Have you ever missed a dive due to equipment malfunctions?

[FireDiver443]

A couple weeks ago, I thumbed a dive because of a shattered mask... of course, one could also say it's simply that my brain is wired poorly, too (either way, an equipment malfunction!).

Our group was diving with a company that we'd told "please don't set up our gear." When I stowed my gear after our morning dives, everything was fine. When, despite our request, they took it upon themselves to set up my gear for the night dive, they didn't secure my tank on the boat and when the unattended tank fell, it smashed my mask. Very frustrating to me because it was so unnecessary.

I dove frustrated once a couple years ago and, despite the dozen or so reef sharks in the water with us, I was absolutely miserable until I worked through it. My wife skipped this dive so I could have used her mask, but knowing that I don't enjoy diving when I'm feeling frustrated, I thumbed it and enjoyed a beautiful night sky and loaned my dive lights and camera to other folks on the dive. The charter replaced my mask so I didn't miss any dives over the rest of the week and also let us set up our own gear for the rest of our time with them.

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

I blew a HP hose after my first dive (was sitting on my tank admiring a beautiful 17th century bottle when it went - almost jumped outta the boat) blew another HP at about 30 ft, hose 'bout beat me to death flailing around - both situations, just plugged the outlet and kept going. Forgot to pack my regulator once (duh-huh) ...made the dive anyway, wore my gear backwards and breathed off the valve (wink). partner lost his mask once - told him "bump you" and went without him...he ate the lunch I'd packed while I was down and drank all the post-dive beer.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'm a big believer in backups. When I dive locally I have enough spare gear in my car to completely outfit another diver ... including a save-a-dive tank. When I travel places that require a drysuit, I bring a spare drysuit (has saved me or someone else the dive many times).

I've missed dives a few times for a variety of reasons ... but not because of gear. If something breaks (or more likely I just forgot to bring it), I just grab the spare and go.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[charlesml3]

I don't think I've ever missed a dive because of a failure, but I've sure saved a few other divers from sitting on the boat. My "save a dive" kit is composed of all the gear I've since upgraded. My old reg is in the bag, old mask straps since I went to the nice ones, old fin straps since I went to springers, old weight belt since I went integrated, old mask since I bought a new one....

I've loaned that stuff out on many occasions. The best was the guy who was ragging on me for carrying all "that extra junk around" and then had to borrow my backup mask the next day because he left his in the rinse tank.

 

[wedivebc]

Before the days of HID (well before I could afford one) I was setting up my gear and smelled rubber burning. I noticed my 35w halogen light had turned on the the head was resting against my drysuit neck seal melting a hole in it. I have had plenty of others but that was most memorable.
I have missed more dives from forgetting an important piece of gear.

 

[ClayJar]

I keep at least one full reg set in my bag, plus tools and miscellany. When my buddy's reg has a slight freeflow when she set her gear up, we just put it away and dove the spare (rather than attempt a rushed field diagnosis and repair). When I hit the pool with a class only to discover a first stage leak, it took but a moment to swap over. I have a spare mask or two, redundant computers, and quite a bit of practice single-finning it (hehe, okay, that's just because it's fun, but hey... ).

Of course, there *was* that one time during my DM course... I packed everything for the pool session, even going so far as to pack *all* my various footwear in a bag (just in case). Naturally, I left the very carefully packed shoe-bag in the driveway at home. I ended up doing the DM skills in some worn-out slippers I happened to have in the car.

After that incident, which left me in a bit of pain for the rest of the week until everything healed up, I've been doubly-sure to carry backups of anything "critical" to the diving... and as I leave, I double-check that the driveway's empty. :biggrin:

 

[Jchoby]

Torn wrist seal on dry suit
Dead batt on computer... indicator showed full strength but died upon hitting cold water

 

[rrrru4ril]

I was diving off Sint Maarten and had just come up from my first dive when one of the guides told me that my Apollo Biofilter was leaking badly. I couldn't see it myself but did notice some leakage at the surface. Rather than take a chance, I skiped the next dive which was also the last dive of our vacation. No big deal. I had 7 dives that vacation off Sint Maarten and Saba so I wasn't overly upset. They offered the use of their extra, spare octo/regulators but I didn't like the look of it as it had been banged up and seemed suspect. Better safe than sorry.

I had the Apollo Biofilter removed when we returned from vacation and haven't had any issues since. My wife still has her Apollo Biofilter and hasn't had any problems, so that's just the way it goes.

 

[swifttank]

baaahahahahaa

edit: i joined this thread a bit late, i was laughing at scubasteve.

 

[RJP]

I've never missed one due to my own gear failure, but crewing on a boat I do see it all the time.

In fact, I've missed several dives due to loaning my own personal equipment to a passenger who had something of their's fail. In fact recently lent my entire rig/doubles/etc to a rebreather diver who had his RB go squirrely on him.

PS - I was on a boat in FL once where the captain lent me his own gear when part of my kit went squirrely on me. Good Karma goes around and comes around!