Dive boat etiquette - when to turn the dive on a charter?

[Roy_W]

Having recently done my CMAS 3*, it was drilled into our heads that Dive Planning is everything.. Regardles of who dives with who. The general dive plan "must" be discussed before anyone hits the water. This would be the Captains obligation as he is responsable for the general dive plan. The logic would be that, if the OP dives solo, then the group would have been made aware of this beforehand.

There-after it is the up to the individual dive groups to communicate between themselves about material, dive computer differences, experience, hand signals etc

Something that I don't understand, why did the "Rescue" diver not look at the SPG, or at least ask for the remaining pressure, in order to evaluate the situation ?

There is another problem about being level "Rescue Diver" or above, "Insurance and Legal". If I have understood correctly a Rescue Diver or above has the legal obligation to assist someone in "danger". failure to do so could result in legal proceding, this obviously has it's up and downs.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Having recently done my CMAS 3*, it was drilled into our heads that Dive Planning is everything.. Regardles of who dives with who. The general dive plan "must" be discussed before anyone hits the water. This would be the Captains obligation as he is responsable for the general dive plan. The logic would be that, if the OP dives solo, then the group would have been made aware of this beforehand.

The liability laws are much different in France, which likely is why there is a mindset difference.

In the Palm Beach area the DM gives a dive briefings with the maximum times allowed by the crew and that they want you on the boat with 500psi. Beyond that you plan your dive with your buddy or in your head if you are solo. With drift diving group diving is pretty hard to do, and the group often breaks up into smaller groups or into pairs/singles. But the diving is very tilted toward locals and not vacation divers. In vacation diver destinations and operators they will largely plan the dive for you.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Having recently done my CMAS 3*, it was drilled into our heads that Dive Planning is everything.. Regardles of who dives with who. The general dive plan "must" be discussed before anyone hits the water. This would be the Captains obligation as he is responsable for the general dive plan. The logic would be that, if the OP dives solo, then the group would have been made aware of this beforehand.

This is done on all the boats that I use in this area and specifically on the charter in question for this thread. There is a full, complete safety briefing, procedure briefing, and a dive site briefing for each site. In the instance the OP mentioned, he WAS diving within the guidelines stipulated by the boat. That is the reason for the "what the heck are you doing?" reaction when this fellow customer decided he needed to be rescued.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

More thinking along the lines of a single finger salute to a “rescuer” who doesn’t get the hint that I’m fine and they should/can leave me alone lol

After more cordial and traditional tank pressure exchange hand signals of course

 

[Scraps]

There is another problem about being level "Rescue Diver" or above, "Insurance and Legal". If I have understood correctly a Rescue Diver or above has the legal obligation to assist someone in "danger". failure to do so could result in legal proceding, this obviously has it's up and downs.

I don't think this is correct. One of the first things we teach in the Rescue Diver class is deciding whether you can provide assistance safely. If not, you're not supposed to attempt the rescue.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I was just diving in Bali in Lembongan. We were 3 divers and dived with one Indonesian DM. The DM was really surprised to have a diver who could match him on air. Anyway we discussed with the dive op owner if myself and my instructor buddy could do longer than 60 minute dives and they said sure. Our 3rd guy wasn't so good on air. On one dive in a fast current he has to go to the surface as he tried to match us and ran himself down to 20 bar. Current was ripping so the guide with with him on the surface and popped his SMB. Myself and dive buddy stayed below enjoying a fast drift dive snapping the odd photo here and there then sprinting to catch up with the guys on the surface. We got an additional 15 minutes of great dive time.

One another occasion the DM was actually the dive shop owner who dived with us. After 45 minutes he would peel off our lower on air buddy to another DM so we could then continue and do 75 minute dives. Again discussed prior to dives being done.
On other dives we did less than 60 minutes in the 22c temp Mola Mola dives, not because I was low on air but because all the skinny people in their 5mm wetsuits were too cold. lol

 

[uncfnp]

The only issue I see is that if the group and the dive guide carrying the ball was going up then the dive flag guiding the boat is going up as well. So at that point the diver truly is solo diving without any prior conversation with the Captain. Eric and I have soloed frequently in WPB lobster hunting, including this boat (and throughly enjoyed) but would not do so without the Captain’s knowledge. I want him to expect and know to watch for a diver away from his group.

 

[Roy_W]

The liability laws are much different in France, which likely is why there is a mindset difference.

Yes, you are probably correct that this might just be a French thing, it is a concept that we are taught in France and I believe might be derived from the following law

https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000006417779/2002-01-01

The translation would be as follows :

"Anyone who can prevent by his immediate action, without risk to him or to third parties, either a crime or an offence against the bodily integrity of the person voluntarily refrains from doing so is punishable by five years' imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros. The same penalties shall be imposed on anyone who voluntarily fails to provide a person in danger with the assistance which, without risk to him or to third parties, he could lend him either by his personal action or by provoking assistance."

It's not just related to diving, it's basically applicable to any circumstance.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @tigerbarb

I'm still confused about what happened. Was the dive guide and the group ascending while you were still on the reef and had the intervention by the other diver?

I have not dived off Kyalami, frequently use JDC. I do not know the allotted bottom time on that boat, what is it? With JDC, the bottom time is 45 min and they expect you on the surface in the low 50s minutes.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I still don't really understand the issue and it has been a while since I dove on a charter boat, but if a recreational diver is drifting alone, has no dive flag, has been down longer than expected, then I don't think it is unreasonable for someone to swim down, investigate and ensure that the diver is Ok and ask to take a peek at their computer and air supply.

Sounds like someone tried to help, I would show them my console and wave to them and hopefully everyone would be satisfied.

As I dive with AI, I'm not bending my arm around for anyone to look at my DC. If they don't understand the technical diver way of indicating cylinder pressure, I'll give a signal they are sure to understand. If I'm diving within the parameters of the dive in terms of time, the fact that I'm blowing bubbles is all they need to know.

If the person started to frantically signal that I must ascend, then I assume I would comply. There may well be an emergency on the boat that requires all passengers to board ASAP.

In every dive boat I've been on, the captain has briefed us that he'd be banging on the ladder in the case of an emergency. I'm not cutting my dive short if I'm diving within time agreed parameters, unless it is the DM. I'd ignore some rando.

If the person started to physically drag me to the surface or something, then I'm not sure exactly what I would do, other than to do my best to capture gopro footage of the incident.

We could do the mash the inflator button experiment we discussed in the other thread.