Who do you trust with your gear?

[captain]

Charlie, I agree with you on this. Just to add too it a touch more.

You trusted every driver on the road not to crash into you on the way to the airport. You trusted the pilot, co-pilot, the aircraft and maintenance, controllers and God knows who else to get you safely on the ground. You also put your lives in the hands of the boat, its captain and all who maintained and fueled it. Not to mention the navigation electronics. You also put the most trust into the shop/boat that filled your air tanks.

So if the deck hand moves my BC to a full tank, I’ll just make sure its OK before jumping in. Maybe I’m missing something. Just what could they do to endanger you life more than the above could.

Dave

In most of your examples there is no choise or you don't drive,fly,etc.. I wouldn't use the word trust as much as I would consider it accepting the risk posed by others when driving, flying, etc, but I don't have to accept the risk of having others set up my gear.

 

[Nemrod]

The reason I prefer to do my own is that the boat crew tends to drag and clang and bang the regulators, drop stuff on them, stomp on them, set the tank to high, mount the tank crooked or backwards etc. In one case they dropped one of my tanks overboard. I also do NOT want any air put in my BC--NONE--please boat crew---do not put air in my BC--ever. N

 

[Thalassamania]

So I pose a question to all those experienced divers who insist on setting up their own gear, especially those really silly divers who see their gear assembled correctly and undo and reassemble it just for the sake of being obstinant: what are you afraid of?

I'm with you. If there's a problem I'll catch it when I check it or my Comrade Diver will catch it during our Comrade check (hm ... maybe "buddy" wasn't so bad).

 

[scarefaceDM]

I as a DM will NOT set up anyones gear. I will Help lift things or hand them things. But I will not set up a rig. I do not allow anyone to touch mine. As mentioned, If you as a DM or anyone configures a rig for someone else. You Should insit they double check. And have them explain wat they did. Nonetheless...you should always double chack your rig...you owe it to yourself...right.

I especially never touch a set of twins..( unless they are cute.. ) tech divers are very picky.

 

[bubba105]

I dont let any one set up my gear. I was in Cancun last year and the boat crew tried to set up my gear. I took it all apart and set it up to my liking. The DM wanted me to set it up his way. I dont even let the other fireman i work with set up my air pak at the firehouse. I check it every day befor duty.

I've been checking my own scott in the firehouse for so long it's just deeply engrained. I'm the boss now and I do it anyway. The junior man always wants to do it, which is nice, but, I know how I like my cylinder, FULL . When I get on a boat and my stuff is set up already, I get a very uneasy feeling, I won't even converse with people until I check it out. Oh yeah, and I always check out the bride's equipment too, because, at home, I'm the junior man :mooner: . Safety first.

 

[Bob]

I trust no one with my gear. As a matter of fact, I don't like anyone even touching my stuff. It doesn't hurt my feeling to tell someone to leave my dive gear alone. Dive gear is expensive, and regulators and BC's should be handled with care. I see far too many divers handle their gear in a carless manner, dropping regs and dive computers on the deck, throwing BC's around etc. I could go on and on. All these things are life support,more specificially, my life support. No thanks, I'll put together and tear down my own setup, in the meantime leave my gear alone almtree: Bob

 

[Meng_Tze]

I'm with you. If there's a problem I'll catch it when I check it or my Comrade Diver will catch it during our Comrade check (hm ... maybe "buddy" wasn't so bad).

I comrade diver, do not let people set up my rig. Don't see the need, like doing it myself (it is part of the entire 'go diving experience') and I know where I like my stuff (routing of hoses etc)

If they insist on putting my rig together, then they can put on my catheter and pee valve as well?

Let me turn the question around, why would one let others set up the rig?

 

[Carribeandiver]

...if i trust anyone its hubby - no one else...

so you are saying you either have NO life insurance or if you do, your husband is NOT the beneficiary, right?

 

[Mossman]

Could be death.

Like I said, there are three things they can do wrong.

(1) If they don't adjust the straps right, your tank might ride too high or low and be uncomfortable. In the worst case, they will fail to cinch the straps tight enough, and the tank could slip out. The latter is rarely fatal, and in any case, I never suggested diving without first checking the straps. It takes but a glance to make sure they're in the right position on the tank, and a quick tug or two to make sure they're tight enough. Total time elapsed: 6 seconds.

(2) If they don't have your reg/hoses configured correctly, again it's rarely fatal, and again I never suggested not checking to make sure your rig is configured the right way. I understand plenty of you have fancy backplate/wing thing-a-ma-jigs with all sorts of long hoses and cannister lights and liferafts that have to be stowed just so. But it takes only a few seconds to make sure it's all done right. Total time elapsed: 5 seconds, or up to a minute if you're one of "those".

(3) If they didn't screw the reg on right, you'll most likely find out as soon as you pressurize the system. A loud "hiss" is the tell-tale response when something is done wrong. A quiet hiss might be problematic too. If you don't hear anything but the satisfying thump of the reg innards pressurizing, try taking a few breaths and watch your gauge at the same time. While you're watching your gauge, check to make sure it reads full. Put a puff of air into the BC or wing to make sure the inflator is connected. And that's all folks. Total time elapsed: 15 seconds.

If you're still afraid you're gonna die, make sure you dive with a buddy. That's what he/she's there for. Just hope that the DM who almost killed you didn't set up your buddy's gear as well!

 

[RJP]

My gear and my girl...... Two things that I don't let anyone but me touch.

Yeah, no one touches my grill either!

Oops - guess I misread the post!