Does your dive boat staff setup your gear?

[Rick Inman]

The polite way around this is to ask him to check your work after you set your gear up. That gives him the impression you respect his knowledge, whether you mean it or not.
It is not in your best interests to tick these people off before the dive.

Huh??
"Excuse me, can you check my gear to see if I set it up the way I like it? I don't really respect you - just wasting your time to make you feel better."

This doesn't make sense.
Or maybe I missed my first OW class and don't remember how.

"Excuse me, I'm such a dangerous, inexperienced diver that I don't even know how to set up my own gear. So could you do it for me so no one will notice how dangerous it might be to dive with me?"

Any deck hand that gets "ticked off" for me setting up my own gear has the wrong job (fast food, maybe?).
Just MHO.

Don, you're the charter boat capt., so you would know better than me, but you would think that you would respect a diver who can - and wants to - take care of themselves?

 

[Bretagne]

Where I dive, we set our gear up on the quay, as the boat is too small (zodiac type). Every certified does it himself, but they help the unexperimented if needed.

 

[Mako Mark]

I've ran into these guys in Cozumel and Belize, and some of them got defensive when I asked them to not do it;

It happens a lot around here, in fact it is rare that people bring their own gear, so the DM's get used to just doing everything for everyone.

Try not ot get too self righteous about it, it is not meant as an insult, they are trying to help and do their job. If it is your gear, then you have every right to set it up how you want, but dont get offended if someone tells you to sit down while they take care of everything. I would let them and check it if it is rental, or do it myself if it is my gear.

Whichever way, relax and enjoy the dive.

 

[Don Burke]

Huh??
"Excuse me, can you check my gear to see if I set it up the way I like it? I don't really respect you - just wasting your time to make you feel better."

This doesn't make sense.

Maybe you could have someone read it to you. After all, you wrote it.

Or maybe I missed my first OW class and don't remember how.

"Excuse me, I'm such a dangerous, inexperienced diver that I don't even know how to set up my own gear. So could you do it for me so no one will notice how dangerous it might be to dive with me?"

You are going to have to point out in this thread where someone suggested this was the case. It is hidden beyond my capability to discover.

Any deck hand that gets "ticked off" for me setting up my own gear has the wrong job (fast food, maybe?).

The pay would often be better. Of course after you have called him "a dive boat monkey", he may not notice when your mask or computer is about to get crunched by a weightbelt or tank. He also might have trouble keeping some fish guts from falling in your dive bag.

Just MHO.

Don, you're the charter boat capt., so you would know better than me, but you would think that you would respect a diver who can - and wants to - take care of themselves.

Certainly. However, a portion of those people coming aboard bought a cattleboat ticket and think they bought an exclusive charter on the Nekton Pilot. A mate has no way of knowing and is just trying to get a decent tip out of the deal.

Belittling people is rarely the way to go.

 

[Rick Inman]

Of course after you have called him "a dive boat monkey"...

Ouch! Not me. I'm suggesting that someone who is not allowed to set up their own gear, is being treated as less than a monkey.

However, a portion of those people coming aboard bought a cattleboat ticket and think they bought an exclusive charter on the Nekton Pilot.

Ah, that explains it. Guess I wasn't talking Cattleboat and you were. My bad.

A mate has no way of knowing and is just trying to get a decent tip out of the deal.

Humm. Now that I know their REAL motivation...

Belittling people is rarely the way to go.

Agreed! Assuming I'm not on a Cattleboat, I expect to be respected when it comes to the care and setup of my dive gear.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

It's common for divemasters and deck hands to setup gear. I have seen this quite often in Cozumel, the Cayman Isands, and Costa Rica.

On some dive boats they will ask if you need assistance. If there is a large group I will do my own so that the DM can help others.

When someone else sets up my gear I personally inspect it just to make sure everything is where it's suppose to be.

Setting up and taking gear down is part of the learning process in OW classes and I let students do this as often as possible.

When I'm on vacation I don't mind letting someone else handle part of the work.

Jim Baldwin

 

[Don Burke]

Ouch! Not me. I'm suggesting that someone who is not allowed to set up their own gear, is being treated as less than a monkey.

In the post that started this thread, the divers did set up their own gear. I have never heard of a boat that would not let them.

Ah, that explains it. Guess I wasn't talking Cattleboat and you were. My bad.

The same is true of charterboats and liveaboards. There is always someone.

Humm. Now that I know their REAL motivation...

Back when I was on active duty, people would get upset when I referred to myself as a mercenary. The key question is "Would you do this for a quarter of your current pay?" Boat crews are no different.

Agreed! Assuming I'm not on a Cattleboat, I expect to be respected when it comes to the care and setup of my dive gear.

Even if you are on a cattleboat, there are ways of getting along.
Even if you chartered the Pacific Princess, there are ways of getting along.
People tend to react to the way you treat them.

 

[lee08]

I don't like people touching my gear. But then again when you are the acting dive master helping people with there gear is a way to make sure that it is put together properly reducing problems you may have underwater such as tanks slipping out or whatever. I always ask first before touching anyones gear, it is out of respect. I can alway watch from a distance to make sure it is done right. People are too worried about upsetting the dive master. We are getting paid to do what we love, your not going to hurt my feeling by telling me to leave your gear alone. In fact you might find that the some divemasters will respect you more for it. Remember when you are out diving with a group of people you don't know such as on a dive boat not everyone on that boat deserves to have the "C" card that got them there. Oh, about checking ones valve before making the jump, why don't divemaster just ask "how much air is in your tank" or "did you turn your air on?" If I have another "stroke" turn my air off before jumping off the boat I will..........

 

[one90proof]

Just for clarification....the deck hand in my example is not a Dive Master. He holds an OW cert and has about 60 dives under his belt. He's a really nice guy and is quite helpful on the boat even without setting up my gear.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm glad to see that others feel that same way I do.

-Craig

 

[Hank49]

You Toucha my gear I breaka you face!

No way. Do you want to rely on him doing it right?

gary D.

I've been on a live aboard and well, Coco View on Roatan, where the staff sets up all divers gear and places it on the boat. We just showed up.
Let's face it. Scuba gear isn't exactly rocket science. Pretty simple stuff. Although I do like to press and slowly release my purge button when opening the tank valve to help preserve my high pressure seat, I don't mind someone setting up the gear. "don't touch my gear". Come on, relax. Hank