Hand signals for tank pressure

[spacemanspiff1974]

I was told to do it all one handed. For 2300, it would be two fingers, three fingers and then a closed fist making two knocks.

 

[Mambo Dave]

I was told to do it all one handed. For 2300, it would be two fingers, three fingers and then a closed fist making two knocks.

what would that be for 2700 then?

Gotta admit I like Rick's method, but I have yet to meet anyone who has ever discussed using it with me. Rick, is this idea from a certain training agency? Or is it from your gang-bangin' days when you were flashing numbers from street corners in the 'hood?

We've been using the two hand method for the first two numbers, indicating thousands and hundreds, without adding on the zeroes at the end. This isn't a recommendation of our undiscussed method, I'm just saying a good number of us use it from what I can tell.

 

[brutus_scuba]

It is pretty much standard to flash your 5 fingers to indicate every 500 pounds. So if you had 1500 you would open and extend all five fingers then close and repeat 2 more times. If you have say 1700 you would flash 3 times and then flash 2 fingers for 1500 plus 200 pounds.

I know this is the Y Scuba standard

 

[do it easy]

"Proper" is what works for you and your buddy.
Personally, I use the "one handed" method of vertical fingers held apart for digits 1-5 and horizontal fingers held together for 6-9, and a circle of thumb and fingers for zero. To show 1700 psi, for example, I'd first hold up one finger vertically, then two together horizontally. I use one handed signals so I can shine a light held in the other hand on the signal.
Rick

I use something like this, although I rotate the palm and the wrist for 6-9- horizontal fingers and knuckles facing the "listener". I think these have their roots in sign language.

 

[The Chairman]

It's a cave diving thang. I have yet to meet a cave diver who did not use it.

 

[WetDawg]

http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/FreePDFs/Onehandnumbering.pdf

 

[radinator]

this is by far the easiest to use and is accepted in every place I have ever dove.

The 500-per-hand-flash is also very easy to confuse. I'm surrounded by people who do it and after a few incidents I'm at the point where I ignore that one and insist on seeing the gauge myself.

I had a buddy go OOA at 100' because he is flashing me his 500-500-500 hand so fast that it was a meaningless blur of twitching fingers.

One fix I've heard for that is to do alternate 500's on opposite sides of the hand. So 500-palm-out followed by 500-back-of-the-hand-out followed by 500-palm-out. This at least slows down the process and makes clear the first-500, second-500 separation.

Personally, I much prefer the 1-handed method described in the second post in the thread. Even though I was a math major in college, and have a Ph.D. in a different but very mathematical field, don't make me do math when I'm diving. Show me the digits.

 

[countryboy]

Well in over 100 dive destinations the standard I am referring to is if you are diving off a boat or with a buddy the standard signal for over 1500 is a thumbs up ......

NOT,... The thumbs up means only 1 thing... DIVE OVER!

The way Ricky explains is the easiest..

Vertical, 1 - 5
Horizontal, 6 - 9
Zero, closed fist


Many dive masters will ask your air w/in 10-15 mins from the start of the dive.. This gives them a good "feeling" as to how you are consuming your air..

The overall "best" way, is what you and your buddy decide...

 

[Sideband]

Well in over 100 dive destinations the standard I am referring to is if you are diving off a boat or with a buddy the standard signal for over 1500 is a thumbs up

A "thumbs up"? That has to be one of the worst methods I've heard yet. If someone gives me the thumbs up we are headed to the surface. Dive over. ESPECIALLY if I ask someone their remaining pressure, they look at their guage, and then give the thumb. My first thought would be that they are much lower on air than they thought and are aborting the dive. Talk about crossed signals. IMO the thumbs up has one meaning. Ascend. Not a question or a request but a statement. To start giving it other meanings takes that clarity away. If your air is, "OK", then give the "OK" signal.

Joe

 

[Sideband]

LOL. I see Countryboy and I are on the same page.

Joe