Never leave a diver behind

[Guba]

Good thread. I have to agree with Fallcreek196.
Rick, the most foolproof system I've ever seen employed (but I'm just a novice, of course) is aboard the M/V Fling (Gulf of Mexico). Everyone on board is checked in and assigned a number. Divers enter the water from a single gate and a DM stands there with clipboard in hand. He asks your name and number and checks you into the water. Upon return, that same DM is on the ONLY exit point with the same clipboard in hand. Again, one must provide name and number along with some pertinent diving info (depth/time). About 20 minutes later, another DM comes by with a clipboard (name and number) and asks how you are feeling. The boat doesn't move off site until BOTH clipboards are full and agree. I feel remarkably safe and well taken care of on that vessel.

 

[The Kraken]

Had an open water student this weekend who is active in Scouting.

She and I were discussing this very matter.

The Scouts use something called a "Buddy Board".

Each swimmer is given a tag with his name on it. The ONLY PERSON who can touch the tag is the owner of the tag.

Each swimmer has a buddy. When they enter the water, each buddy pair takes his personal tag and places it in the "IN" are beside his buddy's. There are 2 hooks side-by-side to denote which of the swimmers are buddied up.

These tags remain on the "IN" hooks until such time each buddy pair returns to the dock and moves his respective tag to the "OUT" board.

NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE is allowed to touch another person's buddy tag.

Every so often an aquatics staff member will ring a "BUDDY BELL" and the swimmers have 10 seconds to get with their buddies and hold up joined hands. A count is taken and compared against the Buddy Board. If things don't match up, then one more count is taken. If it doesn't match up the second time, an immediate search ensues.

Now, given that all of the aspects of the Boy Scout Buddy Board method won't work on a dive boat, I do think the Buddy Tag system would work.

When the diver signs in and completes the waivers, etc., he or she should be issued a buddy tag.

Once aboard the boat, buddy pairs are selected and the tags hung beside each other in the "OUT" block.

As each buddy pair prepares to dive, they move their buddy tags to the "IN" block.

When they come back up, the tags are moved to the "OUT" block.

Gives the captain and crew an IMMEDIATE visual warning if anyone is still in the water.

The board could be mounted most anywhere on the deck and wouldn't take up much space at all.

Just a thought.

the K

 

[dannobee]

I've been on boats where the diver manifest was at the stern with the captain signing all divers in and out, along with asking them to say their name on their way up the ladder. The captain noted in and out tank pressure, then went back to the helm after everyone (not just divers) were accounted for. The boat didn't leave each site until every diver on the manifest was accounted for, then a physical head count was completed to account for everyone on board (cook, deck hands, DM's, people in their bunk).

This was on a So Cal boat AFTER said incident. I've been on the same boat since then, and the protocol is still followed.

 

[talonraid]

No it isn't. At least not all the time, every time. A system that depends on folks staying still is not foolproof enough.
Rick

Come on Rick. Just call your ship to attention. Everyone will go rigidly straight and immmobile because all recreational divers are as well disciplined as the finest military member. Then you may casually stroll through their ranks counting heads, inspecting BCDs, and the high polished lustre of their fins.

I mean come on! Trying to get adults to freaking pay attention on a dive boat is like hearding cats. I would much rather have 10 year olds who at least (in most cases, if they are raised right) feel they should pretend to pay attention and be still when told.

 

[diver 85]

Ist "system in place" that needs to be present is a boat captain that can count to 20---or so........

 

[captain]

Seaching for the impossible, just read my tag line below.

 

[MentalMarine]

Divers Alert Network has this system, I know someone had mentioned something similar to this earlier in the thread. This makes the most sense to me, as far as reducing the double head counts and what not.

DAN Divers Alert Network : No Fear: DAN Addresses Diver Strandings and Offers Help

 

[ClayJar]

Custom-keyed shackles. You can checkout, but you can never (just) leave. :biggrin:

Of course, it's not a viable solution, but it would prevent divers just wandering off after being checked back in. Of course, if the shackles are not used properly, that's the fault of the operator and not the system breaking down.

(Feel free to add redundancy to achieve the appropriate level of reliability, if necessary.)

 

[Katamuki]

6 people lost their buddy according to the DAN board!

 

[dpbishop]

Redundancy is the best insurance. I've only dove cattle boats a few times, when I did my buddy & I partnered up with another buddy group just to verify we were on board before the boat left. It's a lot easier to keep track of two people then 20.