Buddy line use

[TeddyDiver]

** Edit -> Rick Murchison <- This thread is a split from the A&I forum **

In limited visibility, bad weather, freezing conditions, currents and considerably deep dives use of buddy rope is essential! Poor visibility alone, and the other factors more or less make it the best way to maintain contact and the safety espesially when diving without supervision e.g other divers or DM. Most PADI instructors don't teach you the use of a rope, but there (read: tropical waters) it's not so essential. When learning to use it it's a real pain in the ....! But when get used to it, it's relaxing to know you got your buddy along.
PS Won't use it when going to Caribbean or Andaman sea

 

[wedivebc]

In limited visibility, bad weather, freezing conditions, currents and considerably deep dives use of buddy rope is essential! Poor visibility alone, and the other factors more or less make it the best way to maintain contact and the safety espesially when diving without supervision e.g other divers or DM. Most PADI instructors don't teach you the use of a rope, but there (read: tropical waters) it's not so essential. When learning to use it it's a real pain in the ....! But when get used to it, it's relaxing to know you got your buddy along.
PS Won't use it when going to Caribbean or Andaman sea

Absolutley the worst idea ever invented. The Canadian Navy still uses buddy lines and it has been the primary cause of several accidents including a dual fatality at Gibsons Landing in the late 90s and a near drowning last year at Race Rocks. There are better ways to maintain buddy contact but IMHO the best way is to be a self sufficient diver who can safely complete a dive on his own if the team should get seperated.

 

[Henryville]

Absolutley the worst idea ever invented. The Canadian Navy still uses buddy lines and it has been the primary cause of several accidents including a dual fatality at Gibsons Landing in the late 90s and a near drowning last year at Race Rocks. There are better ways to maintain buddy contact but IMHO the best way is to be a self sufficient diver who can safely complete a dive on his own if the team should get seperated.

I agree with Dave. It's a crutch to compensate for poor diving and buddy skills. If you think you need something like this, you shouldn't be doing the dive - you're beyond your capabilities.

 

[Daryl Morse]

Absolutley the worst idea ever invented. The Canadian Navy still uses buddy lines and it has been the primary cause of several accidents including a dual fatality at Gibsons Landing in the late 90s and a near drowning last year at Race Rocks. There are better ways to maintain buddy contact but IMHO the best way is to be a self sufficient diver who can safely complete a dive on his own if the team should get seperated.

I agree completely. I heard about those incidents with the Navy. I would not want to be tethered to anyone under any circumstances. Obviously buddies should do their best to maintain contact, but if you get separated, you search for a reasonable time, then complete the dive on your own.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I agree with Dave. It's (a buddy line) a crutch to compensate for poor diving and buddy skills. If you think you need something like this, you shouldn't be doing the dive - you're beyond your capabilities.

Hmmm....
Think I'll hang on to my sissy line in spite of your opinion. Its proper safe use does require some expertise, however, and practice... so I don't recommend it for those who don't know how, or think of it as a crutch rather than the useful tool it is.
Rick

 

[TeddyDiver]

Absolutley the worst idea ever invented. The Canadian Navy still uses buddy lines and it has been the primary cause of several accidents including a dual fatality at Gibsons Landing in the late 90s and a near drowning last year at Race Rocks. There are better ways to maintain buddy contact but IMHO the best way is to be a self sufficient diver who can safely complete a dive on his own if the team should get seperated.

Like to see reports of the accidents you mentioned. What's a better way to maintain buddy contact? Holding hands? Do you have a buddy if self sufficience is the best way (it's good to be self suffient anyway even with a buddy). I do most my diving round northern coast of Norway, so the environment is something like Alaska. In the northern Europe majority of the divers are certified by CMAS, and the use of buddy rope is elementery here. Visibility is part of the year so bad you couldn't dive without. No reported accident bcs of the rope! Anyway rope also used in cave, wreck and ice diving, so it's about your skills and environment! Have you ever used one?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What's a better way to maintain buddy contact? Holding hands? Do you have a buddy if self sufficience is the best way (it's good to be self suffient anyway even with a buddy).

Last question first ... self-sufficiency is something every diver should strive for, regardless of who you buddy up with. You cannot predict and prepare for everything that might happen underwater, but you can train to develop the skills to (a) keep yourself out of most bad situations, and (b) get yourself out of the ones you can't prevent from happening.

First question last ... the best way to maintain buddy contact is to develop the skills to remain with a few feet proximity, and to recognize when you might be starting to drift apart and act accordingly. It's a training issue, and takes practice. Here in the northwest we use dive lights on every dive. A proper dive light is one that is fairly well focused, and can throw a spot beam through turbid water. Learn to keep that spot where it is always in your buddy's peripheral vision ... or at a minimum, shine it on the bottom where your buddy can see it every few seconds. If your buddy can see your light, they know that you are pretty close by. Also, learn to swim side-by-side, where it's easier for the two of you to keep each other in constant visual contact. Over time you develop a "sixth sense" that triggers you to stop and look around if you haven't seen either your buddy or his/her light for a few seconds. It's called "situational awareness", and it takes practice to develop.

I used to use a buddy rope ... and have no qualms about recommending them under certain circumstances ... because I'm used to diving with someone who likes to view her entire dive through the lens of a camera. But we've both developed skills that preclude its use anymore. This past week-end we did a dive with a third diver ... who was shooting video ... in 6-8 foot vis. We kept track of each other just fine, despite a bit of current, because we had all developed the skills to use our lights and our situational awareness to constantly keep track of where our two buddies were at all times. At first, it's effort ... but with practice, it just becomes part of the way you dive.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Avic7]

Can someone please post a pic or a link of divers using a buddy line? It the first time I have heard of it. Sounds like it has some advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Rick Murchison]

The conditions where a sissy (buddy) line is the best choice are pretty narrow, but they do exist. From a visibility standpoint, when it's varying from zero (touch-contact) to 3 or 4 feet a properly deployed & used buddy line is a good choice. In searches a buddy line is often useful - depending on the object of the search.
In all cases where the sissy line is a "buddy line" it should be held and not clipped.
Rick

 

[simbrooks]

We use buddy lines sometimes when viz is zero on Venice Beach and we are fossil hunting. Its only in 16ft of water, so not much trouble there, but its nice to keep a buddy around and of course touch contact kind of limits the amount of digging you can do in the clay for teeth - hence we just hold the buddy line on our wrists, easy to drop if there are troubles, but still there if you need to give a sharp tug or two. I wouldnt use one anywhere else though or at least havent found the need for one yet in other types of diving.