Danglies

[buton]

I was like that when this was not serious because of rental gear does not have any bolts clips to attach things..and some operators does not care about it, just the money...

 

[sotgecho]

We drill it into our student's head that octos and gauges should be clipped off.

It starts at the classroom and then reinforced at their pool sessions, shore dive, and finally their boat dive. No one enters the water without everything being clipped off.

We even show them how to make simple ones from bolt snaps and line.

 

[ActionScuba]

We see this a lot (we call them Christmas Trees) and most of the time it is simply ignorance.
In many cases the lesson of why it is important not to let your gear drag along the bottom, whether to protect your own investment or to protect the environment, simply does not get heard or retained from the initial certification training. And then later in life, people assume that divers should know this.

And in many cases, rental gear doesn`t come with all the right clips and nifty little octo holders so casual divers don`t have any other option.

The best ways to prevent the danglies, especially as a dive professional, are:
1 - be a good role model. Make a show in front of students and other divers of tucking away gear and explaining WHY you are doing it, even at higher levels.
2 - explain the whys not just the do`s and don`ts.
3 - point it out to offending divers in a non-confrontational manner. Something like "hey, i noticed you were dragging your SPG on that last dive, which I am sure you wouldn`t do on purpose. Is there something I can help you with to secure that for the next dive so it doesn`t get all banged up?"

 

[Rhone Man]

When is a dangly not a dangly though? I wear my SMB suspended from the bottom of my backplate, and so it "dangles" about 6 inches or so below the rim of the plate. I still consider it pretty well tucked away. I have seen people with long hoses draped loosely in all sorts of positions, whereas I get paranoid if it is not bungied tightly to the side of my tank.

 

[Splitlip]

We drill it into our student's head that octos and gauges should be clipped off.

It starts at the classroom and then reinforced at their pool sessions, shore dive, and finally their boat dive. No one enters the water without everything being clipped off.

We even show them how to make simple ones from bolt snaps and line.

I was going to post earlier, but work bla bla bla. I was out with one of the (your) JDC classes couple weeks ago. Each student had a console clipped off at the hip and an octo on the shoulder. From my pics, it seems you gave them wrist computers? Anyway, 2nd dive of the day was 60 and change. They were great. No danglies, good bouncy control and decent trim

 

[Pauly854]

When I first took the basic OW course in 1996, the did not preach the "no dangly" approach. All of the students, and instructors, had their octo and gauge console floating free. Shortly after this, I took a dive/resue class (not affiliated with a cert agency, i.e. PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc.). This class DID preach about dangling gear, and I carried that practice over to recreational diving. I was pleased when my son took OW last year, and they DID preach a streamline set up, and it was they same agency I took my class from. My point is: people who took OW classes many years ago, may not have been instructed this way. It has obviously changed over the years, but if someone has not taken additional courses, they may not have been exposed to this particular way of doing things. But I do think that anyone who is approached in the proper manner, will see the benefits, and adjust accordingly.

 

[sotgecho]

I was going to post earlier, but work bla bla bla. I was out with one of the (your) JDC classes couple weeks ago. Each student had a console clipped off at the hip and an octo on the shoulder. From my pics, it seems you gave them wrist computers?

We let them use a Tec 2G if they are doing Nitrox so they can track their CNS% and get them used to using a computer i.e. setting it, reading the display, etc.

Anyway, 2nd dive of the day was 60 and change. They were great. No danglies, good bouncy control and decent trim

Thanks for compliments; it isn't all me I have good instructors.

PS I will be on the boat on Thursday if you are available to go.

 

[p1p]

I come from a Navy SEAL background. Dangling gear is expressly forbidden. We used to refer to those people as "Christmas Trees".

I dont even like having my BCD inflator dangling

 

[Blue Sparkle]

My point is: people who took OW classes many years ago, may not have been instructed this way.

When I took OW the first time in 2005, I remember that the console, etc. were just completely free-floating. This seemed weird to me, so I asked about it, and "No, that's just how it works, no problem." There was zero talk about tidying up the rig, etc. (I don't know that it's a very good excuse, but this was Great Lakes diving so there at least was no coral to mess up.)

Was it ever nice to get my own BC so that I could set it up how I wanted to and clip things off. Ahhhhh.

 

[Red fins]

It starts at the classroom and then reinforced at their pool sessions, shore dive, and finally their boat dive. No one enters the water without everything being clipped off.

We even show them how to make simple ones from bolt snaps and line.

I like the idea of showing new divers how to make simple clips.
Knowing things like that can come in handy when you have to use rental gear that doesnt have clips.

I like knowing exactly where all my gear is. Cant wait untill I can afford all my own kit!!