Tidy equipment

[darcy]

My Naui OW class did not teach to secure dangly things. I learned the hard way after posting a picture on another forum and getting an email back from a fellow diver saying "Young grasshopper you must secure thy computer!" I learned my lesson though and a little humility. :blink:

 

[BabyDuck]

I don't think I've ever seen any instructor actually talk about danglies.

i'm sorry to start cpr on a dead thread, but had to say that before i even got in the pool, i had a big dangly speech from the instructor and we added that into the 'f' of 'bwraf' as a shout of '...and no danglies!' maybe my experience was different because i was his only student at the time, or because he was using his cave stuff and we talked about the long hose and alternate neck retainer, or maybe that's his personal pet peeve, but it was very definitely covered - and in a padi course!!

 

[OE2X]

For those who have tech training, danglies are unacceptable. We just don't think of not clipping off something that is loose. We also tuck our HID light cords into our waist belts when we aren't using the light. That is after we clip off the light head. When it becomes second nature it's easy to:
A. either teach it or
B. expect it from your buddy.

When you get used to this style of diving it seems to make sense. You know at all times where every piece of gear is, and never have to look for it.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I teach my students "no danglies" but whether or not they use that in the real world when I'm not watching I can't say. We run the console hose under our arm between the shoulder strap and body, it's not perfect and sometimes on smaller people the gauges still dangle below them but they are closer to their body and easier to notice when that console starts getting too far away.

I've always found that whenever my octo escapes its holder it goes behind me, under my tank and then between my legs. I demonstrate this to my students then tell them it's a little hard to breathe off of down there (unless you're VERY flexible) and since we hand our primary to an OOA diver it's in their best interest to feel for their gear regularly to make sure nothing has escaped its clip.

No octo holder? A zip tie and large ponytail elastic will work in a pinch; just zip tie the ponytail holder to a d-ring and insert the mouthpiece into the ponytail holder

Ber :lilbunny:

 

[wacdiver]

I know I was taught very emphatically that you do not let anything dangle whiile in the water. (BTW a PADI course) As for the INS not teaching it all I have to say is SHAME!! SHAME !!! SHAME!!! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER!!!
this is so wrong on many levels;
1. I would hope you would want to preserve what is still left of our diminishng coral reefs! What fun is diving if there is nothing to see?
2. Diver safety (ya know the other guy you hit with your dangleing gear or when you get snagged on a rock/coral/kelp/wreck ect) and streamlining are issues new divers need to learn. It is just safer and makes diving easier
3. You are giving up a chance to earn your students respect and trust if you show them alternate ways of doing things and give them more than just what is required it generates a deeper trusting relationship of student-teacher. You are giving up a chance to be a positve role model for future divers and have the chance to help preserve our sport by preserving the UW environment. Students who respect their teachers learn more from them and then talk and rave about them later on, so why not try to preserve you job by having allot of word of mouth referrals. Students remember good teachers, they NEVER forget the bad ones!!
4. YOU are giving up a GOLDEN oppertunity to make a few $$ for your shop. If you require that each diver must have secured gear BEFORE you do OW cert then you can get a few extra sales for your shop. Clips and asst gear holders are NOT a big expense when you consider how much we pay for the rest of our gear $2, $3 or even $5 is not SOO expensive that students will complain about the added expense. The shop I did my OW required ALLOT more than a few clips before you could OW certify (aside from you mask,fin, snorkel gear you had to have a hood, gloves, boots, compass and a dive knife, and no-one complained or dropped out cuz of it)
5. This stuff is SOOOO cheap and in many cases FREEE there is NO reason to use cost as a reason not to cover this material. You can tuck stuff under straps, or belts! Done right you can store in BC pockets, You can use snorkel holders to hold you octo (loop 1 side into the other through a d-ring and the open hole goes around the octo mouthpeice) You can Pony tail holders, An old clip key ring will do as a temp. Regular rubber bands The list of thigs to use goes on and on. Make it an assignmet for your class to come up with new ways to tidy your gear.

 

[darcy]

No octo holder? A zip tie and large ponytail elastic will work in a pinch; just zip tie the ponytail holder to a d-ring and insert the mouthpiece into the ponytail holder.

What a good idea! I always have one of those.

 

[ScubaFreak]

As mentioned already, streamlining is supposed to be an essential part of the OW class. And it most definitly is with mine. But fear not Xanthro- it's not just in OW classes this happens. I've had DM Trainees get into the pool with hoses flailing everywhere. Needless to say...I don't like when I see that...and they get more than a slap on the wrists...
It's definitly a prob with the instructor or assistants. It's something I believe a lot of instructors dont observe enough.

SF

 

[dlndavid]

I quickly learned to stay away from the main group.

Yah, me too!

 

[dive_lover88]

when i did my OW class, the rental equipments had all the accesories for securing the danglies.I was chided by my instructor when i first got my equipments and didn't secure my SPG.