Jack Hammer
Contributor
I bought a tank banger last year and found it to be a bit awkward to use. It was easier when I just tapped the tank with the clip on the end of my accessory lanyard.
While I agree that having a noisemaker/attention getter may just be an excuse for poor buddy skills, not all buddies are created equal. I have done boat dives where my assigned buddy just took off as soon as we got under water. Short of putting a leash on them, this was the only way to get their attention.
I also might add that not everybody dives in clear water. I've done dives with less than 10' of visibility where if you turn your head away for a moment, you can easily lose your dive partner. Some kind of noise maker gets them to stop so you can regroup before they dissapear into the murkiness. It's a tool, and like all tools it has its place.
Jack
While I agree that having a noisemaker/attention getter may just be an excuse for poor buddy skills, not all buddies are created equal. I have done boat dives where my assigned buddy just took off as soon as we got under water. Short of putting a leash on them, this was the only way to get their attention.
I also might add that not everybody dives in clear water. I've done dives with less than 10' of visibility where if you turn your head away for a moment, you can easily lose your dive partner. Some kind of noise maker gets them to stop so you can regroup before they dissapear into the murkiness. It's a tool, and like all tools it has its place.
Jack