Body check when you are on a single tank and your buddy on doubles

[String]

First off I think it's a really bad idea to dive with two different tank set ups.

Why exactly? You have a buddy with large amounts of redundant gas. How is it a bad thing?

Is there any reason why your buddy chooses to dive with twinset?

Maybe he likes diving safely, not having to blindly rely on a 3rd party to get him out of trouble. Maybe he doesnt like having to switch tanks between dives so gets 2 or 3 out of his twins instead.

If the guy diving the twinset knows how to use them and can do his shutdown drills it shouldnt matter at all to someone diving with them beyond knowing which reg to grab to share gas should it be needed.

 

[ameneon]

The fact that it holds so much more air and is entirely different in my perspective as to say diving on a single tank.
In my view diving doubles would be for tech or long range diving. Which entails using different view points, different dive plans, different thoughts as to say recreational diving. The buddy with more air has the ability to dive deeper and longer, the potential dive profiles are a lot more expanse than someone diving a single tank.
It's a huge difference in my mind.

In a sense I'm falling back on DIR's standpoint of having exactly the same gear. I don't follow this strictly per-say but I think it's a good idea to have similar equipment or equipment that you can familiarize yourself with.

After the OP stated the buddy's reasons, I kinda warmed up to the idea. But I still think a buddy team should dive the same tanks and the same mix; stick to a turn around PSI and dive time, and set a max depth for a dive plan.


I guess with the right planning and understanding it's not a bad idea at all. Just a lot of excess air to be carrying for the doubles buddy.

Jeez... So your only argument is that having extra air is a very bad idea... Right...

And for your information lots of people (even new divers) use small doubles which give less or same amount of air than many single tanks...

 

[TSandM]

I don't see a bit of trouble diving with singles and doubles in a mixed team. If the single tank diver doesn't know how to handle valve failures, then the doubles diver is essentially diving one big tank, and any major problem aborts the dive. Since the dive parameters will be set by the gas supply of the single tank diver (who will, of course, maintain rock bottom reserves) it's not an issue.

In doing the buddy check, one of the things the doubles diver should do is a flow check, where he or she goes through to make sure all the valves are open. You can suggest this, but she needs to know how to do it. Since you are diving a long hose configuration anyway, there's nothing else that's functionally different.

We spend a tremendous amount of time in tech classes, learning to manage valve failures, but that is predicated on the idea that you are in an environment where terminating the dive because of a failure is not the most desirable strategy. On NDL dives, it almost always is, so there is really no need for you to learn how to assist in the process. It IS reasonable, however, to ask if the doubles diver can reach her valves. If she can, she can self-rescue; if not, any major gas loss means you share gas, so it changes strategy.

 

[Atom]

I don't think body checks are part of scuba diving... and I would hate to be checked by someone wearing doubles. (sorry it's the 1st thing that came to my mind what I read the title of the thread)

More seriously, I think the usual checks (BWARF or the equivalent for your agency) would be in order, you should also know how air sharing will be done if necessary and how to remove his BP/W if it becomes necessary (that's a very remote possibility but....).

 

[Dr Wu]

The fact that it holds so much more air and is entirely different in my perspective as to say diving on a single tank.
In my view diving doubles would be for tech or long range diving. Which entails using different view points, different dive plans, different thoughts as to say recreational diving. The buddy with more air has the ability to dive deeper and longer, the potential dive profiles are a lot more expanse than someone diving a single tank.
It's a huge difference in my mind.

I imagine your "perspective, view and mind" need expanding.

In a sense I'm falling back on DIR's standpoint of having exactly the same gear. I don't follow this strictly per-say but I think it's a good idea to have similar equipment or equipment that you can familiarize yourself with.

In what other ways do you deviate from a "standpoint" that you consider "a good idea"?

After the OP stated the buddy's reasons, I kinda warmed up to the idea. But I still think a buddy team should dive the same tanks and the same mix; stick to a turn around PSI and dive time, and set a max depth for a dive plan.

Why do you feel a more experienced diver should reduce themselves to the gear/ mix limits of a less experienced diver? (Assuming they are following the same dive plan as buddies of course.)

I guess with the right planning and understanding it's not a bad idea at all. Just a lot of excess air to be carrying for the doubles buddy.

You guess correctly. It depends on why they are carrying that "excess air".

 

[g1138]

Jeez... So your only argument is that having extra air is a very bad idea... Right...

And for your information lots of people (even new divers) use small doubles which give less or same amount of air than many single tanks...

My mistake
I'm still learning like everyone else.
:banana:

To Dr Wu:
I didn't know the experience of the buddy. And like you said I don't know enough about doubles. Touche.


Edit:
My original thought went to a bad buddy, one who would choose to extend his/her dive because they had the air. Leading to a lost buddy, or OOA situation because single tank buddy decided to stick with her buddy etc etc. Not fully thought out as you can see.

 

[Dr Wu]

My mistake
I'm still learning like everyone else.
:banana:

To Dr Wu:
I didn't know the experience of the buddy. And like you said I don't know enough about doubles. Touche.

Yet you are looking to learn. Which is great.

Doubles are a good choice for many reasons. They are not something only "techie divers" use.

When you consider the advantages they really are preferable to a single tank. Even if you use very low volume doubles the added redundancy is a big plus. More available gas sometimes confuses the issue.

NTTIAWWAST.
(not that there is anything wrong with a single tank)

 

[boulderjohn]

Not long ago I was in a situation where I had to take time off from my own diving during the day (in doubles) to teach two Open Water Students. I did not change out of my doubles. Before each dive, we did a standard PADI predive buddy check as a team of three. As we talked our way through it, I told them what to look for in my setup. (Releases--I only have one, etc.) The only real difference was that in looking at my overall setup, they had to know to look for a few more places where I might have entanglements, like with a light hose. If your buddy is not using a canister light with a light hose, then you don't have to worry about that. Other than that--no difference worth worrying about.

 

[tstormdiver]

When I dive doubles with someone who is in a single & not entirely familiar with the set up, I go over the rig, in general. I explain to them OOA drills (donation of the primary) I use. I explain to them that I am carrying no weight, dumpable or otherwise, my cylinders are my weighting. Show them where my cutting tools are & where my releases are (only have the belt buckle & a QR chest release). I then give them a chance to ask any questions they may have. I look over & make sure I understand their set up,.... Then we go out & have a fun dive. While there are a few differences, it is nothing insurmountable.

 

[halocline]

If your buddy is diving doubles with a long hose and you end up sharing his air, there is the danger that you will immediately realize that the long hose is the only sensible way to share air, and you'll be forced to buy one for yourself.

Other than that, its basically the same; weights are weights, BC releases are BC releases, etc...if they are big steel doubles, it might be a bit more work dragging your buddy off the bottom, but lets hope it never comes to that.