Buddy Checks - Advice on How Long...

[nimoh]

I really don't have to worry about with the select few I would actually buddy with.

However a forgotten weight belt happens to the best of us and is still very funny when you get to point it out to your mate who has finally got his kit on and then realised.

so you are saying that a weight belt is sometimes forgotten, but never anything else (in your select group)?

It seems to me that it might save time by just taking a look to ensure everyone has a weight belt.

 

[TSandM]

I think the point of the original post is not even so much that we should do buddy checks, but that when you are in a hurry, you should be more careful than normal.

I think I told the story here of rushing to get to a dive, and ending up in the water with a half-empty tank that I didn't discover until 10 minutes into the dive. That's the kind of mistake you make when you are hurrying. I also remember Perrone Ford telling me he thought I rushed through my checks, when we were cave diving -- he said that could make my BUDDIES feel rushed, and cause errors.

Take your time. If you can't take your time, sit down and think about why you got that rushed in the first place, and fix that problem.

 

[Ste Wart]

so you are saying that a weight belt is sometimes forgotten, but never anything else (in your select group)?

It seems to me that it might save time by just taking a look to ensure everyone has a weight belt.

I enjoy my diving that was the point of my statement I find it funny when such things occur.

Remember diving is is fun.

 

[TMHeimer]

Depends on the dive and the person I'm diving with. It takes as long as it takes to satisfy the two of us that we're ready to go diving ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Same. With a first time buddy I am very thorough. If we've dived often before, he obviously knows to release my weight pockets as I use suspenders on the belt (I quickly remind him), where I clip the SPG, etc.

 

[Pearlman]

I really don't have to worry about with the select few I would actually buddy with.

However a forgotten weight belt happens to the best of us and is still very funny when you get to point it out to your mate who has finally got his kit on and then realised.

And It got really funny when my tank started knocking on the overhead beams of a skeletal wreck, and I kinda felt like a helium balloon hitting the ceiling indoors, at 25m below. Things went awry a little when I inflated the BCD a bit... The DM begged me not to tell anyone, for his failed buddy check would tarnish his reputation. I agreed...

Sent from my GT-N7000

 

[rhwestfall]

Air on is all I really care about.

If we get in the water and my buddy hasn't got his weight belt, then it's point and laugh time. Which is half the fun of diving.

And is formalizes the decision of whom is buying afterwards......:cool2:

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Merry P-touched the word "weightbelt" on the inside of our backplates. We still forget them once in awhile.

 

[dmoore19]

What I have found is that a lot of people get on the boat at the last minute, wait to get their gear ready for the last minute. Personally, it takes me a couple minutes longer to set up my gear so I show up early and start setting up at the earliest possible time instead of the last minute. Being punctual and giving myself enough time to set up properly and not have to hurry makes for a much more relaxed pre-dive and dive. If others would do the same there would be less problems. So in effect DD advice is true, show up earlier and you won't be in a rush!

 

[freewillie]

Im actually more careful with my normal dive buddies since it is usually my 15 yo daughter and on occasion my 25 yo nephew who has recently certified. I couldn't go home if we had an accident and it was preventable especially with a buddy check.

Diving with kids and beginners it is good to emphasize good habits so we go through at least two checks. For shore dives we make sure we have all our things, masks, fins, gloves, etc before we lock the car. I hate climbing back up the stairs! Once we get to the beach quick buddy check. My daughter likes the Big White Rabbits are Fluffy thing. Doesn't take long but especially when my nephew rents it is good to know how many and where his buckles are on an unfamiliar BC. I also like him to show me his clips to dump the weights. Final check to make sure air is on with few deep breaths on regs and we are good to go.

It is not really a time thing. Do it quickly and efficiently but don't rush through just to get it done either. Mistakes happen when take short cuts or rush through in a hurry. It should take however long it takes.

 

[chrpai]

If anyone wants to see a slow buddy check.... try diving as a third with 2 freshly trained side mount divers.