What to do with an inexperienced instabuddy?

[Storker]

I've met a PADI Rescue Diver who didn't know which hose went in the BC and which hose went in the dry suit

For my previous DS, it truly didn't matter. When I bought my (used) reg set, it had two LP hoses of equal length with identical connectors at the end, threaded into adjacent ports on my 1st stage. I'm pretty certain I've mixed the two on more than one occasion. And if the guy was diving rental gear with a similar configuration, or was used to gear with a configuration like that, it's understandable.

OTOH, if the connectors were different and he didn't know which connector attached to which buoyancy device, I can see your point

 

[victorzamora]

^+1

I've met a PADI Rescue Diver who didn't know which hose went in the BC and which hose went in the dry suit

Even as an OW at the time, that baffled me.

I had a PADI divemaster set up my BC and regs. I was a lowly AOW diver helping with the OW class (because she was too incompetent to do it herself). I set up 8 students in the time it took her to set up my ONE rig. She installed the BC upside down, had the tank valve facing away from the bc, and was trying to figure out if it was the LPI or the backside of the reg. She couldn't figure out that the DIN threads went into the DIN tank. Cert means absolutely nothing, nor does number of dives....she had hundreds but flailed more than some students. It was really embarassing.

 

[Laurie S.]

I can't even imagine someone, much less a DM, installing a BC upside down or having the tank valve the wrong direction. That's just plain commonsense.

 

[FishLovingStudent]

For my previous DS, it truly didn't matter. When I bought my (used) reg set, it had two LP hoses of equal length with identical connectors at the end, threaded into adjacent ports on my 1st stage. I'm pretty certain I've mixed the two on more than one occasion. And if the guy was diving rental gear with a similar configuration, or was used to gear with a configuration like that, it's understandable

I am not sure if its different in your area, but in my area the usual reg sets have a Drysuit whip that is far longer than the BC whip. Such that the BC whip would not be able to reach the dry suit inflator and is maybe a third/half the length.

 

[Tigerman]

where do you have your DS inflation? On the lower leg?

 

[DCBC]

It does not matter what certifying agency you use. IMHO if people go directly from OW through a succession of courses without taking the time to dive and build experience you are still inexperienced.

It can matter. In some agencies certification is strictly left to Instructor discretion and not the Agency Standard.

But there are agencies that force divers to have a higher number of dives before being able to progress than others.

There are Instructors who surpass Agency Standards and insist on higher standards than the Agency specifies (although this is not encouraged or even allowed in some Agencies).

 

[FishLovingStudent]

where do you have your DS inflation? On the lower leg?

, okay well, the BC whip is the length of my forearm and the DS whip is the length of my entire arm. Does that sound right? Getting off topic though.

I've dove with bad buddies before and it sucks, usually the dive master takes them and lets the experienced divers go off by themselves.

 

[nimoh]

, okay well, the BC whip is the length of my forearm and the DS whip is the length of my entire arm. Does that sound right? Getting off topic though.

I've dove with bad buddies before and it sucks, usually the dive master takes them and lets the experienced divers go off by themselves.

My LP inflator hose is 22" and I run it over my shoulder. My drysuit inflator hose is 28" and I run it under my arm to the center of my chest.

I have however seen people use a setup where the LP inflator hose is too long and results in a big loop behind their head. I have also seen people use a setup where the drysuit hose is shorter and runs over their shoulder to the center of their chest. In either case, both hoses could be about the same length and could be easily confused.

Even if the hoses are drastically different in sizes, mixing them up would still not be the dumbest thing I have ever seen...not even dumber than some of the dumb things I have done

 

[Tigerman]

Oh, the decending with the snorkel in the mouth trick is WAY dumber...

 

[TMHeimer]

I had a PADI divemaster set up my BC and regs. I was a lowly AOW diver helping with the OW class (because she was too incompetent to do it herself). I set up 8 students in the time it took her to set up my ONE rig. She installed the BC upside down, had the tank valve facing away from the bc, and was trying to figure out if it was the LPI or the backside of the reg. She couldn't figure out that the DIN threads went into the DIN tank. Cert means absolutely nothing, nor does number of dives....she had hundreds but flailed more than some students. It was really embarassing.

Curious as to how she finished the DM course.

---------- Post added March 22nd, 2014 at 11:45 PM ----------

Oh, the decending with the snorkel in the mouth trick is WAY dumber...

Must admit I did that once--in the pool--during the DM course! Hey, everybody does a real dumb thing once in a blue moon. A very good (IMO) DM I was diving with in Panama jumped off the boat and at about 60' had to share air having started by mistake with a near empty tank.