Setting Up the Night Before

[EricJ]

I often dive on boats where people set up their equipment the evening before the dive and sleep on the boat.

I typically attach my hoses to my BC and put my weights into the BC pockets. I'll usually then secure the first stage near my tank, but I don't attach it to the first stage to the tank. So, my first stage is covered with the dust cap and the tank's dust cap is on as well the evening before the dive. I then tuck the second stage and octo into a pocket of my BC. I then take my wetsuit down to my bunk and tuck it under the covers with me so that it's nice and warm in the morning. I attach my first stage about an hour before the first dive.

I notice that some actually attach their first stage the evening before the trip. A few even have their air turned on.

Others don't set up anything until we start to reach the first dive site.

I like having my BC attached and weights secured in the BC pockets before the boat takes off in the early AM. That way, I'm not fighting the swells while putting my equipment together.

Any opinions? I think most do what I do; and that seemed to be the procedure on the few live aboards I've gone on, but I'd like to hear from some equipment gurus on the matter.

 

[pdoege]

I would always setup all of my gear and leave it that way until the liveaboard was over.

The night before all of my gear would be rigged. Regulators pressurised but not on. That way all of my gear was already accounted for and in the right place. It was just a matter of slipping it on and hopping in when we got to the site.

No hunting for stuff or missing gear.

Peter