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

[Walter]

Safer to Let the Boat Crew Do Their Job!

I do let them do their job and I do mine. Setting up my gear is part of my job, not theirs.

 

[Louie]

We get the point.

Yes your gear is expensive

Yes your gear is unique

Yes you want to be sure you reassure yourself of your safety on the dive

But please, we don't need the "it's my toy and you die if you touch it!" sort of behaviour on dive trips. We know you're all adults and expect you to behave as adults.

The most important point I've been trying to make is that too many people become unreasonable and behave inappropriately when it comes to their equipment. Boat staff know the operation of their boats and it only takes one overly demanding and difficult diver to make things tough for everyone else.

Independence is important but do listen to instructions - you wouldn't ignore a pre-dive briefing so why be obstructive and belligerent about setup? I find the irony in this as those who are the most precious and insolent about their equipment are also the ones who know their equipment THE LEAST and end up asking for assistance from others.

Finally, this is the reason for the pre-dive safety check. Recall - it's what every OW student is taught before they hit the water.

So chill everyone. No need for the ranting.

 

[Walter]

But please, we don't need the "it's my toy and you die if you touch it!" sort of behaviour on dive trips.

I missed that. Where'd you see that one?

The most important point I've been trying to make is that too many people become unreasonable and behave inappropriately when it comes to their equipment. Boat staff know the operation of their boats and it only takes one overly demanding and difficult diver to make things tough for everyone else.

What is unreasonable about setting up your gear and going for a dive? Overly demanding? I might apply that label to someone who wants someone else to set up their gear or to someone who wants a guided dive, but certainly not to someone who doesn't need or want help.

Independence is important but do listen to instructions - you wouldn't ignore a pre-dive briefing so why be obstructive and belligerent about setup?

If you offer to set up gear, there's no issue. I politely decline, we're both happy. If you have some silly assed rule that you must set up my gear, I do business with someone else and we're still both happy. If you try to blind side me with such a stupid rule after I'm on the boat, then we have a problem. I'm more than happy to comply with rules IF they are things I can reasonably expect to be a rule or if I'm informed of unusual rules at the time I book and I book anyway. Unusual, last minute rules are not rules I'm obligated to follow. You either suspend the rule or find me another boat ride without that rule. Offering to set up a customer's gear is common. Having a rule that requires it, is rare.

So chill everyone. No need for the ranting.

No one has ranted, but your post is just about to set me off.

 

[Tigerman]

I REALLY dont see why people go on a tilt over people not wanting others to set up their gear.

If its my personal gear, which I paid up the cash to buy, then have flown to wherever I want to dive, paying 100s of dollars to dive with the op and on top of that tipping the crew it ought to be my bloody right to decide for myself wether or not I want someone else to set up my gear.
I dont tip based on wether or not you touch my gear, I tip based on wether or not you make my holiday pleasant..

 

[Teamcasa]

Offering to set up a customer's gear is common. Having a rule that requires it, is rare.

I would say you are right on this point Walter. Requirements should be explained at booking time. Customary actions by crew should be optional.

No one has ranted, but your post is just about to set me off

Off of what?

 

[Walter]

Off on a rant.

 

[Louie]

I missed that. Where'd you see that one?



What is unreasonable about setting up your gear and going for a dive? Overly demanding? I might apply that label to someone who wants someone else to set up their gear or to someone who wants a guided dive, but certainly not to someone who doesn't need or want help.



If you offer to set up gear, there's no issue. I politely decline, we're both happy. If you have some silly assed rule that you must set up my gear, I do business with someone else and we're still both happy. If you try to blind side me with such a stupid rule after I'm on the boat, then we have a problem. I'm more than happy to comply with rules IF they are things I can reasonably expect to be a rule or if I'm informed of unusual rules at the time I book and I book anyway. Unusual, last minute rules are not rules I'm obligated to follow. You either suspend the rule or find me another boat ride without that rule. Offering to set up a customer's gear is common. Having a rule that requires it, is rare.



No one has ranted, but your post is just about to set me off.

You and I must have been reading different threads.

I don't want to get into a pedantic argument about what is "demanding" or "unreasonable" as that was not the point of the original thread.

But I just want to stress one final time that people diving must have some flexibility and understand there are reasons for the way things are done. Dive staff don't want to assemble your gear for their pleasure.

I always say a relaxed attitude is always good for diving but some, it appears, disagree.

And it's better people are ranting here rather than on a dive.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I REALLY dont see why people go on a tilt over people not wanting others to set up their gear.

If its my personal gear, which I paid up the cash to buy, then have flown to wherever I want to dive, paying 100s of dollars to dive with the op and on top of that tipping the crew it ought to be my bloody right to decide for myself wether or not I want someone else to set up my gear.
I dont tip based on wether or not you touch my gear, I tip based on wether or not you make my holiday pleasant..

Exactly, and even the safety argument assigned, some people just like the sense of independence.

Personally, I'm a bit weird like that. As I said earlier, at a grocery store i prefer to bag my own groceries. Why? Because I often bike to the store and want to distribute food between a backpack and a couple reusable bags: I know how much weight I want in each and what will be most comfortable to ride with. I prefer to do my own taxes, even if someone else offers to do them for free. Why? I like to know exactly what is going on and what sorts of things I can take advantage of and what is going to get me into financial trouble.

On a dive boat, setting up my gear would actually make me less happy (again, ignoring the safety issue). It's my gear, I like the sense of independence getting it set up, and there are litle things (tank location, etc.) that I want to be in control of.

All these extras on these vacation dive boats honestly sound like a negative to me. All I want on a boat dive is a safe, nice boat and a competent Captain who can apply CPR and O2, help out in emergencies, know the sites and current conditions, and maybe give some basic help with getting into gear (zippers, tucking hood, etc.) Maybe, in some situations a dive leader would be nice if I don't know the area and exploring it isn't obvious, but most of the time a great boat and Captain is all I need to have a great time diving.

 

[Walter]

there are reasons for the way things are done.

What possible reason could there be for requiring divers not set up their own gear?

 

[muddiver]

One reason is if you hold a PADI Vacation Diver certification. It is clearly identified in the manual that VD card holders should never set up their own gear because it is an affront to the staff on the boat and dangerous for someone who only sees or uses scuba gear once a year.