Checking your buddy's gas

[TSandM]

Well, so far, the poll is shaping up pretty much as I suspected it would.

The reason I thought technically trained divers would be different is because technical training incorporates gas planning. The gas supply brought by each diver is compared to the dive proposed, and a plan for gas usage is also made. This is a more "proactive" approach to gas supplies than the one of getting in the water and diving until your gas requires you shallow up or surface. The latter approach requires much more checking and involves much more uncertainty.

 

[chrpai]

The reason I thought technically trained divers would be different is because technical training incorporates gas planning.

Funny, I'm pretty sure that was covered in my recreational solo / self-reliant course. It's also covered in DIR-F which is a recreational level course.

I guess I just refuse to think that being a recreational diver, ie not having a tech card, is an excuse for being a hot mess under the water.

 

[dfx]

The reason I thought technically trained divers would be different is because technical training incorporates gas planning. The gas supply brought by each diver is compared to the dive proposed, and a plan for gas usage is also made.

But now I have to wonder: doesn't the tech diver consider the "what if" case? What if your buddy breathes heavier than anticipated, for whatever reason? Do you simply trust your buddy to let you know when/if that happens, before it becomes a problem? What if they don't?

 

[divin'dog]

If I'm diving with someone new, I check until I am comfortable with that person's skills and ability to monitor their own gas and get back safely. If with someone that I have dove with many times, then we already know what the other is capable of, I only check maybe in the middle of the dive so we're in sync at least with each other's gas, cause ya never know... maybe check also late in the dive if we're getting that last lobster so we both accurately know where each other is for gas and we're a little more aware of the situation.

 

[RJP]

But now I have to wonder: doesn't the tech diver consider the "what if" case? What if your buddy breathes heavier than anticipated, for whatever reason? Do you simply trust your buddy to let you know when/if that happens, before it becomes a problem? What if they don't?

What's my buddy (known or previously unknown) doing that's going to cause him to breathe "heavier than anticipated" that I will either not notice, or not be subjected to myself?

If you dive with me on a vacation spot recreational dive, we will have a pre-dive brief (or I won't dive with you) during which we'll discuss gas checks. Most people are surprised that you want to brief/plan, must less discuss details about gas planning. Typically I'll chat you up about consumption, and for the most part suggest that we notify each other at half-tank, or check in at any particular navigation points to determine if we have enough gas to do something particular. (Or if you tell me you want to check every five minutes because you're new and apprehensive, that's cool too. Whatever you and I plan is what we'll do. However, if we agree on the "half-tank check in" as our plan, If you ask me my pressure before half a tank, you'll get an "OK" from me. If you ask me a second time, you'll get an "OK" from me... and I'll ask for your pressure, because now I assume you're projecting your consumption on me. If you continue to ask me my pressure, you'll receive a different, but still universally understood, hand signal from me.

 

[Hepcat62]

When I'm diving with recreationally-trained buddies, I check. How often I check depends on how much diving I've done with them and how confident I am that THEY'RE monitoring their gas.

I don't check with my tech-brained buddies, except when we consider changing plans on the bottom. For example, on scooters at Point Lobos we might make the call to visit another site if everybody's got enough gas available. I should probably note that I'm considering Fundies (or equivalent) graduates with a bit of post-class experience to be "tech trained", since there's a consistent "tech" approach to gas planning and management being applied on those dives.

 

[Paulmal]

On tec dives, we calculate thirds before we dive And whoever hits thirds first let's the other know, Best part of Manifolded doubles is the isolated, if I need to share gas close the isolated 1/3 the gas got me in and it will get me out, Best part of being me is If I need to I can open it back up. All kidding aside.

I rarely check my buddies gas, But I dive with experienced divers.

 

[Hepcat62]

But now I have to wonder: doesn't the tech diver consider the "what if" case? What if your buddy breathes heavier than anticipated, for whatever reason? Do you simply trust your buddy to let you know when/if that happens, before it becomes a problem? What if they don't?

In addition to RJP's response, I'll add that a reasonable gas plan always involves a "minimum gas" pressure (people have different names for this), and oftentimes involves a turn-pressure. These pressures may be different for each diver. I don't care which diver reaches it first. When a diver reaches turn-pressure, we turn. When a diver reaches minimum-gas pressure, we begin our ascent. No questions, no discussion. Minimum-gas is always computed with stress/exertion in mind, at least as an approximation. If somebody's breathing heavier than expected, the dive is shorter than planned, but we're not running out of gas.

The only total failure is a diver not monitoring their own gas supply AT ALL, and pretty much every technically-trained diver I've met is at least aware enough to know that they're working harder than expected, and check their gas more frequently as a result. If they're not aware enough to do that, there's an extremely high chance that I wasn't willing to get into the water with them on a dive in the first place.

 

[Ayisha]

My regular buddies and I are pretty matched for gas consumption or know how much our buddy should have compared to what we have at any point in the dive. We'll let each other know at the beginning if we got a short fill or a particularly good fill. Whomever reaches our agreed on turn pressure first lets the other know and we turn around. I don't physically check. Just a signal and a response will suffice.

If I'm diving with someone I don't know well or who I know/suspect has higher gas consumption than me, I might signal for their pressure sooner, like when I've consumed 1/3 or less of my tank. Especially if I think they have higher gas consumption, may not be checking too often, and perhaps miss the agreed on turnaround pressure. Then I don't dive with them again.

 

[Superlyte27]

Switch to a CCR and be done with it.