Working On A Guide About Hand Signals

[zenmedianetworks]

Hey everybody. My family and I have been working on a comprehensive guide to diving hand signals and It covers all of the signals with a high quality photo as well as a video showing how to do it correctly.

It will released on a month by month basis and the first chapter is almost done. If you would like to sign up and know when each chapter goes live check out the page (BTW it is free). Keep your eyes peeled it should be really helpful! I am not selling anything, we just wanted to give back to the diving community for always being so helpful. Thanks!

The full url is The Complete Guide To: Diving Hand Signals | My Website / Blog

 

[ams511]

Remember, the middle finger needs no explanation.

 

[Doppler]

Interested to know from where you have drawn the examples you are going to publish. There are already several excellent books and YouTube Videos explaining hand signals (from cave and technical diving to recreational reef diving and fish watching), and applaud any efforts to collect the various types of signals and put them all in one place.

 

[koozemani]

Signing up. I'm most interested in fish ID hand signals and how regional some of them are.

thanks in advance,

 

[mruseless]

Very interesting. Seems like every dive trip I go on, they use slightly different hand signals. My wife and I have standardized most things, but it would be nice to have a reference. Where are you collecting the info from?

 

[Storker]

the middle finger needs no explanation.

And it doesn't have the same significance if you're wearing 3-finger gloves

 

[corvettejoe]

Whats fun is when you forget your slate and come up with all kinds of new hand signals LOL.
One of my buddies knows American Sign Language... I was considering learning that just for diving with him...

 

[nimoh]

I think this would be a difficult undertaking since hand signals are not only regional, but also different agencies use different signals. For example, the sequence of signals for coordinating safety/deco stops for GUE, TDI and PADI are all different (well, at least the way I was taught).

GUE: extend little finger from a closed fist to indicate deco stop followed by a second signal indicating time
TDI: closed fist to indicate stop followed by a second signal indicating time
PADI safety stop: extend hand palm down and move it around indicating level off here

 

[Doppler]

I think this would be a difficult undertaking since hand signals are not only regional, but also different agencies use different signals. For example, the sequence of signals for coordinating safety/deco stops for GUE, TDI and PADI are all different (well, at least the way I was taught).

GUE: extend little finger from a closed fist to indicate deco stop followed by a second signal indicating time
TDI: closed fist to indicate stop followed by a second signal indicating time
PADI safety stop: extend hand palm down and move it around indicating level off here

The majority of hand signals used in technical diving have a genesis in cave diving. The sign for deco is the same for TDI as it is with anyone else, GUE/PSAI/NAUI etc. included (cannot speak for PADI they have never followed convention). These signs and their use predates the formation of GUE and TDI for that matter. Not sure where you got the idea that TDI's was different. IN all the texts I worked on while there, the extended pinky signaled deco... Also, I believe the level off sign is universal (not just PADI) as are the signs for:

Stop, Hold, Line, Reel, Tie-off, Tangled, Question, Which way, Light, Shutdown or Turnoff, Bubbles, Broken, Turn, Thirds, et al.

 

[nimoh]

The majority of hand signals used in technical diving have a genesis in cave diving. The sign for deco is the same for TDI as it is with anyone else, GUE/PSAI/NAUI etc. included (cannot speak for PADI they have never followed convention). These signs and their use predates the formation of GUE and TDI for that matter. Not sure where you got the idea that TDI's was different. IN all the texts I worked on while there, the extended pinky signaled deco... Also, I believe the level off sign is universal (not just PADI) as are the signs for:

Stop, Hold, Line, Reel, Tie-off, Tangled, Question, Which way, Light, Shutdown or Turnoff, Bubbles, Broken, Turn, Thirds, et al.

Obviously you are in a much better position to speak for TDI than me, but in my AN/DP and Trimix classes, I was taught to use a closed fist to indicate stop (no extended pinkie) and then indicate time.

Furthermore, to end the stop and move to the next, with TDI I was taught to give a thumbs up with my right hand but cover it with an extended left hand giving a ceiling for the thumbs up. With GUE, the signal to move up is one handed and with an extended right hand simulate moving your hand up a level.