which light in which order ?

[stargost]

Assuming you have a team of 3 divers diving within recreational non overhead conditions (with DIR friendly equipment), but without everyone using a powerful 21W HID light, what should be the order/who should lead and end ?
For example:
D1 diver having a powerful light (ex 21W HID)
D2 having a smaller Can light, like DR 500
D3 having either a backup, or a more typical rec light (UK or similar).

Should D1 be at the end to be able to signal to the other better and D2 lead ?
I'm assuming good/okish conditions and non overhead

A secondary question, assuming the 3 divers have different skills, who should get the most power full light and in which order ?

My assessment would be:
D1, more advance diver, get the HID and goes at the end
D3, small/backup light, less advanced diver, goes in the middle,
D2, advance diver, get the DR500 and lead

Am I right ?

(side note: i know the answer could be 'dont dive' with this config, but you can still have 3 different Can lights with different power and 3 different divers with different skills, and question remain the same then).

Thanks

 

[Rainer]

For an easy recreational dive? Who cares.

In general, though, the "weakest" diver goes to the middle.

Really, though, for easy reef diving here in SoCal, while a light certainly is nice, it's far, far from necessary. I wouldn't sweat the team ordering the least for such a dive.

 

[LiteHedded]

if you're traveling single-file I'd put the brightest light at the back and the dimmest at the front
i wouldn't stress it though

 

[Blackwood]

Why are you diving single file in these conditions?

If you must (i.e. are following a line in zero viz), sure: brightest light in the back.

However, I much rather dive three abreast (more or less) when I can.

 

[Rainer]

Why are you diving single file in these conditions?

If you must (i.e. are following a line in zero viz), sure: brightest light/strongest diver in the back.

However, I'd much rather dive three abreast if I can.

Agreed. Locally, there just aren't too many times when you need to be single file. Sometimes through thick kelp, and it's often nicer on the few walls we have (e.g. LJ Shores). Otherwise, the dives are simply a lot more enjoyable abreast. At that point, it doesn't really matter where the stronger light is. With really inexperienced divers, it's nice to put them in the middle, but it's not something to sweat.

 

[stargost]

OK fine, let's assume it is not recreational or not in such a easy going california kelp diving.
You are in a cave (single file) if you want, with D1 more experienced. 2 Can lights failed, only one remaining.
what's the order of divers and lights ?

 

[TSandM]

Strongest light goes to the back. There is some controversy about the other two. Some would say the stronger of the two remaining lights leads, because he needs to be able to see the line and the cave to get the team out accurately. That has always made sense to me.

As far as divers go, you shouldn't be in an overhead environment with anybody who would be considered weak enough to need to be sandwiched just because of skill level. In open water, I put the novice diver in the middle so we can flank him and he can't get lost. If he's in the middle, it doesn't matter which light he has.

 

[LiteHedded]

I would not do a cave dive with that weak light. option 1

 

[stargost]

Strongest light goes to the back. There is some controversy about the other two. Some would say the stronger of the two remaining lights leads, because he needs to be able to see the line and the cave to get the team out accurately. That has always made sense to me.

As far as divers go, you shouldn't be in an overhead environment with anybody who would be considered weak enough to need to be sandwiched just because of skill level. In open water, I put the novice diver in the middle so we can flank him and he can't get lost. If he's in the middle, it doesn't matter which light he has.

Thanks.
"the cave" example was to simplify and avoid the 'why that'.
I recently experimented the power and value of light signaling (in rec conditions), and if diving in line is not always happening, there are a few common conditions when it has value (kelp, small rock pass in Laguna beach, wall as mentioned, or when you want to make sure one 'weaker' diver, like your child is "for sure" going to remain in place for a small trip (avoid current in a reef pass, stay at certain depth, etc).

I'm not going to buy a 21w HID to everyone, but I have already faced a few conditions where it would have been nice2have, so if I kind of suspected the simple answer, the reason I asked was I was wondering whether common sense may not have been right answer for an unknown reason.
This is why i posted here, as what i have enjoyed with DIR approach is something like "hum, they do it like this, interesting, wouldnt have done it like it first, but damn, now it makes much more sense!"

 

[Blackwood]

To be quite honest, I don't think I'd give much thought to where the most powerful light is for a brief single file situation, and I certainly wouldn't poll my team on the surface to identify the strongest diver and equip him/her with the brightest light just in case we should find ourselves single file at some point during the dive.

To me, it's a non-issue. If I'm planning for an environment where it may matter, everyone will have sufficient experience, skill and equipment.
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