Pre-dive routine?

[TSandM]

The thing is, if you do these checks habitually, they become very efficient and quick. I know that, during my Fundies class, when we had to do the checks according to the list, we all felt slow and awkward. But it's not that big a deal: You've got your mask, checked your primary, checked your secondary, BC inflator working (and exhaust), drysuit inflator working (and valve open), gauges present and working, weights on, fins on or with you. Cutting implement is what and where, and what spares of anything or other equipment are you carrying? Sixty seconds, maybe.

Dive plan can also be brief -- who's leading, where are you going, how deep are you going to get, how long do you expect to be down there, how are you going to manage the ascent? How much air does each diver have, and what's going to determine where the dive is turned, and how much reserve do you want to keep?

I have a hard time seeing how that's particularly onerous, or identifying any part I think I'd just as soon jettison in the interests of time.

 

[divingjd]

Totally agree. It doesn't have to be a long process and I have been fortunate enough that nobody has every complained about it. My wife will razz me if I gloss over anything. She is a good reality check.

 

[TheRedHead]

For me, the only "thing in the pockets" that's important for every dive is what cutting implements I have and my buddies have. Anything else is subject to the "if you don't need it, don't take it" rule, so a shallow shore or spring dive wouldn't require a pocket inventory because there's not going to be anything in the pockets you need, right?

I don't follow that rule since I always have the same basic configuration. My cutting tools are tucked in inner tubes on my harness, one small light is on my shoulder and a larger one in my pocket with my wetnotes, backup computer, tables, and jon line. My smb is in the pounch on my backplate and my reel is clipped to the d-ring. I store and pack my harness with everything in place. If I am doing a night dive or a dark wreck, I would take a bigger light in addition to the 2 I normally carry.

I breathe both my regs watching my guage, check both computers for battery life, turn both lights on and off, pump 3 squirts into my bladder and I'm good to go. I did make a dive with my wetsuit unzipped, but the water was 85 degrees and I didn't notice it until I got out. :blush:

 

[TSandM]

Had another interesting thought . . . Is it possible that some of the instabuddy problems we read about might have been averted by doing the planning/checking I describe? Not even so much that the discussion would avoid the behavior, but that if somebody wouldn't sit still for it or participate, it might be a warning that they weren't going to pay much attention in the water either?

 

[TheRedHead]

This is very much against DIR philosophy, but if I were diving with an insta buddy, I would consider myself a solo diver and equip myself as such. I've been on too many boat dives in Florida and the Caribbean and have seen too much. There is nothing you can do in 5 or 10 minutes to help them.

 

[divingjd]

I think it would go a long way to giving you an indication of who you are diving with so that you are better prepared to deal with it, even if it didn't actually do anything else. When I've had good insta-buddies (and there have been some), they were right there with me on the dive plan and the equipment check. The bad ones just nod and look at you if they are paying attention at all.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I have a pre-trip checklist to help make sure I don't forget something. I also have a set of containers and I am very anal about every piece of my gear having a proper place. Once it's clean and dry, it goes to its proper home until the next trip. I also have a pre-dive/gear-up procedure I always follow. I've developed it from the little bit of experience I have ... 22 dives. I am always rethinking and revising as I learn more. But being an analytical person, a set procedure before each dive helps me to remember everything and, more importantly, helps me to relax as I know everything is covered.

 

[Charlie99]

As I think back on how I've performed predive checks and briefings over the last few years, it amused me to realize that the next to shortest brief and predive check with instabuddies was with Lynne and Peter doing a night shore dive at Ulua about 4 months ago.

The absolute shortest was with a guy down in Boynton Beach. Although we hadn't met in person, we had exchanged messages on rec.scuba. Sum total of dive brief was "Solo ascent OK?". "Outside ledge first dive, inside ledge 2nd?" "What ya breathing?" "I may pass the flag to you if I see a bug", followed soon by "Dive, dive, dive!". He was a great buddy, and it was on that dive that I first consciously realized that a good indicator of good buddy awareness is if your buddy is quickly peering over your shoulder if you stop longer than normal to look at something.

I find that I spend a LOT more time in predive checks and briefs with relatively new divers. For example, when escorting a new diver around Ulua, I specifically discuss turnpoint pressure and emphasize that at that dive site one can safely surface at any spot, although it may be a long surface swim back in. With an experienced diver, particularly one that has dove that site before, we can just set an overall dive length.

Similarly, rarely do I review hand signs with experienced divers (with the exception of clarifying which system of air pressure signalliing), but with inexperienced divers I'll go over quite a bit.

Like Fdog said

If I'm just driving my car to the grocery store, I'll check the things that matter the most...seat belt, doors locked, gauges in the green.

For a long trip, I'll be pretty thorough, down to tire pressures, oil on the dipstick, coolant, look underneith for unusual oil, the stuff I don't do for around-town chores.

, but what determines the level of predive check and brief is a combination of dive difficulty and diver experience level.

 

[gcbryan]

I don't have anything against buddy checks but I'd prefer that everyone be self reliant. I wonder if those who always do buddy checks forget to turn their own gas on more often (or not)?

I'm also a little uncomfortable having someone check my valve after I've already checked it. As long as I'm with experienced buddies I go through a mental checklist for myself and only take a glance at them for anything out of the ordinary. Otherwise, we just discuss the dive plan. With newer divers I check them.

 

[scubabrn]

1) check your gear, air psi, regs working, high pressure air inflator,
2) check your back up air source( your buddies air, etc.)
3) listen to dive brief, if not satisfied with what you hear, ask quesstions. I have been on a boat where bottom depths werent given. Position of mouring anchor and whatnot.
4)plan dive
5) discuss dive plan with buddy
6) pools open!!