Written Checklist vs. Avoiding Shortcuts & Mistakes from Memory/Rushing

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Last edited:
Thanks

---------- Post added September 3rd, 2014 at 05:26 PM ----------

Sorry, phone hadn't updated to show me that link when I replied, that looks helpful, a bit like the list on my phone I use to check off equipment when I go for a dive.
 
A checklist will probably be used to make sure you didn't forget anything important, before you leave the house. With new divers it might be used at first, but it is better to set up a routine for suiting up and checking gear than working off a checklist that will soon be ignored.

Most OW books I've seen have a checklist, which gives e-learning another reason I'm not a fan.

In my case, there was not as much gear so I got to add a piece at a time and was not confronted with a lot of new equipment at once. I had been snorkeling and freediving the mask, snorkel and fins were second nature, so I just had to check the tank pressure ( on the surface, no SPG ) and make sure the reg worked, wear a depth gauge and watch. Exposure protection, Mae West and BC, weights, and so on came later.

I guess that made me more of a "kick the tires and light the fires" kind of guy, which doesn't necessarily mean you are not paying attention.



Bob
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Originally Posted by AfterDark
I'm in a very elite class of divers. OBDs - Old Bold Divers.

There aren't many of us which is why we're elite. We started diving when it was in some parts of the country a self taught sport. We used double hose regs no BCDs, SPGs, or PDCs. Our wet suits had no lining, we used talc to get into them. We checked our tank with a pressure gauge before we mounted our reg and made sure our J valves were in the up position. We weighted ourselves to our target depths and sometimes had a hell'va time swimming to the bottom. We used Navy dive tables for air because nothing else was available, and we used air because that's all there was to breath no matter what depth the dive. We saw our friends die from mistakes we didn't know could be made until their deaths showed us what not to do. We are in a class by ourselves. No cert or plastic card, only time, diving and luck gets you there.
 
Well, I looked at this post and it was sad and I could not find a single checklist. I need a checklist that has both dive gear, clothing, and stuff to take on a long Pacific trip. I ended up with this web site that was free and helped me customize the list for where I was going and what I was doing... Diving... Check it out. It has some nice tips as well.
Travels' Checklist - Create a packing list for any trip/vacation
 
I'm new, only do rec dives so far. My mental checklist is pretty simple goes from most to least important.

Can I breathe? That's air valve, spg, and both 2nds.
Can I float? Air valve again, bladder, inflator.
Can I sink? Deflate and weights
can I swim? Mask and fins.
After that just make sure my camera tether is attached to me, click in and off we go.

Once I turn on the air it stays on until I'm back on the boa, no worry that I'll forget to turn it back one. I do step 1 when I first assemble and then go through the entire list once we're getting close.

So far the only let down from that list was on a beach dive and it wasn't severe enough to make me amend the list. I don't want to add "take off your beach shorts" to the list. They dried ok anyway :laugh:
 
Hi,
Well OK, I understand. I guess I wasn't specific it was a dive travel vacation checklist. I am an old salt taking a three week dive trip to photograph corals in the remote islands of the Pacific. Taking my 18 yo son and showing him some WWII wrecks, doing some spearfishing. Retired old guy stuff. You know... before I can't do it anymore. :eyebrow:

I need to do exactly what you want to do on your checklist but, I need to do it 3 times a day and once at night every day, for three weeks. My 18 yo has never packed for a dive vacation, and he needs to be able to check through and make sure he has everything too.

So for example... my checklist includes: malaria meds, emergency antibiotics, and medivac insurance. The only thing I don't have to pack is weight, and tanks. If something fails, I am fubar. How about a spare computer, wrenches, extra mask, spare reg? And everything as lightweight as possible, starting with the luggage and BCD. Those are things on my checklist....

If I spend 10K to go a dive vacation I need a dive travel checklist to make sure I don't forget anything. That website was pretty awesome. Maybe some others will find it useful too. This site is where I checked first, so maybe other divers might benefit.

Regards,
Ken
 
BWRAF for me with a quick glance at my computer and fin straps before getting in. At the moment I just have minimal kit and a small knife, compass and bit of bungee cord in my BCD pockets. I am going to start carrying (also in BCD pockets) Spare mask, line cutter, SMB, small torch and whistle.
 

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