Basic SCUBA skills of CCR/Tech divers?

Ben Field

There have been a number of threads recently where rebreather or "technical" divers basic diving skills have been the cause of or led to an incident or near incident.

I don't mean to offend the people who kindly posted their experiences to the list but we've heard of people hanging on shotlines in drifts, feeling bad after a dive then not going straight to the Pot, getting lost in 20ft deep cave head pool , not understanding O2 therapy, not understanding DSMb usage etc etc....

I understand that you can learn Rebreather after reaching the level of a Sports Diver so might not have 100's of dives under your belt but occasionally the questions asked are pretty shocking.

Am I the only one worried by this?


(I'm no Rebreather expert but I am fairly confindent in the diving skills as I teach and train with my club on a regualr basis, I wonder if those independent internet divers have as much back up?)

__________________

Beware Fridge Suck

lizardland

Ben,

I no longer worry.

I was forced to dive with a divemaster on a recent trip, he said in our "briefing" as long as I came back and he came back then everything is fine. I replied as long as I came back then everything is fine, you're on your own. That pretty much sums up my attitude these days.

My level of concern in diving goes (in descending order) me, my kit, my lunch, what depraved acts I intend performing when I go home, where I'm having my beer after the dive, maybe my buddy (if it's someone I know), who I can take the piss out next, eating biscuits, scratching my arse then possibly other divers.

My level of cynicism has increased exponentially over the last few years. I'm very much of the "if they aren't affecting me then leave them to it" school of thought. I know I've done some very stupid things over the years but as one certain Rebreather World mod enjoys telling me, I'm to cheap to die.

Cheers,

Stuart

__________________
Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you?

www.westons-cider.co.uk

Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler

Mark Chase

Whats wrong with hanging on a shot line in a drift?? I don't get that one.

Feeling bad after a dive doesn't necessarily mean your bent but its true that denial is all part of DCI. I have had to spend time assessing my post dive condition and so far it has not turned out to be a bend.

Finally people ask questions on issues that they perhaps didn't fully cover on the course, fully understand on the course or more often than not to get consensus because they have herd conflicting ideas from other CCR divers.

The most important thing is that they ask in confidence of not being ridiculed. Admitting there is an issue and addressing it is 50% of the way to fixing it.

If we were all perfect and trained to elite status then Rebreather World would be a pretty boring place. Just check out a closed DIR site to see what i mean

ATB

Mark Chase

__________________
Is it supposed to make that noise ?

I took my unit to the dive shop and demanded they bolt on every thing that would fit.

Join my elite diving teem and get a Tshirt

"Doing It Chasey"Hammerhead Eccr Advanced Diving System

PeteS

No you're not the only one.

I think the Rebreather is becoming more mainstream and so the skill levels and knowledge of RB divers are bound to drop from "technical level" towards "scooby dooby level". Many problems can be overcome by thinking rather than reacting, and I'm concerned that the levels of understanding in the RB community are falling.

All that can be done is to answer questions as they appear (again and again) and hope to educate those that did ask, and those who lurk but didn't ask and should have!

But no matter what we do, there will always be someone who will make a series of mistakes and die. Wether they are skilled or unskilled......... I've seen people die like that, I've been to the funerals. It's amazing how easy it is to die.

__________________
Pete S.

http://www.steggle.co.nz

Every silver lining has a cloud

Ben Field

There was a recent thread about a bunch of numbty's dragging the buoy down to their stop depth and just hanging there like a bunch of grapes instead of bagging off.... anyway that wasn't really the point.

Oh yes I agree wholeheartedly... but when you read things like-
"I've been using this set of sensors for years without problems..."
"I missed 15minutes of stops, surfaced then drove home, for some reason the next day I got bent sitting in front of my computer...."
"When I descend my ears hurt until I clear them, why is this...."

(Maybe Rebreather questions are fair enough, but "diving" ones?)

I ask as many stupid questions as anyone and I want them to get answered, when the questions are obvious to my Ocean Diver trainees and they come from "experienced divers" my BS meter starts to go off- Are they kidding or do they really (worryingly) not know that?

I am just alittle concerned that somepeople seem to be in over their heads?

__________________

Beware Fridge Suck

Mdemon

Ben, I know you're having a general moan and that's fair enough, but do you have any solutions you'd like to put forward?

__________________
www.southwestmafia.com

It's as easy as abc;

a) "Carry adequate bailout"

b) "If in doubt, bail out"

c) "Always know your PO2"

If you find that hard, stick to crochet.

"Once the agenda-monkeys and perfect-worlders have moved on, perhaps we can do some diving?"

lizardland

I find mumbling "for f**k sake", rolling my eyes and clicking on the next message in the list helps.

__________________
Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you?

www.westons-cider.co.uk

Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler

EBT

You're right, it works a treat.... only I mumbled something else

__________________
Eagles May Soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

Rebreather World Terms of service
Real diving t-shirts for real divers

Ben Field

Hmmm not very community spirited is it though? (But I suspects its what alot of people do...)

Well I wasn't moaning as such- as it doesn't actually effect me (yet) so why complain?
Mostly I was just asking if anyone else thought that or am I paranoid :-)

I would like to think something could be done but I don't really see how- sure you could skill check divers doing Mod1 for example but surely people would just complain about being taught egg sucking or something?

I suppose Instructors impose some standards they won't let pass, if someone can't pull a deco stop or bag off during their training thats going to get spotted- but that depends on your instructor. I know my buddy who did a CK course had a very different experience to me talking to him afterwards we saw alot of differences. Just the other day Phi was saying how he prefers to do Mod 2/3 with his own Mod1 students because he doesn't have to undo bad habits, I suspect he was talking about rebreather habits but what about plain old bad diving, I guess that gets done too?

It doesn't seem to be good karma to go around correcting other divers on their technique- they don't take it well IMVHIO

BEN

__________________

Beware Fridge Suck

Mark Chase

You see....


You ask a question and in no time at all someone comes back with an intelligent, well thought out and useful answer.

I will be incorporating this advice into my Daly Internet browsing routine from now on.


Thanks Rebreather World

__________________
Is it supposed to make that noise ?

I took my unit to the dive shop and demanded they bolt on every thing that would fit.

Join my elite diving teem and get a Tshirt

"Doing It Chasey"Hammerhead Eccr Advanced Diving System