Readers Poll: Boat is sinking. Don SCUBA or Life Vest?

[Dr. Lecter]

CCR and DPV (which has a compass mounted to it) first, exposure pro a very close second as it can be donned later. There's always an SMB in either my trunks or my exposure protection pockets, so no need to get a separate one. If I want a life vest, I'll collect one of those likely to float free of the wreck.

Depending on how much time I have to get off, where it sinks, and what's in my dil/BO bottles, I may just go dive the thing right then and there.

 

[KeithG]

I believe there are only 2 options based upon how fast the vessel is going down:
1) splash about in the big pool with whatever you are currently wearing
2) calmly do what the captain and crew tell you to do which will be to put on a life jacket

 

[divin'dog]

...grab my gear, go down with the ship, dive the wreck, come up to get rescued.

 

[Steve_C]

It depends on several things: What is the water temp? If the water is at all cool/cold I am going to want my wet suit on for thermal protection. What is the sea state. If it is daylight and calm that is one thing. If it is getting dark, the seas are building, the wind is blowing, then all I may have is what I take with me. How fast is this happening. A problem developed where life jackets are passed out as a precauiton is one thing. If the boat just hit a net and ripped both props off the bottom and we are going down fast, that is another situation.
What is my gear status? Am I basically geared up or is some work involved. Is my wet suit on or off?

 

[KeithG]

...grab my gear, go down with the ship, dive the wreck, come up to get rescued.

yer assuming the lazy a** crew refilled your tank after the last dive?

 

[MB NZ]

my priority would be thermal protection, especially in the UK or NZ, so my drysuit would go on first if there was time. in warmer places, i'd still grab my wetsuit, but could put it on in the water. there is no point floating if dead through hypothermia. exposure protection would also provide some buoyancy.

as for dive kit versus buoyancy aid, i'd be inclined to go for the dive kit.

 

[dmoore19]

As so many things with scuba, the answer is...........it depends.

If the location of the OP were to be considered, that would make a difference along with the time of year and so on.

It depends on several things: What is the water temp? If the water is at all cool/cold I am going to want my wet suit on for thermal protection. What is the sea state. If it is daylight and calm that is one thing. If it is getting dark, the seas are building, the wind is blowing, then all I may have is what I take with me. How fast is this happening. A problem developed where life jackets are passed out as a precauiton is one thing. If the boat just hit a net and ripped both props off the bottom and we are going down fast, that is another situation.
What is my gear status? Am I basically geared up or is some work involved. Is my wet suit on or off?

 

[Rhone Man]

Lot of potential variables, but if thermal protection and signalling gear (from my dive kit) are close at hand, I want them with me.

Weight belt - maybe not so much.

 

[scubahawk27]

depends how fast the boat is going down. I heard the Prodiver only took a minute to sink. I would at least grab my mask fins and Nautilus Lifeline. I would then jump in the life raft that I paid the optional price for once the boat sinks



Greg Walker
Maui Scooter Divers
www.mauiscooterdivers.com

 

[BenjaminF]

Does a camera count as dive gear?

It happened here about a year or so ago. The group was on their way out to a dive and the waves apparently grew too high. The boat went down but they were already geared up from what I was told. All of them were safely recovered, but I'm not sure if they have managed to locate the boat yet.