Do you turn the air off or leave it on after setting up on a tank?

[Divin'Papaw]

why purge the regs? increases risk of saltwater intrusion on a bumpy boat as well as o-ring issues if the first stage starts turning.

Good point. Rarely are my boat rides long enough these days. Typically I just leave everything on. Thinking back I might have been mistaken when I said I sometimes purge the regs when the tank is off. I don't recall the last time I did that. Maybe I never did! If the boat ride is long, like when diving off of Naples on some of the off-shore sites, I may turn the tank off if I'm not close to my kit but I leave everything charged.

 

[Brett Hatch]

Once I turn mine on, I leave them on, and I have never encountered a meaningful leak.

For shore dives, I leave it on, even if that means it sits there for half an hour or more.

For boat dives, I keep it off during the ride out, then turn it on at the earliest opportunity after the boat arrives at the dive site.

What's the difference between a boat dive and a shore dive? Only difference I've noticed is that on boats, deckhands have a habit of fiddling with my s*** when I'm not looking. Probably 90% of my dives are from the shore though, so I could well be ignorant of an important difference here.

 

[johndiver999]

There is a huge difference. Gear is getting slammed around by waves, spray and water can be going everywhere. People can fall, or bump into your gear and with the motors running you can't hear sheeet. there is absolutely no comparison between a picnic table and a dive boat.

 

[Outbound]

If it's going to be just a short while before we splash and I'm going to be right near my rig, I leave the tank valve on. If it's going to be a while or I'm not going to be near my rig, then I turn it off and turn it back on before diving.

My biggest rule though - as some others have pointed out - is that NO ONE TOUCHES MY GEAR OTHER THAN ME! On two separate occasions I've had well intentioned but otherwise clueless DMs (who were not acting as DMs on the dive, they just happened to be DMs who were diving with us) grab my valve as I was walking past them, trying to check if my air was on. A) This resulted in an annoying backwards jerk that really pisses me off, and B) Both times they ended up turning my valve off, since it was already on. Both times I had to tell the idiots that the valve was already open and now they needed to re-open it.

 

[Bob DBF]

If I stay with the gear, for a short ride, I leave it on. If I leave the tank, I turn it off and bleed it. I changed my practice after splashing and chanting You dumb m*********r, as I turned the valve back on.

 

[tbone1004]

Because, if there is no air in the reg. it will be harder to jump in and go down with the valve off, as I explained above.

put your tank valve where you can reach it. Jump in with the gas off, reach back and turn it back on....

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . On two separate occasions I've had well intentioned but otherwise clueless DMs (who were not acting as DMs on the dive, they just happened to be DMs who were diving with us) grab my valve as I was walking past them, trying to check if my air was on. A) This resulted in an annoying backwards jerk that really pisses me off, and B) Both times they ended up turning my valve off, since it was already on. Both times I had to tell the idiots that the valve was already open and now they needed to re-open it.

If a crew member does that, I politely turn and say I need to return to my seat so I can re-check it myself.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

put your tank valve where you can reach it. Jump in with the gas off, reach back and turn it back on....

This!!

I regularly (every few dives) reach back and practice turning my valve. I "reset" the muscle memory as to where the valve is, how far I have to stretch to reach it and make sure I can turn it. I don't do a full valve drill because it's a single and not doubles but I make sure I can reach and turn the valve. This gives me the confidence to know that IF I were to ever accidentally jump in with the valve off or partially off I can easily rectify the issue myself. This task was also part of my Solo course as it should be.

 

[tbone1004]

This!!

I regularly (every few dives) reach back and practice turning my valve. I "reset" the muscle memory as to where the valve is, how far I have to stretch to reach it and make sure I can turn it. I don't do a full valve drill because it's a single and not doubles but I make sure I can reach and turn the valve. This gives me the confidence to know that IF I were to ever accidentally jump in with the valve off or partially off I can easily rectify the issue myself. This task was also part of my Solo course as it should be.

it's a requirement for all of my new divers. We get them in the habit that as soon as they descent they go horizontal and manipulate their tank valve to make sure it's all the way open, then as they are close to the bottom they will tighten their waist belt and weight belt since everything has shifted. It's a good habit to get into. I've seen well meaning but green dive masters check tank valves and actually turn them most of the way off before, so it's always a good thing to make sure it's all the way open.

 

[fisheater]

I turn it off. I don't want to worry about losing gas. I ALWAYS pre-breathe both regs just before entry, so I will catch it if I have forgotten to turn it back on.