of different experience levels. It seems that only the newly certified divers will initiate a buddy check. I am ussually the one to initiate the check at the last minute. I realize that I am responsible for my own safety and I have no problem with setting up my gear. I am just curious as to how many of you actually perform a pre-dive check prior to decending.

 

[The Kraken]

The Yellow Angel Fish and I do.

We also do a quick "bubble check" after we hit the water to make sure there are no bubbles coming from any connections or joints.

the K

 

[Buoyant1]

With the guys I normally dive with, we only do it if we have new equipment to check out (i.e. I'm in a dry suit now, so they check me for anything that may be set up wrong) We also usualy do a quick bubble check once we're down.

With someone I haven't done any dives with (insta-buddies) I usually let them know that if they have an OOA I'll donate my primary, and show them where my weights release from *unless they have a similar rig) I double check myself on those sorts of trips. (and most of the DM's on the boats give you the once over befor you stop off)

 

[diver 85]

Sooner or later, @ least in my thinking right now, you'll feel like every dive is a solo dive & be prepared to proceed from there........Example, did 7 boat dives in CZM last week(1 included Barracuda Reef--google to see profile of this advanced dive) & never did a buddy check on any----apparently my (experienced L.A.) instabuddy on day 2 & 3 felt the same, ......Did 3 other shore dives solo......

 

[Brandon]

My regular buddy and I do a check to make sure we have all of our gear (we assemble and don drysuits, then drive to the site), and pay attention to each other while gearing up. We make a quick visual check before we get in the water to make sure that everything looks right and that our air is on.

We cover the BWARF, just have done it frequently enough (over 100 dives together) that its morphed into its own process.

-B

 

[Kingpatzer]

It is something I try to do every dive. Frankly, if a buddy can't take a few seconds to make sure everything looks safe before getting in the water, how safe will he be once he's wet?

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I do pre-dive checks with my buddy.

 

[pollywogg]

I do a buddy check every dive. But that is mainly because my dive buddy is my girlfriend. She is very important to me, and I want to make sure that everything is where it should be, on her equipment and mine. Also, we have different setups, so this allows my beloved to remind herself where all of my stuff is. As you get more comfortable with buddies, this can probably be safely reduced to a bubble check. However, in my nooby opinion, if I were diving with someone new, I would want to do a gear check just to know where everything is, and their weight situation.

 

[Pre BC]

Parrothead600:

Be prepared for "yes" "no" and "sometimes" all with good rationale!

I am relatively conservative and like Kraken and Brandon always do a buddy check whether I am diving with an instabuddy or one of my regular diving crew. I also so a bubble check. I do this partially out of courtesy, partially out of self defense and partially because -- even though I have been diving 38 years -- I am not perfect.

Whether they do a buddy check or not, every person who has or will answer your question coming from the perspective that "you need to take full responsibility for your safety/gear" is absolutely right.... You should take care of your gear, assemble it and put it on as if you are diving by yourself every single time... And, if you do, it will be a rare occassion that your buddy finds anything wrong.

However, everyone who answers that they do a buddy check to ensure both the safety of their buddy and that their buddy does not put them in undue danger is correct too. While diving is incredibly safe, it is not uncommon to read or hear about a diver seriously injured/killed either because they were trying to rescue another diver or because a diver with a gear failure (or out of air) panicked and overwhelmed their buddy. A preventable gear failure corrected in the buddy check is potentially two lives saved. More than once I have refused to be paired with an instabuddy because the buddy check revealed their gear was held together with duct tape and bubble gum... It is just not worth the risk. On a much less onerous note, if my buddy has to shorten their dive because of a problem that could have been caught/fixed on the boat, my dive gets shortened too... I am selfish... I want every minute in the water possible!

The two other benefits of the buddy check that come to mind are:

1. Making sure you and your buddy know where each other's BC fasteners and weight releases are (essential for rescue).

2. It provides a quiet transition from the comradery and irreverance of the boat ride to getting down to business for the dive. The buddy check for me is the time where we settle down, break the larger group into pairs and acknowledge it is time to get serious.


You will encounter a wide range of abilities, philosophies and personalities in your diving... The important thing is to surround yourself with divers of like mind. While I am more conservative than Bouyant1 for example, it is obvious he has surrounded himself with a group of highly competent divers who view the world of scuba diving very similarly... Few things in life, let alone diving, could be better!

P

 

[b1gcountry]

Sooner or later, @ least in my thinking right now, you'll feel like every dive is a solo dive & be prepared to proceed from there.

I do an equipment check on every dive. Especially when I'm diving solo. Jumping in the water with your air turned off, or your Drysuit inflation disconnected is not something you want to do especially when you're by yourself. A quick head-to-toe check doesn't take very long, and it's saved me from minor hassles several times.

About five months ago, I was diving in a quarry with some guys I know and one of the staff from the quarry. He set his gear up by his car, and met us in the water. I asked if everyone was ready, and he said yes and dropped under just as I was about to go over an equipment check. I said whatever, and just dropped down with my buddy so we could all keep together. At 10', I hit my inflator on my DS and nothing. I arrested my ascent with my wing, but by that time had dropped down to almost 25'. I reached back and turned my argon bottle on, and the dive went one fine. This was the only dive I can remember in the past 12 months where I didn't do an equipment check. It just shows that no matter how much experience you have, you will eventually forget something. Equipment checks catch these. Why not do one?

Tom