What would you do?

[aboalreem]

I was on a liveaboard, and a new diver asked me to be his buddy. I said no problem. He said he would like to surface with a 700 psi as low on air...I thought 700 is lots of air. but why not.
After 2 dives, he said that he would like us to surface at 1000 PSI. I thought that is really rediculas for me....1000 psi for him is 1800 psi for me,,,since he consumes more air...I was really nice and said that I will bring him to the saftey stop and I will go with other divers on the bottem to buddy up with them,,but he thought that that is not nice...what would you do?

 

[00scuba]

if you say you are buddies....you enter and exit together.

Are the divers you are joining coming up to the safety stop as well? are you going to wait until the safety stop is over and make sure he/she gets on the boat as well?

this may seem petty....but a few minutes can mean a lot. I saw someone die ... he decided to go down before his buddy because his buddy took too long to equalize....needlessto say, they never met up and he had an issue and surfaced and died.

Pick a buddy that you are willing to stay with...period.

 

[PaulSmithTek]

I complete understand, and if i was the other diver I would understand. If I consume more air then you why shouldn't you be able to get your moneys worth. I would be pleased that you let me dive with you in the first place.

That is my opinion. I think it would have been alright to go with the other groups. Did you go with them after his safety stop? You are a paying customer just like him.

 

[PaulSmithTek]

on the other hand 00scuba has a great point! Didnt look at it from that point of view. Thanks 00scuba.

 

[aboalreem]

When I got him to the saftey stop I stay below him until he surfaces ofcourse.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I was on a liveaboard, and a new diver asked me to be his buddy. I said no problem. He said he would like to surface with a 700 psi as low on air...I thought 700 is lots of air. but why not.
After 2 dives, he said that he would like us to surface at 1000 PSI. I thought that is really rediculas for me....1000 psi for him is 1800 psi for me,,,since he consumes more air...I was really nice and said that I will bring him to the saftey stop and I will go with other divers on the bottem to buddy up with them,,but he thought that that is not nice...what would you do?

I think you're being reasonable. Liveaboard trips are very expensive, and you want to get your bottom time. It's unfair to you to have to make every dive, effectively, a half-dive.

My only recommendation would be to take him to the line and hang out until you see him surface. Since he's on the line, I assume he is then in visual contact with the crew? Make sure that not only he, but also the surface crew, understands that this is your dive plan.

Did he give any rationale for why he wanted to surface with 1,000 psi? Given that he already knows that you are cutting your dives short for his benefit, that seems to be a bit unreasonable.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MSilvia]

If you've agreed to be his buddy, be his buddy, but if he insists on dive parameters that aren't to your liking, on the next dive tell him you either want to dive less conservatively or buddy with someone else instead.

 

[countryboy]

If you've agreed to be his buddy, be his buddy, but if he insists on dive parameters that aren't to your liking, on the next dive tell him you either want to dive less conservatively or buddy with someone else instead.

I agree with this whole heartedly...

You might want to ask the person why they were bieng so conservative?

 

[Walter]

I'm not clear, does he want to start for the surface at 1000 PSI or be at the surface with 1000 PSI. Depending on depth, starting up with 1000 PSI can be a very good idea or it could be unnecessarily cutting a dive short. I think I'd need more info before I could give you legitimate feedback on this.

One thing you should be doing with new buddies is discussing your proceedures, goals etc. If your dive plans aren't compatable, you should switch buddies.

 

[victor]

Do you mean surface at 700 then 1000 psi or just start up. Given that he is using air quickly and your dives are, probably, shallow due to lack of experience. I can see no reason to be hitting the surface with so much air.
That would be my first point with him. Yes lets get close to the boat as our air gets low, but try and get to the surface with an almost empty tank.
Why is he using so much air, is he to heavy, if so try and get that resolved, is he fighting his equipment, try and calm down. Etc

Failing this then I would have a word with the DM to see if they can find a buddy with a simillar level of experience for him.
Sorry but this is my holiday as well.