Where's that boat??

[nigelhoath]

Recently reading of boat divers drifting off. In one case they say they were within 80 meters of the boat but couldn’t get the attention of the skipper. As a newbie I’m reading a lot and this seems a common problem. So my question: Why no lazar, beacon, loud hailer and/or radio/tel? Yeah it would have to be safe at depth and be small and light weight but surely not beyond the abilities of modern technicians and even if it cost a bit better than being eaten by a Komodo dragon:eek: .

[GaryC]

Recently reading of boat divers drifting off. In one case they say they were within 80 meters of the boat but couldn’t get the attention of the skipper. As a newbie I’m reading a lot and this seems a common problem. So my question: Why no lazar, beacon, loud hailer and/or radio/tel? Yeah it would have to be safe at depth and be small and light weight but surely not beyond the abilities of modern technicians and even if it cost a bit better than being eaten by a Komodo dragon:eek: .

All you need is people on the boat to keep an eye out. Quite often people dont. If theres two then they chat.

Rule 1 come up the shot line.
Rule 2 if you dont then put up a DSMB. (got to make sure all divers have one)


It is fairly simple if people pay attention.

[nigelhoath]

Gary yup it seems straightforward but things do go wrong and these guys had qualifications coming out their earholes and must surely have known that it is up to them to look after themselves:confused:

I get the feeling that despite diver training being good that afterwards lots of divers forget it all and just jump in. I noticed this on my first dive after training - no buddy checks. Maybe I rate my life too highly :D :D

or maybe I've found a gap in the market ££££££££££££s .... I should be so lucky :rolleyes:

[Phil Laughton]

Recently reading of boat divers drifting off. In one case they say they were within 80 meters of the boat but couldn’t get the attention of the skipper. As a newbie I’m reading a lot and this seems a common problem. So my question: Why no lazar, beacon, loud hailer and/or radio/tel? Yeah it would have to be safe at depth and be small and light weight but surely not beyond the abilities of modern technicians and even if it cost a bit better than being eaten by a Komodo dragon:eek: .


An air horn can be a great asset on these occasions.


Phil

[Nigel Hewitt]

My son and a friend surfaced after diving the Countess of Erm at Portland and were caught in a strong tidal ebb and got swept clean out of the harbour mouth. That's when he discovered that the plastic whistle that came with his BCD was useless so now we both dive with nice horns blown by back gas.

They hurt when you use them even in a thick hood but they turn heads 100 meters away.

[ChristianG]

Gary yup it seems straightforward but things do go wrong and these guys had qualifications coming out their earholes and must surely have known that it is up to them to look after themselves:confused:

I get the feeling that despite diver training being good that afterwards lots of divers forget it all and just jump in. I noticed this on my first dive after training - no buddy checks. Maybe I rate my life too highly :D :D

or maybe I've found a gap in the market ££££££££££££s .... I should be so lucky :rolleyes:
Errrmmm, that funny thing called training is rearing its ugly head here. In my view training is only as good as (a) the expertise of the instructor, and I mean getting the message across when I say expertise and (b) the ability of the student to absorb, and hold, that training.

You happen to be lucky, you've decided to come onto a decent Internet site and ask questions. Have you any idea of how many others in your class did the same? My own guess would be precisely zero. After all, they're divers now, aren't they?

All of that is exacerbated if you are not within the nice comfortable arms of the BSAC and I say that having never done a BSAC course.

[GaryC]

Errrmmm, that funny thing called training is rearing its ugly head here. In my view training is only as good as (a) the expertise of the instructor, and I mean getting the message across when I say expertise and (b) the ability of the student to absorb, and hold, that training.

You happen to be lucky, you've decided to come onto a decent Internet site and ask questions. Have you any idea of how many others in your class did the same? My own guess would be precisely zero. After all, they're divers now, aren't they?

All of that is exacerbated if you are not within the nice comfortable arms of the BSAC and I say that having never done a BSAC course.

I don't think issue is Training. I think it is the way people do things. BSAC is not always prescriptive. It doesnt tell you that on a particular dive you must insist that the pairs come back up the shot line. (i.e. diving in fog) Its about how the Dive Manager /Coxs controls the event.

Its the way you do things. And its basic Risk Management. What happens if...

I have been left to drift away from the RIB when I could see the Cox chatting to another boat. Got swept round one of the Islands in the Farnes. Had to get another RIB to radio our boat so they could pick us up.

The Cox got a good shouting at for the behavior. They didnt do it again.

[John Bantin]

September's edition of Diver Magazine (out in about 10 days) deals with this in detail and has a test of the ENOS diver rescue & recovery system. I don't normally like to advertise on forums but in this case you might find it useful!

[bakerstreet]

An air horn can be a great asset on these occasions.


Phil

Indeed. Or a decent whistle :)

Have seen people who are a bit keene with them though. Boats rush over, ask if diver is all right, diver says yes and skipper has a go cos they thought it was an emergency and they had all ready seen you ect ect.

Mate of mine had a ND blaster. It sounded like a duck. It was quite funny. He used to get it confused with the inflate/deflate button on his BCD :D

[Andy Botten]

At Stoney on Sunday, there was someone with an ND duck call. A strange sound

Personally I take a flag with me.

[Adam Hunt]

In my old club you could always tell if there was a novice in the pool as all you could hear (above and below the water) were ND duck calls!

The Dive mag. reviewed a SMB type device that inflates from the sholder dump of the BCD on the surface a number of years ago. Has any one tried one or used one in an emergency. Are they any good? and are they redundent with an SMB?