If I understand you correctly, you are in the water during the exercise but I am not sure if this is under the surface or above, which would effect being able to ask or tell your buddy about the gear, in this case the chest strap or excuse me but I am gonna
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I too don't usually consider gender aspects so much when diving. Being a trained rescue diver and a rescue volunteer for our local marine rescue, I am looking at safety first rather than placement of hands but there is also a level of respect as well as procedure that goes along with placement of hands.
I will tell you that my training is such that whomever I dive with, I do a pre-dive brief of my gear to make sure my buddy/buddies know a little about how it goes/how I use it/what to expect.... I want to know what their diving and I want them to know what I am diving. I also do a detailed buddy check to thoroughly go down one anothers gear prior to entering the water. Furthermore, my dive training is that (underwater) you point to your gear when your buddy has a problem, i.e. if the crotch strap has a problem you point to your own first; or if their light needs to be stowed away point to yours first. If that doesnt alert them then point to theirs. After that, if they need help, I point to mine then to me and theirs that way they have an idea that I am going to place my hands in that area.
Another thing, when assisting a diver to put on a BCD or take off a BCD (especially in a rescue situation) I often times use my knee to support their buttocks and that is less offensive. It also places me in a position to be more useful with my hands.
I would suggest that you do more pre-dive preparations to help with this type of situation in the future and realize that there probably is a significant difference in the way you are touching a person to assist with gear issues than to cop a feel. Also, skip the leg wrapping thing as it could lead to more problems than worrying about offending your buddy, or, your wife.
R
I too don't usually consider gender aspects so much when diving. Being a trained rescue diver and a rescue volunteer for our local marine rescue, I am looking at safety first rather than placement of hands but there is also a level of respect as well as procedure that goes along with placement of hands.
I will tell you that my training is such that whomever I dive with, I do a pre-dive brief of my gear to make sure my buddy/buddies know a little about how it goes/how I use it/what to expect.... I want to know what their diving and I want them to know what I am diving. I also do a detailed buddy check to thoroughly go down one anothers gear prior to entering the water. Furthermore, my dive training is that (underwater) you point to your gear when your buddy has a problem, i.e. if the crotch strap has a problem you point to your own first; or if their light needs to be stowed away point to yours first. If that doesnt alert them then point to theirs. After that, if they need help, I point to mine then to me and theirs that way they have an idea that I am going to place my hands in that area.
Another thing, when assisting a diver to put on a BCD or take off a BCD (especially in a rescue situation) I often times use my knee to support their buttocks and that is less offensive. It also places me in a position to be more useful with my hands.
I would suggest that you do more pre-dive preparations to help with this type of situation in the future and realize that there probably is a significant difference in the way you are touching a person to assist with gear issues than to cop a feel. Also, skip the leg wrapping thing as it could lead to more problems than worrying about offending your buddy, or, your wife.
R
