Dive Boat Etiquette?

[rossjc]

Hi all -
Fairly new to diving on Cal boats...paid for a spot on CeeRay to Catalina and my dive partner backed out. Is it bad ediquette to join a boat as a single? I can handle myself in most situations, but I hate the idea of damping someone elses trip b/c I have to buddy up with them. Will the boat assign me a buddy (buddy group) or am I on my own for that?
JR

 

[Frank O]

My experience has been that boats do whatever they can to buddy you up. Unless you're wildly mismatched to the boat's clientele (i.e. a newbie on a boat of advanced divers doing difficult dives), they can almost always work something out.

That being said, you might look at it from the perspective of your own interests and/or self-preservation. On the few occasions I've gotten "pick up" buddies at a group event, I haven't been very happy with the skills of the person I got buddied with.

 

[rossjc]

thanks for the feedback...are you implying that I don't need to buddy up?

 

[scubasean]

Hi all -
Fairly new to diving on Cal boats...paid for a spot on CeeRay to Catalina and my dive partner backed out. Is it bad ediquette to join a boat as a single? I can handle myself in most situations, but I hate the idea of damping someone elses trip b/c I have to buddy up with them. Will the boat assign me a buddy (buddy group) or am I on my own for that?
JR

Some boats let you dive alone, and some don't....

If you want to dive alone, don't volunteer that you don't have a buddy, and let it work itself out...

I dive alone sometimes, and with a buddy other times...It just depends on the crowds...

I am a bit curious about you saying that you can handle yourself in "most" situations...If you don't dive solo regularly, why start now? Just indicate you are a single, and let em pair you up...

I'm also in NorCal....heh

 

[Ann Marie]

I've gone on a boat as a single a couple of times. Once I found a buddy that came by himself too and the other time I dove with a Dive Master as everyone else was buddied up.

 

[divinman]

thanks for the feedback...are you implying that I don't need to buddy up?

It's a little Forest Gumpish. Ya never know what you're gonna get. I have a guy I dive with frequently now and he was a random buddy on the boat hook up kinda thing. I have also had the nightmare deep dive with a "seasoned" diver that burned through his entire 80 in 10 minutes and we ended up making an open water ascent while he breathed off my octo. For me it comes down to this. I make it clear at the beginning what my skills and experience are. I set my comfort level and limits at the beginning and if there is no one available that is either comparable or comfortable with taking me, I just don't go.

That said, if it's a shallow dive (<50 ft) I will just bring the pony and dive solo. Most boats will let you if you show either a redundant air source and/or solo cert and sign the "I won't sue you if I screw it up and drown" waiver.

Just my 2 cents. Let's not flame me too much, OK?

Terry

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Some boats provide dive leaders where having a buddy isn't always required. Some boats don't provide leaders and all they provide is a description of the dive site and they honestly don't care what you do after you enter the water.

I have been assigned a buddy on boats before and we've never matched up. One buddy was down to 700 pounds when I still had 2200. I escorted him to the anchor line and waved goodbye as he ascended. I was chastised by everyone for doing that but, I wasn't being paid to babysit.

 

[Diver_Jan]

I have been on many dive boats including the Cee Ray, often without a buddy. I usually was 'matched' up with a buddy (similar dive experience) or I was escorted by a DM for my dives.

If you are matched up with a buddy, I would talk with that person before the dive. Get a sense for that person above the water to see what your 'comfort' level is with that person. Remember, your life may depend on *that* person. If your comfort level is not there above the water, ask for an escort, or dive solo, even if it has to be at shallower depth.

Before discovering scuba clubs, online emails lists, and online scuba groups...I found Reefseekers. They, in my humble opinion, are one of the safest and most cautious groups that I know. They will match you up, provide and escort, or have you sign a wavier to dive solo. You can check out their dive schedule at http://www.reefseekers.com

Just my .02 cents worth

 

[montyb]

I usually get to the boat pretty early since I live 3 hours from San Diego. I usually chat with the divers arriving and have an opportunity to see what the exp. level is of those arriving especially the divers that show up alone. That way I can make the decision if I want to dive alone (I'll then pull my pony out of my dive bag and sling it) or I will dive with them. It dosent always work though because some divers like to exagerate their experience and what kind of air consumption they have. I talked to one person who sounded pretty good as far as number of dives, air consumption but at about 15 min he was already down to 700 psi. Got him back to the assent line and watched until he was on the boat and then continued my dive (we were buddied up as a threesom) So no matter what you try you still have to realize it sometimes isn't going to work out the way you planned. It would never stop me from going on a boat dive because my buddy backed out and couldn't make it. I always ask the boat what they allow - solo?
montyb

 

[ICY ICE]

When I go on boats I buddy up with someone there. I had good buddies and bad buddies. It would be more enjoyable if I went with someone that I have dived with in the past.

I usually arrive before loading time; this gives me the time to talk to the divers and find the ones that are also solo………... I also openly exchange my diving experiences so that I know that the diver is someone matched to my level of diving and vise-versa.