What is a proper procedure to tow a diver on a DPV?

[Texasguy]

I always wanted to ask, what is a right way to tow another diver? How to hook up?

 

[michael-fisch]

I always had the towed diver hang onto my butt d-ring with his right hand, thereby leaving his left hand free for trimming, signalling etc.

Michael

 

[grantctobin]

Probably covered in your DPV class. There’s three (maybe four but thankfully carrying an extra tow strap seems to have died out) different methodologies depending on the situation. Does this other diver have a DPV? Is their DPV flooded or empty?

 

[elan]

The diver being towed “sits” between the tower legs at the same level holding by the crotch strap staying in the slipstream. Holding by Dring does not work well - the fingers will get tired. Pull yourself as close to the towing diver tanks/butt as possible. That make the towing easier. The left hand with the light goes over the left leg with light pointing in front of the towing diver so they can see it. In OOG situation the person who is donating becomes the diver being towed. The OOG diver becomes a towing diver.

Better yet take a DPV class

 

[_Ralph]

Step 1: laugh and mock your teammate

Step 2: follow your instruction from your DPV class (hopefully taught that the towers calf’s are between the towees armpits, while holding onto the towers crotch strap.)

Step 3: Get nice and cozy and be ontop of your and tower/towers buoyancy!!


_R

 

[rjack321]

I always had the towed diver hang onto my butt d-ring with his right hand, thereby leaving his left hand free for trimming, signalling etc.

Michael

Put your hand under the crotch strap just below the rear dring. The force of the towing scooter will pin it there. Holding onto the actual Dring is extremely tiring for your fingers on modern (fast) scooters. It worked in ye olden days of gavins because you slowed down so much trying to tow someone.

 

[NothingClever]

Crotch strap, below D-ring.

I’m a fan of taking a course from a reputable instructor. Sure, you can grab a DPV in OW, screw around and train yourself but a reputable instructor will fast forward your skills towards proficiency rather than merely competency on your own.

 

[PfcAJ]

The towed diver's elbows go on the back side of the towing divers legs above the knees. This lets the towing diver keep his legs inside the slipstream created by the tanks and still use his fins for assistance with directional control. Towed diver's face is as close to the lead diver's butt as possible. Towed diver should get a little positive, too. There's a tendency for "neutral" to result in everyone getting pulled downward due to the way the torque of the lead scooter pulls on the whole train of divers and towed scooter(s).

 

[nickbutcher]

The JJ-CCR has a very handy 'handle' on the stand which a diver can clip or hang onto.

Even when they're staying in the slipstream, it's remarkable how much extra work it puts on the scooter (and the diver operating it!).

 

[Jona Silverstein]

Never been a fan of hanging onto the diver's D-ring, it is strenuous for the diver being towed and in my experience makes the ride quite uncomfortable for the diver running the DPV. On most of my rigs I have a butt plate that has 2 really nice handles for the diver being towed, I have towed people for well over a mile with no issues and we were quite comfortable the whole time.