Any tips on how to get on dive boat with people of same skill level?

[noj3333]

This is why I have been diving with Tres Pelicanos for the last 11 years, they allow you to dive your tank and do not require the group to surface together. Provide you have demonstrated that you know what your doing they allow you latitude. If a diver lacks experience or wants to stay close to the DM the DM is there to lead and assist the divers. I normally see the DM as I leave the boat and then when I get back on.
I do strongly recommend that when drift diving the diver carry a buoy and know how to deploy it, safely

I agree with the above. I've been very happy with the flexibility 3P gives me/ other divers on their boats.

We put a second DM on the boat, we only have one boat. I won't name the other operation but they do the same thing, heck sometimes I wonder if they have any space for customers on the boat with all the DM's jajajaja.

We are small and we are newer so it hasn't really been hard to deal with - Martin will take the deeper group, I take the shallow group - we generally meetup as the deep group comes shallow and then I take anyone up to the surface early, everyone is happy.

It can become an issue at some sites though and we have not had this happen yet but we would seperate the groups on two boats..... I'm a diver too

Although I'm very happy with 3P, I'm always interested in other shops... what shop are you with?

 

[divingjd]

This has already been said, but let me chime in. It’s hard to imagine how you could avoid getting new or unskilled divers with an operation that only has one boat. They need to make money and fill the available seats. If they have more than one boat, statistically, you have a better chance. The operator still has to work at it and they have to be able to see people in the water. I’ve been diving with Aldora for years and they know me, so I don’t really have to prove myself. But if I went with somebody else I haven’t been diving with before, I wouldn’t expect them to put me with their better divers until they’ve seen me in the water at least one day. Sometimes the advantage is in getting to go to Maracaibo or Barracuda. Sometimes it’s a more interesting route through Palancar Caves, sometimes it’s being with other people who like going slow and finding Painted Elysia. Sometimes it’s extended bottom time. Try one of the “valet” ops. There are enough recommendations in this forum to find several options. Even an operation that has only one boat can find ways to improve things for better divers, but I think it’s hard to beat multiple boats.

 

[GameChanger]

For some reason, I am ALWAYS an air hog on my very first dive when I go to Coz. It doesn't matter what I do to control my air hogness either. It is what it is. The 2nd dive and all dives going forward, I am one of the last to surface and I have 800+ psi on an AL 80 most times. On my last dive trip to Coz, I used Aldora and their big 120 steel tanks. Sure enough, on the very first dive at Devil's Throat I was "that guy" and depleted my gas. I told the DM before the dive that I would probably be an air hog for the first dive and he said, "No problem. Give me the low air sign and we will share air." Well, as embarrassing as it was, that is exactly what we did. He had a long hose setup so it was fine. I was amazed at his minimal gas consumption rate too! By doing this he allowed the rest of the group to dive their air, which is not in-line with Aldora's policy. All of the next dives I was fine. I was not placed with the kiddie groups either.

 

[divingjd]

For some reason, I am ALWAYS an air hog on my very first dive when I go to Coz. It doesn't matter what I do to control my air hogness either. It is what it is. The 2nd dive and all dives going forward, I am one of the last to surface and I have 800+ psi on an AL 80 most times. On my last dive trip to Coz, I used Aldora and their big 120 steel tanks. Sure enough, on the very first dive at Devil's Throat I was "that guy" and depleted my gas. I told the DM before the dive that I would probably be an air hog for the first dive and he said, "No problem. Give me the low air sign and we will share air." Well, as embarrassing as it was, that is exactly what we did. He had a long hose setup so it was fine. I was amazed at his minimal gas consumption rate too! By doing this he allowed the rest of the group to dive their air, which is not in-line with Aldora's policy. All of the next dives I was fine. I was not placed with the kiddie groups either.

Actually, sharing air with a diver low on air is standard for Aldora. The purpose is to avoid cutting the dive short, because Aldora does have the policy that the entire group has to surface together. Air-sharing really only works when one diver is lower on air than the others. When a second diver reaches that point, the dive is over. By the way, I once asked one of my favorite Aldora dive guides how much air he used. He simply said "You don't want to know." Based on what I've heard since, I think that's accurate. I don't think this is unique to Aldora. I am sure that all of the dive guides have SACs that are no comparison to the rest of us.

