How many have legitimately used your knife/shears underwater in an emergency?

[Jax]

Out of curiosity, did he have a bad attitude or was it something else the other diver did that made it fortunate he dropped the class, or was it just because he didn't react the way you think he should have when you weren't in his situation? Was there nothing more he could have gained by finishing the class? (A bad attitude would prevent someone from learning, especially if they won't admit they could have reacted in a better fashion)

I'm assuming the point of the rescue class isn't to teach someone to be a pararescue jumper and how to do HALO jumps into the middle of the pacific ocean to rescue people from a sunken submarine surrounded by Soviet frogmen itchin' for an under-water knife fight (now THAT would be a good Hollywood action movie!), but rather to give a diver an idea of what to do in an emergency situation.

fftopic:

The diver wasn't as strong in his abilities as he thought -- he kind of panicked. However, he signed up for a few private sessions, practiced a lot of skills, and went back to retake and pass his rescue dives.

:focus:

 

[Roko]

fftopic:

The diver wasn't as strong in his abilities as he thought -- he kind of panicked. However, he signed up for a few private sessions, practiced a lot of skills, and went back to retake and pass his rescue dives.

:focus:

Cool, glad to hear he recognized it and got the lessons he needed. It's always a shame when people quit diving because something didn't go right when they were new.

 

[Jax]

This diver was a guy who hadn't dived in a few years, and he saw the class as a 'skills-enhancer'.

The incident was definitely scary, though - we were at that point in six feet of water, as our 'search' took us closer to shore. Because of his instant REaction to the line, he literally snagged himself and by turning and heading up, tied himself to the pier support. I reached out and felt the mess, and grabbed scissors because the way he was kicking around, I was afraid I'd cut him. I got him loose enough from the pole and he shot up. Took us a little while to cut the stuff off, and there were a fair number of hooks. He dragged up a lawn chair that was entangled, as well. After that, he said he'd had enough, and left.

IF I had not been close, he could have been severely trapped - Good buddy skills and awareness are paramount. Not panicking is #1, though.

 

[Dsix36]

I have had buddies cut a line loose from me on 2 separate occassions, so far. I have had to cut fishing line out of my scooter prop once. I was hooked by a trawler and had to cut myself free as I was being pulled upward and out to sea (I was diving out of the range of the dive boat, so don't tell them).

 

[CuNanoTube]

My Pumpkin is on the left.

 

[WetBoy101]

I used my knife to cut a fish loose. He had been hooked by a fisherman then got the line all tangled around some coral. The line going to the shore broke but the fish was still attached to the coral. Couldn't get the hook out but did manage to free him. An emergency? It was to the fish!!

 

[cloudflint]

Ive had to cut a couple of guys out after they have been snagged in fishing line, usually its just a case of line getting wrapped around their tank post of 1st stage. I wouldn't call either of them an emergency though since we where both still breathing

 

[miketsp]

We were on a live-aboard close to a bunch of rocks we were about to dive. I was first into the water early because I wanted to check my weighting. The current suddenly shifted and the boat started swinging on the anchor line and the helmsman had to start up the engine. He warned me to stand off but in his hurry forget there was a dinghy tied off aft under the stern and the painter went under and wrapped around the prop (big one about 36") and shaft. Now there was panic with the big boat swinging in towards the rocks and no power.
He shut down and asked if I had a knife. Fortunately I had a decent one, recently sharpened strapped to my calf.
A line cutter would have been useless - what would have been even better would be a hacksaw. To the touch the turns of rope around the shaft felt like steel bar - they were hard under the tension. And luckily the same tension helped cut the rope because as I sawed at it the turns opened up and the rope came away easily.
It seemed like I was sawing for ages but I was able to get the prop cleared in time for the boat to power up and get control.

 

[Steve50]

feet first descent in a heavily fished lake - used knife to cut away enough fishing line tangled around both fins to make kicking impossible.

 

[BDSC]

I carried a knife during the first couple of years I was certified. Never had to use it so I eventually quit carrying it and hadn't needed one or even seen anyone else need one in the last 18 years. I'd say at least half of the divers I know, if not more, don't use one on their dives. Of course most of my diving has been in the Caribbean where for the most part, fishing isn't even allowed in those areas where you dive.