Telling your dive buddies you may go Out of Air on this dive?

[mikescooling]

So we all do the training in class of what to do when we go Out of Air, but how many of you let your dive buddies know prior to dive, you may go out of air on this dive? I'm talking about doing the drill not actually going OA. I only do this with other seasoned divers with lots of dives, (not new divers). How many of you do this from time to time? What are your thoughts about doing this semi unplanned training drill?

 

[Storker]

I'm a little confused, but that may be caused by my grasp of the English language. What do you mean by "how many of you let your dive buddies know post dive, you may go out of air on this dive?"

When it comes to drills, I don't like totally unplanned drills. Unless you've drilled a lot and know your buddy very well, it may lead to a sticky situation because your buddy freaks out a little, believing it's a real emergency. If it's your regular buddy, and both are used to doing unplanned drills, it's probably OK. I and my sons have adopted a sign to signify that one of us wants to run a drill: Index finger "drills" into the palm of the other hand. That can be done at the spur of the moment, without having it discussed in the pre-dive chat/planning. The other diver then knows that when something is coming, it's not a real emergency, but he doesn't know what's coming. When we're done, we give the "drill" sign again, followed by crossed forearms ("X") held up.

And unless there's been an incident beyond what normal diligence plans for, there's no excuse for really running out of gas.

 

[mikescooling]

Yeah Storker, same thing. I'm letting my old friend and dive buddy know before the dive that I may go OA. When it happens I'm going to give the OA sign and slowly let out my breath as he/she donates a reg to me. At anytime I can put my reg back in my mouth. When I tell them before the dive, "an OA, may or may not happen", is all the notice they get; and I only do this drill if I get the OK from them. The not knowing when, or if, it's going to happen is part of the drill.

 

[BazzaB]

I would like to know when the drill starts. (Give a clear signal that you want to start a drill)
How else would you tell the difference between a drill and the real thing

 

[Rusty Roo]

I think you mean "prior" not "post" No point telling them after the dive that your OA was only a drill. As you've generally thumbed the dive and on the surface. I would be pissed off with you if you made me abort the dive just because you fancied doing a drill.

 

[AJ]

I tell my buddy I will go out of air once during the dive as a drill before we set off. I will calmly signal my buddy I'am out of air and he will know and notice it is not a real emergency. It's a good skill to practice IMO. You will need to react right in a real situation.

I'am diving doubles with two 1st stages and trained to do so, it's not very likely there ever will be a real emergency developing without me and my buddy knowing it on forehand. Second time means really out of air BTW.

 

[NYCNaiad]

I would like to know when the drill starts. (Give a clear signal that you want to start a drill) How else would you tell the difference between a drill and the real thing

Completely agree with BazzaB. I don't think it's smart to randomly signal out of air if you're not out of air during a dive even if you spoke about this ahead of time.

Far better to plan a drill with your buddy making sure you/your buddy agree on the signal for the start & the end of the drill. Then when you're underwater:

• Signal the start of the drill
• Perform the drill
• Signal the end of the drill

Also, don't forget to let the DM & the rest of the divers know ahead of time while you're planning so they don't think there's a problem.

 

[Kevrumbo]

So we all do the training in class of what to do when we go Out of Air, but how many of you let your dive buddies know post dive, you may go out of air on this dive? I'm talking about doing the drill not actually going OA. I only do this with other seasoned divers with lots of dives, (not new divers). How many of you do this from time to time? What are your thoughts about doing this semi unplanned training drill?

This is the way you can do it "semi-ad hoc" unannounced:

Get your buddy's attention; deliberately point finger to your buddy (meaning "you"); now double point fingers to your eyes (meaning "watch me"); then double tap your chest with fist (the signal for "Low on Air"); and finally give the Throat Slash Signal ("Out-of-Air"). . .

Then after the Octopus (or Primary Long Hose if DIR configured) donation from your buddy to share Air and a few seconds finning around or simulating an ascent, signal "OK", give the drill signal (index finger "drills" into palm of other hand as @Storker mentions above), and show your SPG. Slightly purge your own reg in plain view of your buddy to show it's pressurized and delivering air and replace it back in your mouth, giving back your buddy's Octopus (or Long Hose).

Although not entirely identical to a GUE/UTD Safety Drill (the underwater signal for "S-Drill" is tracing the letter "S" with your index finger), the concept and procedure above is similar.

 

[mikescooling]

I think you mean "prior" not "post" No point telling them after the dive that your OA was only a drill. As you've generally thumbed the dive and on the surface. I would be pissed off with you if you made me abort the dive just because you fancied doing a drill.

You are correct, oops, my bad, thx

 

[Neilwood]

So we all do the training in class of what to do when we go Out of Air, but how many of you let your dive buddies know prior to dive, you may go out of air on this dive? I'm talking about doing the drill not actually going OA. I only do this with other seasoned divers with lots of dives, (not new divers). How many of you do this from time to time? What are your thoughts about doing this semi unplanned training drill?

My thought, especially with a buddy I have dived with before, would be to let him know during the briefing pre dive, that I might want to do a drill (not necessarily tell him what drills or when). Then do the drill at a suitable point (probably at safety stop as that is most likely when the issue would happen). That also means that should either diver screw it up or get stressed you are not blowing an entire dive.

Definitely a good idea to let a DM know you are going to do drills on a group dive - no point in getting them panicked when they see OOA signals!

Agreeing on a signal for drill as @Storker suggests is a good idea - even if it is simply used afterward (drill followed by OK to signify the end of the drill maybe?).