Buddys in the DIR system

[Deep Blue]

I cut this out of one of the links posted by Scubert on the last thread. It addresses the whole "Buddy" issue, thought that it might spark some good discussion. For the rest of the article, see:



4. How to be a better "Buddy".
Lets say that you and your three friends all get set up with a WKPP style, "Doing it right" type Hogarthian configuration, using the Halcyon or Dive Rite type gear. Each of you breathes off of your long hose as the primary, each has your alternate hanging right under your chin, and each of you is moving effortlessly along on the bottom. If anyone of you has a problem, the other three have exactly the same equipment configuration, so each knows exactly what the problem is, and each knows how to fix this. If it was as simple as an OOA emergency, you'd have three guys trying to stick a regulator in your mouth----you'd feel little threat of not receiving air quickly, and easily. How many times have you seen someone on a dive swimming along, and suddenly their tank slips off----this actually happens frequently on charter boats. You've NEVER seen this BC before, and the tank band system is so convoluted you really don't know how to help this guy quickly----so from this, you have just experi enced one of many reasons why your diving buddies should all have the same gear---they will all know how to fix the typical problem, and anything they can't fix right away, they can still get you safely to the surface. And of course, an even bigger rule than all others mentioned in this article----Rule number one is don't dive with unsafe divers. Try to dive only with people you know are safe, and who dive the same procedures and configurations you do. If you are "stuck" with someone you see gearing up badly, with a poor configuration, try a good natured explanation of "why" the "Doing it right" system would have him/her configured differently. Perhaps you can get them safer on this dive. You can always look around on a boat for someone who seems closer to your gear and diving mind set, and try to buddy up with them. Remember, if you don't bring a good dive buddy with you, you have no sure way of knowing you have redundancy. You may decid e that the more extreme 120 foot dive you were planning to make, is not ideal, without a good buddy---and so you may opt for a different site for your first dive. You may even consider the idea of "checking out your buddy", and letting them check you out, before you dive with them on that more extreme dive site you are still looking forward to. At least in Florida, most boats will have multiple dive sites you can choose from, so you "should" be able to pick two dives with your new buddy where you can limit the risk by choice of dive site. And once you find a good buddy you can trust, treat them well--someday your life may depend on them.