Collapse of the "Buddy System"

[agilis]

I remember the red ribbon, or wrist band, that NetDoc mentioned. It would grey out around 20 feet. The accompanying orange wrist band would turn grey at about 50 feet. This would happen in clear water to both Imperial and Metric ribbons.

 

[beaverdivers]

Scubaboard Truth Test: Voice your opinion on statements heard on the " Dive Boat ". Let's put it to the SB test: True or False!

Statement: "Dive Lights have become too bright. "

Please comment.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Bob,

I started out with a j-valve, no bc, no wet suit, no second, no spg and my depth gauge was a red ribbon. The gear was around, but I never thought to buy it. I wasn't opposed to them, but I was never taught their importance. I was also a terrible buddy. Thirty years later, I actually got certified and adopted all of those items. I was never taught by my OW instructor how to be a good buddy. That took ScubaBoard and a bunch of cyber mentoring. There's a concept we can borrow from the DIR crowd: Don't dive with strokes. While I rarely call anyone a stroke, I can avoid diving with people who appear to be dangerous or even just a bad buddy.

Most of the people I have seen who dive with a pony, are horrible buddies. They blame everyone but themselves. Rather than learn the skill, they hit the bottle instead. That's throwing gear at a training issue. Once they've mastered the skill of being a buddy, they might be ready to learn how to solo dive.

Moreover, I've been handed off many who were labeled as a poor buddy only to find them more than acceptable. Why is that?

To have a good buddy, you first must :bee: one!​

Most of the people who I see dive are horrible buddies...

 

[Mike]

I just wish there was a standard PRINTED "buddy checklist" that everyone would get in OW classes, just like dive tables and dive planner/log sheets. That alone would establish a standard expectation, and make it very simple to assess the efficacy of your buddy relationship *before* you both get in the water so there is time to personally adjust to the situation (mentally, physically, and added-equipmentally. Hehehe)

Would that be so hard?

Nope it wouldn't but currently PADI's buddy check list really is just an equipment check list the B-barf thing.

As I've said before, I don't recall ever being taught how to be a good buddy in PADI OW, AOW or Rescue, everything I learned I learned here on Scubaboard. The equipment check thing, the B-barf, it's not about communication with a new buddy about the dive plan, proximity, air checks, comprehension of each others hand signals, the turn around, the dive abort, the lost buddy procedure, etc...

PADI has done a big upgrade/update to their training addressing many other issues that were lacking in OW, perhaps in 10 more years with the next redo they will include the buddy system beyond talking about equipment checks?

 

[TMHeimer]

Nope it wouldn't but currently PADI's buddy check list really is just an equipment check list the B-barf thing.

As I've said before, I don't recall ever being taught how to be a good buddy in PADI OW, AOW or Rescue, everything I learned I learned here on Scubaboard. The equipment check thing, the B-barf, it's not about communication with a new buddy about the dive plan, proximity, air checks, comprehension of each others hand signals, the turn around, the dive abort, the lost buddy procedure, etc...

PADI has done a big upgrade/update to their training addressing many other issues that were lacking in OW, perhaps in 10 more years with the next redo they will include the buddy system beyond talking about equipment checks?

Good points. When I get the chance I tell students that any "buddy" skills they learn (OOA, etc.) mean nothing if they're not together. I tell them standard formations and that the leader(s) must check the followers very often. One shouldn't need a list. It's not rocket science. Today I had 4 students (2 buddy teams) doing the "mini dive". One of the trailing teams lost a fin. After going 50 feet ahead, the leading team finally realized they were alone. I praised them for at least turning around (we were surface swimming), then gave them the talk.

 

[The Chairman]

I have three rules of diving that all my students learn. The last is to never be more than fifteen seconds from their buddy. We cover how to track your buddy (listen for bubbles first, look between your fins, etc), how to determine if your buddy is having a problem (again, it's about the bubbles), how to reassure your buddy with touch and how to communicate by putting your reg on their head and speaking clearly. In the last year or so, I've never felt compelled to give the "Find your buddy" command as they were always right by their buddies. I teach them the command before we get into the pool so they know it's part of being a diver.

As with most skills, if the instructor does an exemplary job of setting the example, the students will imitate them effectively. If however, the instructor sets a poor example, then you can be sure that the students will imitate that as well. If you lie all over the bottom of the pool, your students will do the same: even in open water. Monkey see/monkey do.

 

[EFX]

As an extension of this, if it's standard in an OW class to teach some mnemonic device to help students remember a pre-dive checklist, like "BWRAF," why is it not standard to teach some mnemonic device to help students remember a "buddy checklist," as you refer to it?

BWRAF = "Blond Women Really Are Fun"
This never worked for me. No matter how hard I try my buddy remains a male with brown hair.

Seriously, BWRAF = BCD (is it secured properly to the tank and is the inflator hose connected?), Weights (Where are they and how do they release), Releases (How do I release the BCD), Air (where is the alternate second stage? Is it an octo or do I get the primary), Final checklist (is the air turned on, is mask defogged, do you have fins, any other equipment needed to execute the dive plan, BCD inflated and reg in mouth prior to jumping in the water, etc.).

 

[Lorenzoid]

BWRAF = "Blond Women Really Are Fun"
This never worked for me. No matter how hard I try my buddy remains a male with brown hair.

Seriously, BWRAF = BCD (is it secured properly to the tank and is the inflator hose connected?), Weights (Where are they and how do they release), Releases (How do I release the BCD), Air (where is the alternate second stage? Is it an octo or do I get the primary), Final checklist (is the air turned on, is mask defogged, do you have fins, any other equipment needed to execute the dive plan, BCD inflated and reg in mouth prior to jumping in the water, etc.).

Bangkok Women Really Aren't Female. But the question is can someone come up with a nifty one for going over what the buddies expect from each other during the dive?

 

[EFX]

Bangkok Women Really Aren't Female. But the question is can someone come up with a nifty one for going over what the buddies expect from each other during the dive?

I think it would be useful. But, to be effective it needs to be short, encapsulate the major points, and easy to remember. I'll work on it.

 

[Pro Dive Davao]

Fantastic thread - love the discussion. I learned before BCD - ABLJ (Adjustable Buoyancy Life Jacket) Twin hoses where just on there way out. Wet suit! Lay on the ground on a roll of neoprene and someone drew a outline of you in chalk - turn over repeat and then sew the 2 halfs together - whats my point - well those days you needed a buddy several times a dive to help you out with something - even to the point that having a "buddy line" was pretty normal nowaday the agencies play down the risk due to major leaps forward to equipment. The buddy system that most of us love (in principle) is difficult to teach and almost impossible to enforce - the industry needs fresh blood to buy equipment and courses and the chances of a commercial dive operator telling a diver they are a bad buddy and not allow them to dive again with them is more rare than hens teeth. If you are a club diver the buddy system works - you build up a small group of dive friends and buddy dive - for the rest of us - its but a dream - and honesty and truly how many deaths and or serious accidents could and did the buddy system prevent - in my early days maybe 1 every 25 dives - now? maybe 1 every 2500 dives - every thing is so advanced now equipment failure is rare - now its bravado and stupidity that kills and its hard to buddy against that- I teach the buddy system with passion - then at rescue level I tell them I lied