Guided Dive cert card????

[MauiScubaSteve]

Most charter boats in Hawaii, the guides set up BC's and regs, on most boats before guests get on the boat. When the guest tries to hand us their gear bag we ask them to take out the BC and reg and hand them first. In extensive boat guiding over the last decade, only a grumpy handful of mostly BP/W divers have ever demanded to set up their own gear.

After the first dive we are swapping your tank, probably before you stow your mask, fins and weights under your seat. We check tank pressure on your gauge every time we attach it to a tank. I have only heard of inflating a BC if it's a tattered 30 year old Parkway or some such.

If Molokini dive charters do a decent 80' max depth multi level first dive, and then dive the St Anthony Wreck (65' mostly square profile) after a 45 minute SI, most rental computers (Suunto's) go into deco after ~30 minutes.

 

[TSandM]

I've had a lot of boats and resorts set up my gear (or try to -- the results are sometimes comical). I don't mind. I just go through and check everything myself, and readjust as necessary.

But I'd be very unhappy with a mandatory 30 minute dive time limit. I suppose the lesson is to ask those questions before booking, but it would never occur to me that dive time would be that short.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would be really unhappy getting treated like that. Unfortunately, house rules being what they are, you get the same treatment regardless of whether you've got 5 dives or 5,000.

How about letting us know who the dive op was, so we know who to avoid ... or are they all like that on St. Maarten?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ptyx]

I don't mind people messing with my gear, they're usually well intentioned and doing a quick check of my own before hitting the water is fast enough.

I've (sadly) found that it's always a good idea to ask how an operation run their dive before booking. Diving in a herd sized group, following a DM set on beating a speed record, with everyone ascending when the first overweight once-in-a-decade diver is out of air, on a barely-ok site because the boat doesn't have time to find a better one if it want to stays on schedule isn't my idea of a fun dive.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I would be really unhappy getting treated like that. Unfortunately, house rules being what they are, you get the same treatment regardless of whether you've got 5 dives or 5,000.

How about letting us know who the dive op was, so we know who to avoid ... or are they all like that on St. Maarten?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The Dive op was Dive Safari. I'm not sure what the rest are like on the Island.

The strange thing was the first Dive day was not as confrontational. I think I hardly mention the first day. This one DM was not working the first day. We dove with the Captain and he was great after the first "Checkout dive" (we did 2 more the first day).
I set my own gear up and no one touched it until they assisted switching tanks.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I've had a lot of boats and resorts set up my gear (or try to -- the results are sometimes comical). I don't mind. I just go through and check everything myself, and readjust as necessary.

But I'd be very unhappy with a mandatory 30 minute dive time limit. I suppose the lesson is to ask those questions before booking, but it would never occur to me that dive time would be that short.

I can reach my own tank valve some of the DM's look at me strange when I check it again after I feel them check it.

Yes I was unhappy with the 30 min time limit. I probably won't go back to St. Maarten but, If I go somewhere else that isn't a dive destination I'll be sure to ask.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Most charter boats in Hawaii, the guides set up BC's and regs, on most boats before guests get on the boat. When the guest tries to hand us their gear bag we ask them to take out the BC and reg and hand them first. In extensive boat guiding over the last decade, only a grumpy handful of mostly BP/W divers have ever demanded to set up their own gear.

After the first dive we are swapping your tank, probably before you stow your mask, fins and weights under your seat. We check tank pressure on your gauge every time we attach it to a tank. I have only heard of inflating a BC if it's a tattered 30 year old Parkway or some such.

If Molokini dive charters do a decent 80' max depth multi level first dive, and then dive the St Anthony Wreck (65' mostly square profile) after a 45 minute SI, most rental computers (Suunto's) go into deco after ~30 minutes.

Thanks for the input on how the boats in Hawaii work. I'll keep that in mind if/when we go there.

I would have understood the 30 min dive limit if my/My wife's computer was close to NDL or I was running low on air or any other VALID reason.

 

[flots am]

What's the point of doing this test ?

It proves that

• The BC actually holds air
• The overpressure/dump valve works and isn't corroded shut
• The bladder is still in reasonable shape

 

[elan]

It proves that

• The BC actually holds air
• The overpressure/dump valve works and isn't corroded shut
• The bladder is still in reasonable shape

Why would you want to do it before every dive ? Especially with a single tank where your BC would be nearly empty

 

[fisheater]

Why would you want to do it before every dive ? Especially with a single tank where your BC would be nearly empty

My theory is that it was just another way to use up air and keep the dives short, so the boat could get back early.