Unsafe tec instructor - can anything be done before disaster strikes?

[sea_ledford]

For dives lower than 90m, their travel gas was a 30/30. For the ±120m dive, the divers had 2 travel gases, both in the range of 30-35 % O2, with only their twinset back gas available from depth to -40m.

I'm sorry, he's doing dives to 120m with newly certified divers in hypoxic trimix with 4 tanks on OC? If back gas is only available deeper than 40, does that mean he's using a 4/xx mix?

Every single one of those things is a big hell no on their own. Combined... looking at a future Dr. Deep situation, hopefully he doesn't take someone else with him.

And guaranteed he is violating standards. Report him.

 

[NothingClever]

1) Avoid diving with Bob.
2) Tighten up your observations and report Bob to TDI.
3) Inform Bob his risk calculus is more liberal than you care to be a part of.
4) Find other people to dive with.

He's going to get somebody seriously bent or killed.

 

[Zef]

OP, you seem to have quite a lot of specific details about "Bob".

The more I read your post, the more I think this is one of those Fight Club scenarios where you and Bob turn out to be different personas of the same person.

-Z

 

[Nick_Radov]

This is why Rule #1 exists. You don't want to be caught in the middle when the inevitable disaster occurs. The only solution is to get together with your friends or dive club and charter the whole boat so that you can enforce safety rules.

Complaining to some random bottom-tier training agency is unlikely to accomplish anything unless you're personal friends with the management. But feel free to try if you enjoy tilting at windmills.

 

[honey_badger]

OP, you seem to have quite a lot of specific details about "Bob".

The more I read your post, the more I think this is one of those Fight Club scenarios where you and Bob turn out to be different personas of the same person.

-Z

Which details about their practices wouldn't come out naturally on a boat while diving for a full week together? Getting geared up on the same deck, planning dives in the same rooms, debriefing after dives on the same sundeck? And regarding his history... there are only other 4 technical instructors in the whole country - he is under scrutiny by the whole community.
Your version however would make for a new edit of the Split movie, I guess.

 

[honey_badger]

Complaining to some random bottom-tier training agency is unlikely to accomplish anything unless you're personal friends with the management. But feel free to try if you enjoy tilting at windmills.

This is what I was thinking - thank you for confirming that it wouldn't do any good...

 

[honey_badger]

I'm sorry, he's doing dives to 120m with newly certified divers in hypoxic trimix with 4 tanks on OC? If back gas is only available deeper than 40, does that mean he's using a 4/xx mix?

Every single one of those things is a big hell no on their own. Combined... looking at a future Dr. Deep situation, hopefully he doesn't take someone else with him.

And guaranteed he is violating standards. Report him.

For 120, 5 tanks, backgas, 2 travels 30-35/30, O2.
40 m ± 130 feet, it was not about when the back gas is available per se, but about when they can change to another gas on ascent if back gas is gone ("with only their back gas available") due to ppo2 limitations.

 

[LFMarm]

It sounds like natural selection may solve the problem soon enough. It would be sad if the accident would involve an unaware newish diver and because of this I would write a complaint to the training agency.

If it was me, I would find at least another person to write the complaint with. I am pretty sure they would want a second opinion so you may increase chances of intervention by providing it upfront.

 

[kensuf]

The EU version of the Central African Republic or so. But the divers doing 200+ or interesting explorations don't do routine social media posts boasting about their achievements.

I swear this sounds like parts of Florida...

 

[ofg-1]

This is simple.

If you think a dive operator is unsafe, go somewhere else.
If you think a boat is unsafe, stay on the dock
If you think the group of idiots on the boat are unsafe, stay on the boat.

The decision to involve yourself with a bunch of morons is yours. If the only consideration you have is for the money you have spent, then enjoy.