LDS and Air Fills

[scubalifer]

This will be short. I don't have time to go into great detail but here is the facts. Last weekend we were on a "clean up" underwater at our local lake. This lake happens to have a few dive shops on it and they of course fill your tank. I can not count the number of times I have had my tanks filled at both of them and no one even asked where I was cert. let alone if they could see my card. They are much more concerned with vip. stickers and hydro's. If your tank is good then here is your air.

Case in point. We volunteered to take a couple out on our boat for the clean up. If you two are reading this post then pay attention. Ok. They got cert. two years ago at a resort. Sometime recently AOW and still only had 12 dives in the entire two years. We did not find out all of the details until we were in the process of things. I had a bad feeling. I did not want to be responsible for either of them. I guess as the owner of the boat I did have the right to ask to see there cards and or log book but then later found out that the wife doesn't even log her few dives, and her husband puts her gear together. When I did get back to the shop for an air fill I told the shop owner that these two should not be allowed to go below twenty feet. How can anyone be so reckless. He seemed like a pretty uptight engineer.

Not bashing engineers just he was a bit up tight if you know what I mean.

I guess my point is that the shop putting this all together should have reviewed cards, logs or both and done a bit of screening and I should not have had to.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

I really don't see anything wrong with this...They ARE certified and therefore can fill tanks. Did anything go wrong on their dives? Were they reckless or incompetent? Who are you to say how deep they should go?

Big deal the husband puts the wifes gear together...He's getting off lucky if you ask me...I assemble my wife's gear and have to hump it to the shoreline or boat.

Oh, and I quit logging dives around...around the time I finished my OW cert back in '89. Its personal preference. The only reason I have a log now is I bought a dive computer.

 

[PerroneFord]

Did they tell the shop they were going out to the lake cleanup? For all the shop guy knew, they were headed to a pool to practice. You run the boat. If they don't get on your boat, they don't dive.

If something unfortunate had occured, you think people would have looked at the shop? Or you?

 

[300bar]

And why should you even be cert. to get airfills??
We fill scubatanks for paintball clubs,airrifle clubs
electronic repairshops and lots more.
Should you be cert. for diving... yes of course but they had a AOW
so they should,within there limits,be able to dive.
If you, as a boat owner don't trust them get them off you boat.

jjust my 2ct

 

[EvilSlumLord]

Yeah, as much as I can relate to the concerns of the OP, I'm not sure what grounds the LDS would have to deny them air fills. Sounds like a good way for them to get a bad rep (even if they are trying to do good), particularly when the people are certified (which doesn't necessarily mean they are qualified to dive given how much they really absorbed, how often they really dive, ...).

Ultimately I agree that if you are uncomfortable with them diving then don't enable them by letting them on your boat. You'd probably have to explain to them why you are leaving them at the dock (I can imagine some people getting pretty steamed about that) but at least you haven't given them the opportunity to hurt themselves or others. Also agree with the post that having to assemble the wife's gear isn't necessarily a disqualifying situation. If it is clear she had no idea how anything worked or how to use it safely, that's one thing but it could just be the way they work as a team (or she is lazy ).

 

[EvilSlumLord]

And why should you even be cert. to get airfills??

I believe the original *intent* was to have this be the last line of defense to keep those really not qualified to dive from killing themselves. You can buy all the equipment (or even borrow it) but without a full air tank you aren't going anywhere. I guess they expected having the shop check for the c-card as the way to stop you from just diving in. Now admittedly you could borrow a full tank from a friend just as much as their gear (although I would say they aren't much of a friend if they let you do this as a untrained diver) but I don't think it is a bad idea.

Unfortunately I have yet to be to a dive shop that verified I was a diver before or after filling my tank. I walk in, say I need a fill and a few minutes later I am on my way (and yes, I am a certified diver...). I wish they would check this more but it just doesn't appear to be common (at least in my area).

 

[redacted]

We volunteered to take a couple out on our boat for the clean up.

Your problem starts here. I expect you will be more selective in the future.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Case in point. We volunteered to take a couple out on our boat for the clean up. If you two are reading this post then pay attention. Ok. They got cert. two years ago at a resort. Sometime recently AOW and still only had 12 dives in the entire two years. We did not find out all of the details until we were in the process of things. I had a bad feeling. I did not want to be responsible for either of them. I guess as the owner of the boat I did have the right to ask to see there cards and or log book but then later found out that the wife doesn't even log her few dives, and her husband puts her gear together. When I did get back to the shop for an air fill I told the shop owner that these two should not be allowed to go below twenty feet. How can anyone be so reckless. He seemed like a pretty uptight engineer.

I realize you didn't have time to tell the whole story but I'm missing the "reckless" part. You don't have to log your dives if you don't want to so that's not being reckless. Twelve dives in two years isn't that uncommon, some people have even fewer over a longer period of time. I wouldn't consider the simple fact that they hadn't done a lot of diving since certification to be reckless. Husband putting her gear together; the act in itself isn't reckless. The facts as presented don't provide a valid argument for limiting their depth.

When you get a chance to expand on the story the "reckless" evaluation may make more sense. Like the others said, if the wife had no clue about how her gear should be assembled or how it operated that's a problem. How were they in the water? People who haven't been diving in a while are going to be a little shaky at first, there's a difference between getting the feel of diving again and being reckless. A refresher is always best when you have taken time off from diving but let's face it, most people don't bother. True, their first dive should be shallow to let them sort themselves out but the second dive generally goes smoother.

I'm not saying your "reckless" evaluation was wrong I just need more information to understand it. Trust your gut in these situations, if you don't like the situation diplomatically tell them you don't want them on your boat. It's not always easy to do the right thing.

Looking forward to "the rest of the story."
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Meng_Tze]

This will be short. I don't have time to go into great detail but here is the facts. Last weekend we were on a "clean up" underwater at our local lake. This lake happens to have a few dive shops on it and they of course fill your tank. I can not count the number of times I have had my tanks filled at both of them and no one even asked where I was cert. let alone if they could see my card. They are much more concerned with vip. stickers and hydro's. If your tank is good then here is your air.

Case in point. We volunteered to take a couple out on our boat for the clean up. If you two are reading this post then pay attention. Ok. They got cert. two years ago at a resort. Sometime recently AOW and still only had 12 dives in the entire two years. We did not find out all of the details until we were in the process of things. I had a bad feeling. I did not want to be responsible for either of them. I guess as the owner of the boat I did have the right to ask to see there cards and or log book but then later found out that the wife doesn't even log her few dives, and her husband puts her gear together. When I did get back to the shop for an air fill I told the shop owner that these two should not be allowed to go below twenty feet. How can anyone be so reckless. He seemed like a pretty uptight engineer.

Not bashing engineers just he was a bit up tight if you know what I mean.

I guess my point is that the shop putting this all together should have reviewed cards, logs or both and done a bit of screening and I should not have had to.

I am not sure I see an issue.......what happened that is dangerous, or reckless? Maybe it is reckless to 'just do a clean up' with unknowns?

Not bashing, just asking

 

[sharkattack]

No C-card needed for air fills. For equipment rental, thats another issue.