 

[ReefHound]

For some reason, I am ALWAYS an air hog on my very first dive when I go to Coz. It doesn't matter what I do to control my air hogness either. It is what it is. The 2nd dive and all dives going forward, I am one of the last to surface and I have 800+ psi on an AL 80 most times.

Consider doing a shore dive upon arrival to get things in order.

 

[ReefHound]

Actually, sharing air with a diver low on air is standard for Aldora. The purpose is to avoid cutting the dive short, because Aldora does have the policy that the entire group has to surface together. Air-sharing really only works when one diver is lower on air than the others. When a second diver reaches that point, the dive is over. By the way, I once asked one of my favorite Aldora dive guides how much air he used. He simply said "You don't want to know." Based on what I've heard since, I think that's accurate. I don't think this is unique to Aldora. I am sure that all of the dive guides have SACs that are no comparison to the rest of us.

Maybe so but I bet they will also take their tanks down to 200psi if needed.

 

[AdivingBel]

Honestly, I’ve never been concerned about the skill set of other divers on my boat. For whatever reason if someone needs a bit of extra assistance, the DM provides it. The rest of us enjoy our dive and the boat picks us up…kinda the beauty of drift diving. We are fortunate to share a dive site (sometimes it’s a BIG dive site) with wonderful DM/guides. We generally don’t follow them or each other around like ducks…unless of course we want to.

 

[MidOH]

Consider doing a shore dive upon arrival to get things in order.

I have same problem. I try to get in early and snorkle for a while.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

On my last trip to LCBR in 2019, we had very nice group of folks for the entire week.... It was a club of 13 from Philadelphia and myself / solo making the "14th" . At first I felt kinda like I was intruding because they all knew each other......but like most divers, they totally welcomed me into the group and we even ended up all hanging out together for meals and cocktails, etc for the week.. After the first day, they teamed me up with an awesome buddy named "Jamie" and she turned to be a perfect diving match for me since she had also come to LCBR as a single with her group and was on par with my skill level.... I basically "lucked" out and got a GREAT buddy for the entire week...

One thing I really loved about this trip was that we all discussed and evaluated gas consumption rate and overall depth comfort. We were all diving 32 mix so we generally agreed as a group that we'd add in some safety and make 100 our MOD.

Anyway....... One of the main solutions we had to the "mixed experience" and overall air consumption and bottom time issues...... was to have the more experienced divers be "first in and last out" . This seemed to be a good balanced solution and worked out perfectly.... Myself and Jamie would typically get 10-15 minutes more total dive time than the others...... but our total time on site was the still same for everyone... Hope that makes sense....

PS...... My "instabuddy" on that trip was the best I've ever had since she totally excelled at finding things I would have definitely missed and my navigation skills always got us right back to the boat. Win - Win!

 

[ChuckP]

For some reason, I am ALWAYS an air hog on my very first dive when I go to Coz. It doesn't matter what I do to control my air hogness either. It is what it is. The 2nd dive and all dives going forward, I am one of the last to surface and I have 800+ psi on an AL 80 most times. On my last dive trip to Coz, I used Aldora and their big 120 steel tanks. Sure enough, on the very first dive at Devil's Throat I was "that guy" and depleted my gas. I told the DM before the dive that I would probably be an air hog for the first dive and he said, "No problem. Give me the low air sign and we will share air." Well, as embarrassing as it was, that is exactly what we did. He had a long hose setup so it was fine. I was amazed at his minimal gas consumption rate too! By doing this he allowed the rest of the group to dive their air, which is not in-line with Aldora's policy. All of the next dives I was fine. I was not placed with the kiddie groups either.

That beginners anxiety of breathing underwater exists for experienced folks too? - has to be something, you dive way to much for it to be anything you are doing diving. The pre check dive at Tiki bar is a lot of work, maybe snorkel and mask in the pool?

I have one wetsuit that is tight or I eat too much whatever, but if that thing is superdry and too tight, my air consumption goes up - anxiety or harder to breathe, I dunno but second dive is AOK.....

Devils Throat first dive here jajajajaja - I'd be right behind you on that one!!!!