Vetting buddies

[Atom]

If that diver is diving a manifold *I* am that diver's back up air supply.

I'm newly certified cave diver so I'm gonna and ask this... I'm not trying to start an argument, I'd just like to understand your view on this a bit better....

I could see that when diving backmount a big manifold failure results in a situation that you can't fix, as opposed to sidemount where at 1/3 you still have enough air in any of the tanks to exit on your own and there's no manifold to fail to compromise both tanks at the same time. But there's always the possibility of bad gas, which would force you to switch to another team member's gas (better hope you didn't all get your fills at the same time). So with that in mind.... wouldn't you say that as a member of the dive team you're always responsible to carry enough reserve gas to make an air sharing exit in case the buddy's gas magically dissapears at maximum penetration and so you're always the backup air supply?

[scububa]

Who's your instructor?

[Gary]

there's always the possibility of bad gas, which would force you to switch to another team member's gas. So with that in mind.... wouldn't you say that as a member of the dive team you're always responsible to carry enough reserve gas to make an air sharing exit in case the buddy's gas magically dissapears at maximum penetration and so you're always the backup air supply?

Absolutely! Whatever the problem is as the buddy I'm the backup.

The difference with the manifold possibly being the degree and immediacy of need. The assumption of a manifold drives a fair bit of cave training procedures: immediate air sharing with touch contact line-following, making an exit tethered together, etc. Coming from the perspective of someone who usually dives with sidemounters/indepenent gas divers it is one of the first things I notice and add in to be concerned about and modify the way I look at whatever diving situations.

If a buddy's computer/timer/charts goes maybe he has a backup maybe I have two more - but it generally isn't an immediate life threat. Bad gas may become an issue on a dive but it isn't something that creeps along quietly long into the dive and then suddenly within 2 minutes it is life-or-death. Even if a sidemounter did somehow loose both air supplies they generally won't both go at once. Most other buddymanship issues allow greater leeway in time, and allow for potentially greater independent action before that would become as much of a concern.

[Deeper_Creeper]

If you show up with a CCM hockey helmet with lights mounted to it, I can certainly say I will not dive you

[Sludge]

What about a Nike baseball helmet?

[Atom]

The difference with the manifold possibly being the degree and immediacy of need. The assumption of a manifold drives a fair bit of cave training procedures: immediate air sharing with touch contact line-following, making an exit tethered together, etc. Coming from the perspective of someone who usually dives with sidemounters/indepenent gas divers it is one of the first things I notice and add in to be concerned about and modify the way I look at whatever diving situations.

Thanks, I get why you were saying that now.

[Deeper_Creeper]

What about a Nike baseball helmet?

If it has a Boston Redsox logo, then I can accept that!

[Sludge]

I said baseball. The Red Sox play some convoluted game that uses ten players per side.

[JerseyJersey]

An Angels fan, a Red Sox fan, and a Yankees fan are climbing a mountain, arguing about who loves his team more.

The Angels fan insists he's the most loyal. He yells, "This is for Los Angeles & Anaheim " and jumps off the side of the mountain.

Not to be outdone, the Yankees fan is next to profess his love for his team. He yells, "This is for New York!!" and pushes the Red Sox fan off the mountain.

[Deeper_Creeper]

An Angels fan, a Red Sox fan, and a Yankees fan are climbing a mountain, arguing about who loves his team more.

The Angels fan insists he's the most loyal. He yells, "This is for Los Angeles & Anaheim " and jumps off the side of the mountain.

Not to be outdone, the Yankees fan is next to profess his love for his team. He yells, "This is for New York!!" and pushes the Red Sox fan off the mountain.

No love at all. It was an exciting time in Boston when we won the series! Always gotta support the home team...