Tank Bangers!

[Jack Hammer]

I bought a tank banger last year and found it to be a bit awkward to use. It was easier when I just tapped the tank with the clip on the end of my accessory lanyard.

While I agree that having a noisemaker/attention getter may just be an excuse for poor buddy skills, not all buddies are created equal. I have done boat dives where my assigned buddy just took off as soon as we got under water. Short of putting a leash on them, this was the only way to get their attention.

I also might add that not everybody dives in clear water. I've done dives with less than 10' of visibility where if you turn your head away for a moment, you can easily lose your dive partner. Some kind of noise maker gets them to stop so you can regroup before they dissapear into the murkiness. It's a tool, and like all tools it has its place.

Jack

 

[fdog]

<snip>And if i annoy everybody to bad i wasn't quacking to you I'm quacking with my buddy.

...if you're out to a nice romantic dinner, and someone was seated at the table next to you on the cell phone with the too-loud "cell yell" voice, that would be okay?


All the best, James

 

[Clammy]

...if you're out to a nice romantic dinner, and someone was seated at the table next to you on the cell phone with the too-loud "cell yell" voice, that would be okay?


All the best, James

No but if there was something flying at someone elses head and the guy behind me had to yell "WATCH OUT!", I'd be okay with that.

 

[CompuDude]

i use a quacker and find it is like a knife. better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. And if i annoy everybody to bad i wasn't quacking to you I'm quacking with my buddy.

* added to list of people I never want to dive within 2 miles of.

 

[Papa_Bear]

...if you're out to a nice romantic dinner, and someone was seated at the table next to you on the cell phone with the too-loud "cell yell" voice, that would be okay?


All the best, James

So let me git this straight, you think diving is like a romantic dinner? Remind me not to dive ahead of you! Maybe you and your buddy should be diving alone? And it's not that kind of Banger! :no

 

[Jack Hammer]

Tank bangers and underwater signaling devices are like car horns. When used sparingly under the proper cicumstances they can be a asset to have. In the hands of incosiderant A-holes they can become obnoxious, overbearing, and constant irritants. Don't bash the tool because some people don't use them properly.

Jack

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

...if you're out to a nice romantic dinner, and someone was seated at the table next to you on the cell phone with the too-loud "cell yell" voice, that would be okay?


All the best, James

I don't think this is a good analogy. If there were a loud noise that stopped after a second, and then you heard it one more time during dinner, would that ruin your nice romantic dinner? I hope not. This analogy would work if the banger was automatic and went on through the whole dive...

 

[letterboy]

It would ruin the atmosphere of a fine dining establishment, I expect stupid cell phone people at McDonalds, but not at the 75.00 a plate steak place . . .

 

[CompuDude]

I don't think this is a good analogy. If there were a loud noise that stopped after a second, and then you heard it one more time during dinner, would that ruin your nice romantic dinner? I hope not. This analogy would work if the banger was automatic and went on through the whole dive...

That depends on the user. I've been on dives where at least two PAIRS of divers were using their sub-ducks to signal each other every time they saw something neat.

quack-quack every two minutes, for the entire dive.

IMO, they're for emergencies, or working professionals, ONLY.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Tank bangers and underwater signaling devices are like car horns. When used sparingly under the proper cicumstances they can be a asset to have. In the hands of incosiderant A-holes they can become obnoxious, overbearing, and constant irritants. Don't bash the tool because some people don't use them properly.

Jack

Exactly. Truth is, I use a tank banger. I don't think I've ever used it when diving with my buddy only.

There are occasions when you are in a group (Say six in the group for this example). Everyone is paired in twos and the group is loosely working the reef in the same area.

I spot a sea turtle and want to let everyone know about it (especially the photographers in the group). One, maybe two raps on the banger and I get everyone's attention. Those who don't want to come and see don't have to.

I didn't scare off the marine life, I didn't tell everyone about it after the dive and I didn't really bother anyone with a couple raps on the tank.

I've been on dives in St. Thomas and in Nassau where the DM motioned the closest person over to him, picked up a rock and got everyone's attention by banging on that person's tank. It is not invasive. It is not intrusive and it certainly doesn't ruin someone's dive. If it does, you have bigger problems than worrying about someone with a tank banger