How to protect oneself against lax dive shop operators

[sytech]

There is a thread on ScubaBoard about how dive shop personnel can ascertain the proficiency of divers on a boat. It's worthwhile reading.

I would propose that it works the other way too. How to assess the competence and adherence to safety by the dive shop personnel?

Here are some of my cues:

*Obnoxious DM bragging about how trashed he got the night before.
*Crew members laughing along with DM about how trashed he got the night before.
*Poorly maintained rental equipment
*Boat captain trying to impress with speed and maneauvers

Anyone else have some suggestions?

Sy

 

[hvulin]

Try to achieve the level of competency where this doesn't influence you since you don't really depend on DMs and boat captains (unfortunately captains are hard not to depend on)...

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

*Obnoxious DM bragging about how trashed he got the night before.
*Crew members laughing along with DM about how trashed he got the night before.
*Poorly maintained rental equipment
*Boat captain trying to impress with speed and maneauvers


Sy

Have you actually had that happen? WOW....

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Try to achieve the level of competency where this doesn't influence you since you don't really depend on DMs and boat captains (unfortunately captains are hard not to depend on)...

Bingo. Got it in one.

 

[sytech]

Have you actually had that happen? WOW....

*Obnoxious DM bragging about how trashed he got the night before.
*Crew members laughing along with DM about how trashed he got the night before.
*Poorly maintained rental equipment
*Boat captain trying to impress with speed and maneauvers


Actually the above are a small mosaic.

*Yes, last year in South Florida. DM and his crew peppered many of his remarks about how buzzed they got the night before.

*Dive shop at well known resort on Roatan (Fantasy Island) had the most disorganized and lax equipment set up you can imagine. Raggady old wetsuits and scary looking BC's and regs. The set-up crew was completely incompetent to organize the 3 cattle boats they had going out. That was the day I decided that I would be buying all of my own equipment. Never would go back to that dump.

*Dive boat "captain" in Belize nearly caused a catastrophe which could have severly injured or killed several divers. See my post from November 2006.

There are lots of ****heads out there both as divers and as dive shop personnel. Caveat emptor squared.

Sy

 

[drbill]

Have you actually had that happen? WOW....

I've seen it happen a number of times./ Amazing that DiveMasters can afford to buy alcohol given what most of them make, but then I guess it's all about priorities!

 

[DandyDon]

Title is wrong - it's about charter operators...

Good suggestions, except what do you do? You're already paid and boarded when you hear and see this. Just abort the trip and go drinking?

Sure, it's good to be non-dependent on such, but then how can you not depend on the Skipper? And you want boat mates who are competent for emergencies, at least.

Ah, Scubaboard for reports on the Op...!!