While on Vacation, Why don't u like other people changin your tank?

[F106A]

I set up my own equipment; it helps stave off Alzheimer's.
I don't trust anyone else to do it.
I have a specific sequence and reason for it.
I Q.C. it every time while setting it up.
Here in NJ I don't recall ever seeing crew set up divers' gear but I'm not particulary watching for it. I also believe that we have a higher percentage of experienced/frequent/competent divers compared to some resort areas. (No offense or provocation intended.) However, it may very well happen occasionally with a newby.
If I were crew I'd rather observe unknown customers setting up their gear; it might give some insight into the diver's skills.
If crew in a tropical area starts to tinker with my stuff I simply say, "Thanks, but I'll get that." No hostility, no venom, no foul.

 

[CompuDude]

BTW, I just finished a trip on a "cattle boat" with 22 divers. The crew was fabulous and assisted the divers but did NOT attempt to get in our way. They expected us to know what we wanted and to be able to handle our own gear except when we needed, or asked, for help (and we did). Every one of the 13 dives over 2 1/2 days looked like a ballet as we all geared up, got in the water, had cameras & scooters handed to us, crawled out of the water, had crew take our fins off, etc. EVERYONE had fun and it didn't require the crew to do anything more than they needed -- even in some "heavy current."

That's the typical SoCal dive boat experience.
We have our deck hands trained well.

Amen. Threads like this make me appreciate what we have more and more! (Admittedly, the Peace crew is among the top crews in all of SoCal, not all are quite as ballet-like, but most are MUCH better than the descriptions I'm reading here from other locales.)

Vladmir: Don't knock Peter's attitudes based on the local methods and conditions that you're familiar with. We do things differently, here in SoCal, it seems.

Here, divers set up their own rigs. They do their own checks. The boats (almost) all have on-board compressors, so there is rarely any changing of tanks, merely drop your first stage and they'll refill the same tank between dives, right there in your station. On the rare boat where tank changes are required, the deck hands will stand by, ready to assist if asked, but otherwise are hands-off. Ditto for initial setup: That's all in the hands of the certified diver. Naturally, they keep an eye on people and will offer assistance if it looks like someone is having a hard time, or if requested, but otherwise it's extremely rare for anyone working on a local boat to to touch anyone's gear... tech or rec.

We also don't do DM-lead dives, in general... a site briefing is offered, the crew lets people know if there is a time limit on the dive (only sometimes) the gates open, divers go out. The boat doesn't move again until all parties are accounted for personally by the DM in charge. Simple, efficient, elegant, and respectful.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Here here, I always have set up my gear and my wife's, boat or shore. I am also a firm believer in owning not renting. If something goes wrong, which never has with my gear and my set up, been a diver since 1975, but who are you going to blame, especially if your dead? My daughter is now getting certified and she doesn't think she should buy her own gear and yet she tells me during her class one of the students primary regulator quit working and she had to go to her Octo. to continue. This is one of the largest most popular SCUBA stores in Houston,again rental gear and in the pool! What about OW, my god! I figure the current BC being maintained should last at least 10 years with a few dives a year, My regs. I have had since 1975, US Diver Conshelf series.

Nothing makes purchasing your own gear seem more worthwhile than rental gear.

The primary problem I had with regs was chewed up mouthpieces. I completed 2 of my checkout dives using my octo (except for the buddy breathing (as in using octo) ascent: I gave my buddy the octo and had to use the primary, could barely keep it in my mouth). Granted, I probably should have checked this before I left the shop, but I wasn't even certified at the time.

I've also seen a couple issues with tanks O-rings. On my checkout dive, my buddy's tank was missing the o-ring (one of the divemasters installed another). On a dive where I had a rental tank, the O-ring had the outside rubber completely worn off: I don't know enough about equipment to know if this was unsafe, but I didn't want to try this experiment myself, so changed the o-ring to a fresh one.

Weights have been fine safety wise, but a lot of times I get weight setups that don't integrate well with the rest of my setup (usually excessively bulky and rarely give me the belt vs integrated balance I like): I'll be buying my own weights shortly for this reason.

BCDs I've never had safety issues (but have heard of them). However , I like having a BCD where I know the pockets, weight systems, D-rings, strps, dump valves, etc. Also rentals tend to be very simplistic jacket style. I feel a BCD is the most important piece of gear to have familiarity with.

The one piece of gear that I have had 0 problems or seen 0 problems with beside a 1/2cm rip that made no difference is wetsuits. It's why I question the conventional "buy exposure suit first" attitude: wetsuit rentals have been great for me.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

The boats (almost) all have on-board compressors, so there is rarely any changing of tanks, merely drop your first stage and they'll refill the same tank between dives, right there in your station.

Ah that's awesome. Never been on a boat with a compressor. Would definitely save some hassle of having to lug multiple tanks around.

 

[SteveAD]

Divers handle their own gear.


Tourists let the DM do it.

 

[Tigerman]

Divers handle their own gear.


Tourists let the DM do it.

Then I havent seen much tourists in Egypt and Im definetly not one based on that definition

 

[El Orans]

Divers handle their own gear.

Tourists let the DM do it.

Apparently, I'm a diver with just a dash of tourist...

 

[delray.piper]

I'm kind of checking into this thread a little late, but basically, nobody fusses with my gear but me.

 

[DennisW]

You are losing me here. You mean to tell me you have never been on a dive boat where swells or change in weather in between dives caused a boat to become rather unstable?

I doubt someone is going to tell you that you cant change out your gear but enough "Walters" on a boat insisting on changing out their own tanks in rough seas is a nightmare.

If you had a boat full of "Walters" you could sit on your duff and collect tips. Their only requirement would be for you to get them to the dive site and to take them back to the dock. I can guarantee you would be thrilled.

 

[vladimir]

Vladmir: Don't knock Peter's attitudes based on the local methods and conditions that you're familiar with. We do things differently, here in SoCal, it seems.

That was total sarcasm. (I'll go back and add some more smilies.)

I agree with pretty much everything he said. I'd be happy on that boat and it's not very different from what I'm used to. I am pretty laid-back in general, so if somebody wants to set up my gear, fine. If somebody wants to cook me breakfast, that's also fine. I generally do both myself, but I doubt letting somebody else do either is likely to kill me.