To touch or not to touch other diver's gear

[Marie13]

During a dive on the Valentina liveaboard, my octopus holder snapped, so I rigged it up with a zip tie. After three dives, the darn thing broke again, forcing me to remove the plastic holder and attach the octopus directly to my BCD with just a flimsy zip tie and a plastic hook. As I geared up for the first dive of the morning, someone had the audacity to cut the zip tie I had secured. It was an absolutely infuriating experience - a first in my 13 years of diving. Having someone sabotage my gear for no apparent reason was beyond comprehension. I WON'T INTERFERE WITH OTHER'S GEAR UNLESS THEY ASK FOR ASSISTANCE. That's a respectful approach. It's important to always ask for permission before handling someone else's equipment, especially in activities like diving where safety is paramount.

You’d let someone’s tank that came out of the tank rack just thrash around on the deck rather than touching it?

 

[Bigbella]

What happened, was the crew member sacked on the spot, what gas were you breathing on the way to 20M ?

Old habits die hard, a couple of quick breaths while looking at the SPG to see if the needle moves [yeah, I still use a SPG] before you splash, stride or back roll.

I had tested the rig when I had originally pressurized it, and hadn’t thought to repeat it. I too am a dedicated SPG user and hadn’t realized that it had been tampered with.

While descending with free-diving fins, and blowing, much of that time, through pinched nostrils during Frenzel (from spear fishing days; still hard to do hands free) and not, what you’d call “regularly” breathing during that time, the residual air left in the Jetstream lines managed to last through about 10-12 shallow breaths (@ about 1 atm)— and was truly the deepest controlled ascent that I had ever performed.

The crew member had also been a coworker (it was my day off) and I read her the riot act upon surfacing; got her to stay away from the tanks — but didn’t throw her under the bus . . .

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

I had tested the rig when I had originally pressurized it, and hadn’t thought to repeat it. I too am a dedicated SPG user and hadn’t realized that it had been tampered with.

While descending with free-diving fins, and blowing, much of that time, through pinched nostrils during Frenzel (from spear fishing days; still hard to do hands free) and not, what you’d call “regularly” breathing during that time, the residual air left in the Jetstream lines managed to last through about 10-12 shallow breaths— and was truly the deepest controlled ascent that I had ever performed.

The crew member had also been a coworker (it was my day off) and I read her the riot act upon surfacing; got her to stay away from the tanks — but didn’t throw her under the bus . . .

Wow.... That's totally amazing that you were able to dive to 65ft on SCUBA with your tank valve fully closed and then have the experience and "calmness" to ascend safely. Glad you made it.

 

[Bigbella]

Wow.... That's totally amazing that you were able to dive to 65ft on SCUBA with your tank valve fully closed and then have the experience and "calmness" to ascend safely. Glad you made it.

Thanks.

It probably helped that I had followed the anchor line down and back; had a point of reference, and didn't ascend too quickly. The boat looked all too small and distant.

The original idea had been to check out a massive gorgonian fan (about the size of a rattan chair and related to coral and jellies), off Townsville in Queensland, at about 40 meters -- did it the following morning, along with a pony bottle . . .

 

[VsubT]

It is usually a non standard valve on a single tank that winds up being off. People buy split up doubles to use as single tanks and get confused by the reversed valves.

This scenario for sure, but my experience is the opposite. About 50% of the time, the boat crew turns off my non-standard valves.

I’ve gotten in the habit of checking my valve again and doing additional breathing from the reg if anyone messes with the valve. Definitely appreciate the few times they’ve found the valve off, nobody’s perfect. Not sure I “deserved to die” for missing it though.

The tech configuration discussion reminds me of gear checks when I was doing tandem skydive instruction. The last thing I wanted was a fun jumper trying to give me a pin check…

Lance

 

[Tracy]

This scenario for sure, but my experience is the opposite. About 50% of the time, the boat crew turns off my non-standard valves.

I could see that happening very easily. Especially on a mostly recreational type boat.
It sucks, but I could definitely see how it happens.
Non standard gear is just that. Non standard. Everybody makes mistakes.

 

[Wibble]

This thread makes for depressing reading. It seems that the dive boat is responsible for checking qualified divers have done the most basic checks, literally taught on the first day before even diving. Does nobody take any responsibility for their actions?

It’s damning on the quality of the divers. It’s damming on the quality of their training. It’s damming on the entire buddy system. It’s damming on the culture of anyone else is responsible for 'my' own incompetence.

Isn’t it obvious that the diver is responsible for their own safety and checking their own kit prior to jumping in?

Obviously not.

Welcome to the nanny state where 'my' actions have consequences for others, not me.

 

[johndiver999]

When someone jumps in with the tank off and starts floundering at the surface.- Whose responsibility is it to jump in the water and haul the person 15 ft to the ladder? A crew member, often.

That is why they would rather check the valves, regardless of who is technically supposed to do so. I still forget to turn my tank on a few times a year, but for the last several, I think I have always caught it and asked a buddy to turn the tank on for me while still on the boat.

 

[inquis]

Non standard gear is just that. Non standard. Everybody makes mistakes.

Mistakes are certainly made, but I don't think "non-standard" is the reason since even a non-standard orientation is still lefty-loosey from the handle side. FWIW, I've had it happen with a standard orientation valve. Fortunately, another crew member was checking again at the stern and hopefully would have caught it had I not.

 

[Wibble]

When someone jumps in with the tank off and starts floundering at the surface.- Whose responsibility is it to jump in the water and haul the person 15 ft to the ladder? A crew member, often.

That is why they would rather check the valves, regardless of who is technically supposed to do so. I still forget to turn my tank on a few times a year, but for the last several, I think I have always caught it and asked a buddy to turn the tank on for me while still on the boat.

Absolutely.

However, why aren’t people checking properly? How about if you discover a person attempting to jump in with a closed valve, they’re compelled to sit out all further dives that day as a penance for someone else saving their life