New Buddy Checklist...

[1_T_Submariner]

Good list. I took an insta buddy for a tour of one of my regular sites one time. I was asked to by the owner. Things that could have been prevented by using your list.
1. He could have been properly weighted. (he never dove with 7 mm)
2. I would have known he didn't have a timing device.
3. I might have realized to check his air more often (I didn't know you could suck down an AL80 in 20 minutes at 25 feet).
4. HE didn't know what tables where.

The clues should have been everythng he had on was rented (except mask, fins, boots).

Needless to say I ask more questions now when I buddy up with some one new. I just hadn't made a list.

 

[nereas]

They are normally never properly weighted. The training agencies teach them to over-weight before they teach them proper breathing on descent.

 

[Nemrod]

If somebody asked me all that I would politely state, see ya on the bottom. While you be checking, I be diving. N

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Sorry should have gave you more info. He was way under weighted. Trying to use the same weight as when he got certified in warm tropical water.

They are normally never properly weighted. The training agencies teach them to over-weight before they teach them proper breathing on descent.

 

[Hammerhead]

If somebody asked me all that I would politely state, see ya on the bottom. While you be checking, I be diving. N

Race you there!

P.S. now proud owner of a RAM - damn you Nemrod, damn you I say!

 

[h90]

Had a few here in Thailand:

Who are you:
• Type certification? Divemaster, without certification, why spend money for them
• # Of dives? unkown but diving the last 4 years almost daily
• General experience? every day diving, rest of the time, fitness studio
• When was your last dive?: yesterday

 

[El Orans]

Normally I do not bother with this. My buddy is responsible for his/her own air/nitrox/trimix supply, as I am responsible for my own as well.

Worst case scenario: his gas supply also becomes my gas supply and vice versa.

The clues should have been everythng he had on was rented (except mask, fins, boots).

It doesn't necessarily have to be. I did my 250^th dive in Cozumel using borrowed/rented gear... (US Airways didn't deem it necessary to put it on the same flight)

Needless to say I ask more questions now when I buddy up with some one new. I just hadn't made a list.

As I've said before, feel free to add or subtract from my list.

I'll dive with almost any buddy I meet. But depending on the first impression and the way they behave/respond, the dive plan gets limited.

On one occasion I've declined to dive with a buddy. Even though I know by know that he'd be a very good buddy, at the time his refusal to start the ascent when either of us had reached rock bottom was not acceptable for me. I might have accepted that on a shallow reef dive, but not on a deep wreck night dive with current.

 

[nereas]

Worst case scenario: his gas supply also becomes my gas supply and vice versa...

There is absolutely no excuse for that ever to happen.

With single tanks, you really should keep your depths within your freediving ascent range, called a C-E-S-A, or else bring your own pony if there is any doubt about your insta-buddy being able to donate his/her "octo." My own favorite trick is always to bring a stage bottle with me containing EAN 50 and use that for my egression above 70 fsw and safety stop.

And for doubles, you should always isolate first, in order to ensure at least half of your remaining nitrox/trimix being available in the even of a catastrophic failure, the worst case.

You should never, ever be buddy dependent, especially not insta-buddy dependent.

[There are very limited known exceptions: GUE-DIR divers are trained specifically to be buddy dependent on their "team," etc. But I am not talking about such groups with their built-in flaws in theory.]

 

[TSandM]

Well, you can build a system for responding to problems that is based on you carrying all the redundant gas and redundant equipment, and CESAing in the last exigency. Or you can build a system that distributes reserves among a team, and train the team to stay together. They are different ways to approach the question (and everybody needs to think about it). I personally think that developing the skills to keep track of my team is easier than coming up with a solution to all the problems that could happen, and has additional advantages in making my own dive easier, because I don't have to bring EVERYTHING I could possibly need, AND I have a team of other brains to help solve problems. JMHO.

 

[Missdirected]

I am often paired with newbs/insta buddy's. Probably because I set up a lot of meet-n-greets.:14: I find it incumbent upon me to go over lots of the things El has listed and Lynne has spoke of. Simply sketching out/going over the dive allows you to learn a lot about your buddy. Plus it is fun to chat about the dive. If you aren't going to go over hand signals and what not why even bother buddying up? Just say no