How many would consider using a tether when diving with a loved one?

[Z Gear]

I know that using a tether is can be dangerous and presents a potential entanglement hazard. But I was thinking of using a coiled leash that would stretch to about 6 to 8 feet max. I would have to bolt snaps on it and would use it when diving with my wife during bad viz.

I could also keep it in my pocket in case we are experiencing a bad current and I would feel more comfortable knowing that we are not separated. We have had to end the dive a few times because we got separated. I am aware that by having a tether you "MUST" have a sharp cutting tool in case an entanglement does occur.

We had a situation at one time when my wife experienced an uncontrolled accent due to her weight pocket falling out. She was right next to me. Subsequently as she reached down to try to retrieve the weight, she started to quickly rise upward.
I didn't even notice any of this, because I had just finished glancing to check her position a moment earlier. She told me she tried dumping her air but she kept rising. All she could do was to remember to breathe out to avoid lung expansion injury. Thank God we were at a shallow depth of 20 feet.

If I would have had a tether this would not be the case and if were at 60 feet as we were earlier, I could have saved her life. I am thinking that a tether for a loved one in different situations can be very useful and should be discussed. After all it is your loved one and even if it is an inconvenience
to dive with a tether, it can be the one thing you need to allow you to be there when they need you.

How many of you would consider using some type of tether when diving with a loved one?

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear Dive Mounts

 

[divad]

We had a situation at one time when my wife experienced an uncontrolled accent due to her weight pocket falling out.

OMG, what language was it in? She must have been really freaked out.

 

[Smiler1968]

Generally It's not something I would use. If the viz was so bad as to require one, I would thumb the dive. After all it's supposed to be fun. I certainly wouldn't dive with a tether in case of weight loss. I would liken that to driving your car around with the window down just in case you plunge into deep water. If I ever drive into deep water I may regret it. Would I use one with my kids? I don't know. I may consider it. But I'm not entirely convinced it would solve more problems than it may create.


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[Dirty-Dog]

I'm not really a fan of equipment solutions to training problems.
In the situation you describe, Sue or Kim would have dumped their air, gone head down, and finned down to the bottom to retrieve their pocket.

How did her weight pocket happen to just fall out?
To remove the weight pouch on Sues' LadyHawk, for example, you have to squeeze a clip, just like you do to unhook the waist belt. A similar system is used on Kims Sherwood Luna. I don't see how the pocket could fall out of either of these BCs unless it was assembled incorrectly in the first place AND we all overlooked the error during our buddy checks.
The Dive Rite pockets I use in the rare case that I need to add weight has a clip AND a Velcro backup retention system.

 

[Z Gear]

What language was it in? She must have been really freaked out.

Yeah she was completely freaked out. She said she tried to kick down so she could reach me to hang on to me but the pull upwards was to strong.

 

[Gareth J]

These are used on and off in the UK, known as a buddy line. Normally 3 to 6 ft in length, with a snap bolt or similar at each end.
Sometimes when using an SMB we use the line from the reel, I.e line from SMB, to buddy, through fingers, on to buddy with reel.
A reel or spool can be used if pressed, just let out 3 feet or so, and lock off.

We often dive in variable visibility, so its a solution that is not uncommon here. Although not a favourite of many. Handy when you have a less experienced buddy and you are worried about separation, but not without its complications.

You MUST have a cutting device, if you have line in the water, ESPECIALLY if you are clipping off to one or both divers.
You should have a cutting device anyway, but make sure its readily to hand if you have line in the water.

Gareth

 

[mikeycanuk]

Maybe not quite in the same vein but in the Niagara river up here the shop we dove with made every buddy pair dive with a buddy line. Hand held, not clipped on. A great idea as far as we were concerned going 4+ knots with many changes in current from fast to dead stop to fast again.

 

[AdivingBel]

Not to be negative, but IMHO if a tether is needed on a recreational dive (other than some type of instruction scenario ??), someone is diving beyond their skill set. If I was that concerned (holding on that tight) diving with a loved one, I would find something else to do together. Diving in that frame of mind can't possibly be any fun. YMMV Safe diving...

After seeing other posts, I guess my opinion is definitely colored by the type of diving I favor, warm & blue. I can see where the tether would have a function in other types of "recreational" diving. Just not my cup of tea. One of the pluses of SB is seeing things from other locale's perspective.

 

[raftingtigger]

I have doubts that using a buddy line would keep both divers at depth with an uncontrolled ascent by one. First diver has an uncontrolled ascent. They rise to the end of the buddy line before the second diver can exert any downward force. By this time the ascending diver is higher in the water column and now is even more buoyant. The whole system of 2 divers starts to rise, with the lower diver at a, rapidly worsening, disadvantage. Now we have 2 victims (potentially) instead of one.

In rescue training we are taught that if we can't vent fast enough to spread eagle. This is with both divers at nearly the same depth. With the buddy line, the lower diver can't even reach the upper diver to assist in venting, and with the difference in depth the imbalance between the 2 is substantially worse.

 

[Z Gear]

I'm not really a fan of equipment solutions to training problems.
In the situation you describe, Sue or Kim would have dumped their air, gone head down, and finned down to the bottom to retrieve their pocket.

How did her weight pocket happen to just fall out?
To remove the weight pouch on Sues' LadyHawk, for example, you have to squeeze a clip, just like you do to unhook the waist belt. A similar system is used on Kims Sherwood Luna. I don't see how the pocket could fall out of either of these BCs unless it was assembled incorrectly in the first place AND we all overlooked the error during our buddy checks.
The Dive Rite pockets I use in the rare case that I need to add weight has a clip AND a Velcro backup retention system.

She uses an aqualung maverick. We both have velcro type weight pocket. She aid she believed she inadvertently unsecured the the weight when she was opening her zippered pocket to put in a sea shell. We both performed our buddy check to make sure we had our weight pockets secured before dive.