others setting up your gear

[Al Mialkovsky]

Maui Dive Shop uses Steel 80's. My strap is air assisted so it takes a tiny bit of knowledge to inflate it. Had they asked I would have shown them.

I agree with Mike. I don't like people messing with my gear. Since my setup is a bit different than most I especially an eye on what is going on.

But this isn't a huge knock on the Maui Dive Shop in my book. It's typical of dive boats in general. Regardless if you have 1000 dives or 10, check your own gear at the very least and I urge everyone to set their own gear up.

I know some diveboats really don't want you "cluttering" up their deck while setting up your gear but I usually just mention that I'll get my own where there is a break. 99% of the time that isn't a problem for them. In fact if possible I'm first on the boat and get set up right away. I just ask them which tank is mine and that is all it takes.

 

[H2OHead]

I’ve only been off of a few boats since I own my own, but any charter boat worth being on should let you assemble your own gear. If you need a boat in the Clearwater Fl area let me know. I have a friend with a 6 pack charter that is a great people person (the only way the captain of a for-hire boat should be).

Back on the subject that was initially brought up. You should always assemble your own gear, balance your own checkbook, track you own investments, and audit your pay stub. To trust strangers to perform these important tasks is ridiculous. If you’re too lazy or too busy to assemble your own life support equipment, why not just pay someone to do the dive for you as well?

 

[ScottyK]

I never let anyone touch my gear. I'm too used to the local boats. You'd probably get a punch in the mouth if you tried to set someones gear up for them.

Most of the divers here set up everything at home, and walk their set up rig to the boat backpack style. This way you're not rushed, just turn on your air while the anchor is being set.

Being so used to diving this way, I don't feel comfortable letting someone else do it for me.

 

[Walter]

The reason some charters started this service is because some "divers" can't do their own. I politely inform them I can do my own. If they still offer, I tell them I prefer to do my own. If they insist beyond that, I'll ask for a refund. There's no reason for the crew to set up my gear, no reason for them to switch tanks, no reason for them to remove my regulator from my tank. Most crews are quite happy to have one less set up to worry with.

There are only two possible reasons you'd let the crew set up your gear. You either can't do it yourself (take a refresher course) or you are lazy.

 

[ElectricZombie]

I would never let anyone set up or touch my gear. I have also had someone turn off my air by mistake.

 

[cornfed]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...

ewuipment

Is that some kinda tek diver stuff?

 

[Charlie99]

I'm amazed at the number of responses where people refuse to let anybody else touch their gear.

Clearly, Scubaboard posters are not a accurate reflection of the divers I see in warm water resorts. Rarely do I see a diver decline the offer of the boat crew to setup gear.

I've had lots of practice putting together my gear. Missing out on this a few times isn't going to make me forget.

Walter righteously bubbled .... "There are only two possible reasons you'd let the crew set up your gear. You either can't do it yourself (take a refresher course) or you are lazy."

Since I CAN do it myself, I guess I'm just lazy.

I'm just going to hop off the boat and have a leisurely swim while looking at the pretty fishes. I guess you guys are going to do a death-defying plunge into the merciless ocean.

 

[jiveturkey]

If you want something done right, do it yourself. It's life support equipment. Do it yourself. Scuba is not a sport for the complacent. I don't trust anyone that much.

 

[perpet1]

Charlie99 once bubbled...
Do you really think someone doing hundreds of gear setups per week is going to put the reg on backward?

If you want to worry about something, worry about the tank bands, particularly if the tank is a different diameter than what you normally use. Hose routing and leaking o rings are pretty obvious. Loose tank bands are NOT obvious to a quick visual check.

GOOD POINTS!!!

I think sometimes people get too wrapped up in the details of safety that they forget the big points of safety. I know I have screwed up on the set up of my gear in the past and will in the future (as will everyone on this board). I also know I caught all these problems by performing a quick very detailed once over before I head in the water. I have learned not count on my set up and to double check everything regardless who set it up. As for all you DIR divers out there, if I were you I would set up my own gear but I do not need to tell any of you that LOL:wacko: .

I am also thinking these boat crews will set up more gear in a month then most will in a lifetime so I think they are capable of connecting a regulator.

As for the weights, If you have a funky intergrated weight system has the potential of unintentially dumping your weights if rigged incorrectly.... the problem is not the crew. Itergrated weights, although convienient, should be idiotproof.

If your intergrated weights have the potential that the weights will fall out if missrigged then there is only one correct answer.....Time to use a weight belt.. <<Like this is a problem in the tropics with all of 10lbs>>

NOT making sure they are rigged correctly..... .

Have fun and dive safe,
Pete

 

[Charlie99]

jiveturkey once bubbled...
If you want something done right, do it yourself. It's life support equipment. Do it yourself. Scuba is not a sport for the complacent. I don't trust anyone that much.

How many of these people do you trust?
the guy that serviced your regs
the guy that changed the filters on the compressor
the guy that ran the air quality test
the O2 analyzer manufacturer (you DID test your tank to make sure that it REALLY is AIR didn't you?)
the boat captain that picks you up after a drift dive

All of these people have more effect on you than a person that assembled your gear on the boat.

Yes, some divers will have service their own regs, run their own compressor, do their of tank visuals (but not likely the hydros), and run their own boat; but I don't take all those things with me when I fly off to a warm water resort.

I may be lazy ("energy efficient" is the PC term), and I may rely upon trusted persons to do certain things, but that is not the same as being complacent.

If you can't quickly review your gear and determine that all is proper or not; if you can't reach your valve and check it while walking to the entry point, then you need to improve your skills.