handstrap for BP/W

[eelnoraa]

I know it is a dump question. The reason I am asking is because I found handlers on boat grep my bp+w by the inflator hose elbow. I told them not to, but it happened again. The elbow seems to be a natural place to grep it. I wonder if anyoen install a strap on the top of the plate, so people can it as handle.

[Jim Lapenta]

Why is anyone but you touching your gear? Tell em to keep their hands off of your stuff. There is no reason to ever let anyone touch your equipment. I would not dive with an op that insists on their people touching my gear.

[Colliam7]

I know it is a dump question. The reason I am asking is because I found handlers on boat grep my bp+w by the inflator hose elbow. I told them not to, but it happened again. The elbow seems to be a natural place to grep it. I wonder if anyoen install a strap on the top of the plate, so people can it as handle.

Why is anyone but you touching your gear?

I have the same question. Why are they grabbing your wing? Is this when they are stabilizing you while you are on the boat moving to the water entry point to start a dive, or when you are reboarding, on the ladder at the end of the dive or walking back to sit down? Understanding the circumstances might allow for a better response to the original question.

[awap]

I used some heavy line to build such "handle" which primarily function to control the location of the wing as I mount it on the tank. My wife's transpac has a similar handle built in made with 3/4 inch webbing.

There are time when, primarily for safety reasons, you may need to hand your gear to boat crewmen when getting on or off a boat. I hand my BP/W to them holding a shoulder strap and that is what I expect them to grab. Grabbing the corrugated hose is not acceptable. I tend to handle my own gear but there is no reason to get carried away with it.

[BabyDuck]

yep, i'm with jim & colliam. tell them to keep their cotton-pickin' hands off.

[TSandM]

The fact of life is that, on a lot of resort boats, the crew swaps out tanks between the dives. Insisting that you do it makes their lives more difficult, as they have a swift and efficient routine that you're disrupting. I let them do it. I HAVE noted them trying to lift the rig by the wing (but not by the inflator hose) and I simply ask them to use the harness. I don't interfere or insist on doing it myself, but I do observe the process.

[OldNSalty]

I don't own one (yet) but it looks like with a drill press and a trip to the hardware store you could fabricate and place a handle pretty much anywhere you wanted. Ironically, I had this same question pop into my mind on the ride into work this morning (45 minutes to an hour, lots of time to think)

[Docc]

My Halcyon has a handle but it's only used by me. I politely ask the DMs and boat crew to let me handle my own gear and have always been allowed to do so.

[mwhities]

I doff my BP/W setup in the water, but prior to diving, I make sure the deckhand knows to grab the harness straps and nothing else. So, I'm always handing it to them with both harnesses in my hand so they grab it there and lift it up.

Most are really good about listening. I figured they would if they want a good tip.

Michael

[spacemanspiff1974]

Last time I dove a cattle boat at a resort the deck hands pretty much helped everyone else out of their gear, but I was the only person on the boat with a bungee regulator and a 7' hose and bp/w. They ASKED if I needed assistance but pretty much left me alone except for one time when they checked to make sure my air was turned on.