What should I know about your gear?

[101recon]

This discussion raised the question: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/5055523-post196.html It covered some points about drysuits that I have never considered.Dump valves and their location/operation for example.

Being a new diver,I know little about drysuits,BP/W's,and countless other types of more advanced/tech gear.I realize that I should be familiar with the gear my buddy is using.This should be covered pre-dive.But what about all the other divers and gear configurations I may have never seen before?I dive the local quarries and often there are as many as 10 or 20 other divers besides me and my buddy.

Hopefully I will never have to bring an unconscious diver to the surface.But should the need arise,what basics should I know about drysuits OR OTHER GEAR that would complicate the ascent?

Note:We covered bringing an unconscious diver to the surface in OW but we all had basicly the same gear.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Wow, Good question with a whole lot of answers. Drysuits are basically big air bags. They do not vent in the feet up position. Usually there is a vent on the left shoulder that turns counterclockwise to put in the fully open position. I dive with it that way or only slightly closed say 1/2-3/4 turn. Some drysuits have the dump valve on the left wrist. This means the whole arm needs to be raised to vent the suit. In an emergency one can also pull on the neck seal to release air. What you need to do really if this was not covered in your class is get with an instructor and take a rescue course or if you plan on diving with someone using a drysuit go over procedures before you even hit the water.

There are other items that a diver may be using that can impede a rescue if you don't know what you are looking at. In my OW class I show and have students in a minimum of 3 different types of bcs, 3 reg configurations, and discuss more. For example if I'm in a BPW and you are having trouble getting it off of me because of the lack of quick releases, use your knife or shears. Cut the webbing. Anything like canister lights, suit inflation bottles, stages, etc should be clipped on using bolt snaps tied to the object with cave line so that they can also be cut free quickly or slid onto the belt with standard webbing. The rule is no metal to metal contact.

Until you get into a rescue course the most beneficial thing I think you can do is the next time you are at the dive site actually take the time to walk around and look at what everyone is diving and ask them about it. Tell them why you're interested. You may even make some new friends. Another good reason to talk to them about what you are doing is so they don't think you are casing them for later plundering!

 

[vladimir]

What should you know about my gear?

I don't like nobody touching my stuff. So just keep your meat-hooks off. If I catch any of you guys in my stuff, I'll kill you.

 

[101recon]

Thanks Jim. The drysuit info is just the sort of thing I'm looking for.

@ Vladimir:mooner:

 

[greylion]

If it's a new buddy, ask him/her if they donate their primary or alternate? If they wear a necklace it's obvious, but some don't and still donate their primary to an out of air diver.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I like to know the following for my dive buddies gear. Most of the time it is self explanatory, but it is a good thing to review. #1 of cource is important for you, the others can help you assist your buddy should he/she become incapacitated to some degree.

1) Need to know the procedure for donating air. It can get confusing when a diver has an integrated octo, double hose reg or pony bottle. I once dived with a buddy with a double hose and integrated octo. Not optimal, but workable once we discussed it.

2) Need to know how to release ballast. Some integrated weight system work different than others. Some divers have their weight belt under their harness, some over. Some dives have none.

3) Need to know how to operate their BCD, both inflating on the surface and dumping down down below in case the are incapacitated. Same for a dry suit.

4) As Jim mentioned, you need to know how to quickly get them out of their gear.

5) Need to know what basic emergency gear they have and where it is stored in case you need it and they are incapacitated.

 

[101recon]

If it's a new buddy, ask him/her if they donate their primary or alternate? If they wear a necklace it's obvious, but some don't and still donate their primary to an out of air diver.

I like to know the following for my dive buddies gear. Most of the time it is self explanatory, but it is a good thing to review. #1 of cource is important for you, the others can help you assist your buddy should he/she become incapacitated to some degree.

1) Need to know the procedure for donating air. It can get confusing when a diver has an integrated octo, double hose reg or pony bottle. I once dived with a buddy with a double hose and integrated octo. Not optimal, but workable once we discussed it.

2) Need to know how to release ballast. Some integrated weight system work different than others. Some divers have their weight belt under their harness, some over. Some dives have none.

3) Need to know how to operate their BCD, both inflating on the surface and dumping down down below in case the are incapacitated. Same for a dry suit.

4) As Jim mentioned, you need to know how to quickly get them out of their gear.

5) Need to know what basic emergency gear they have and where it is stored in case you need it and they are incapacitated.

Please reread my OP.Thanks for your replies but I am not asking about my buddy's gear.

 

[H2O 70]

Being a new diver,I know little about drysuits,BP/W's,and countless other types of more advanced/tech gear.

I don't know if I would call this advanced gear, but just another type of gear.

If you are diving with someone that has a different configuration than you are used to and have seen, ask them. Talk to them about their configuration. Preferably before you get into the water. Use the opportunity to learn about a different config. You might find there is something about it that you like a may want to adopt.

In an emergency situation don't hesitate to start cutting gear. If they are conscience, obviously be mindful. I once witnessed a victim who was calm and breathing O2. Someone screamed for scissors to start cutting him out of his dry suit. He lost it and started to panic, become combative and the situation deteriorated, quickly. If they are unconsciousness and it isn't obvious how the gear comes off, start cutting.

Jim covered it for the dry suit. Open up the valve all the way and don't let them go up feet first. This will be covered, should be covered, in a Rescue class.

 

[101recon]

Once again,I am not asking about gear that my buddy is wearing.As I stated in my OP,this should be discussed before the dive.
With that in mind....I have already ran into other divers or groups of divers in the middle of a dive.Should one of these UNFAMILIAR divers need rescue,what issues should I be aware of concerning "another type of gear" not familiar to me?

 

[H2O 70]

Once again,I am not asking about gear that my buddy is wearing.As I stated in my OP,this should be discussed before the dive.
With that in mind....I have already ran into other divers or groups of divers in the middle of a dive.Should one of these UNFAMILIAR divers need rescue,what issues should I be aware of concerning "another type of gear" not familiar to me?

Aside from a diver in a BP/W using a simple harness and wearing a DS, you may run into a rebreather diver. But again their rig isn't that much different than a BP/W harness and a DS diver.

You may run into divers that don't have any form of ditchable weight.

You may run into a diver with a full facemask, which you can remove but don't forget to protect the airway.