Hand Signals Top 10

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CT-Rich

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There have been a couple of good threads going on here about skills practice and what divers try to practice on every dive. I thought a similar thread would be helpful for hand signals. I'll admit, despite being a conscientious buddy, I kind suck at hand signals. Most of the real basic ones I know, but I thought it might be interesting what SBer's would recommend if a Newbie wanted the essentials, without learning American Sign Language. What are the 10 most useful ones (other than OK and FU)?
 
The ones I use most other than "ok" and "FU"/"This is F-ed" would be in no particular order...
Safety stop
Close to the wall
VIDEO!!
SHARK!!
MANTA!!
Half tank
Look (followed by direction)

Key word here is the ones I use MOST, not neccesarilly whats most useful though...
 
Keep at this level
Gradually swim up (or down)
Slow down
Stop - wait
Relax
Compass heading (tap compass, signal 2 - 5 for 250 degrees, etc.)
We're buddies - stay close
Depth indication -- tap depth gauge, give number of feet)
Air pressure
OOA
Half a tank
Share air
Practice a drill
Octopus
They're mating
Babies
Turtle
Number of mins left for safety stop


Geeee...I have more than I thought!

- Bill
 
I find "Question" to be very useful but fairly unknown. It gets the other diver into the proper mindset quite quickly.

I use it on the kid so that he doesn't just attempt to perform the next signal I give him. Balled fist, index finger extended then bent 90 deg. The hand signal is supposed to look like a question mark.
 
The only hand signal I have seen on this thread is "thumb the dive"
I would like to know
Close to the wall
Slow Down
Safety Stop
Half a tank
Practice a drill
and of course
They're mating

So, let's see some pictures.
 
#1 come here, or related to it, GET BACK UP HERE NOW, YOU ARE TOO DEEP!" The first gesture is a summoning gesture. The second may be an emphatic gesture followed by a pursuit, grabbing of the bcd of the offending diver, pointing to a depth gauge and then ascending together. The other suggestions above are good too.
DivemasterDennis
 
In addition to the basic signals like descend, OK, thumbs, and numbers:

Slow down (hand flat, slowly moving downward)
Hold (clenched fist)
Move up (flat hand makes a sideways "U" shape from bottom to top)
Move down (same in a down direction)
Level off
Question
C'mere (beckoning motion)
That way (flat hand vertical indicating direction)
Turn (index finger vertical and circling)
Boat (cupped hands, often preceded by "Question")
 
I did forget the most important one of them all...
\/_
 
V for victory?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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