Dangling Gear-What does it tell you?
by Dr. Denny Howley, NAUI #32478

Introduction

We have all seen divers with dangling gear: octopus, console or SPG, lights hanging this way and that. Much of it is those extra pieces of equipment that some divers apparently feel are unimportant or out of mind because they are just attached to their primary regulator.
Usually, we react the same: "Oh, well." But that dangling gear can tell us something about not only the diver(s) in question but also the instructor who trained him or her-and if they get off the boat that way, something about the dive boat crew.

Several weeks ago I was on a dive boat with some 20 divers and about eight of them were young family-member divers and friends. All were certified divers. It was nice seeing these up-and-coming divers, and I shook hands with each of them. As the trip progressed, however, I noticed that each of them let the dive boat crew set-up their cylinder and dive gear. Then as one walked past me to exit the boat after we arrived at the dive site, his dangling alternate air regulator caught on one of the tanks in the rack. I "untangled" him and suggested he fix the "danglie" before going into the water.

Danglers

The first hint that all was not well with these new divers had occurred on the dive boat on the way to the dive site, when they let the crew do all of the pre-dive equipment set-up for them. It appeared that either they did not know how, had forgotten how, or were just not comfortable setting up their gear. It should have triggered something in my mind at that stage, but I was busy with my own pre-dive preparations and didn't think about it until later.

Once into the dive, as my dive buddy and I were slowly cruising the reef, four of these young divers swept into our area-all arms, legs, camera, and dangling gear-as if they were a swarm of uncoordinated spiders. Certainly they were comfortable in the water, but were they safe divers? Did they ever check their air during the dive? Could they have helped a fellow diver with their alternate air had an emergency arisen? And I started thinking about all those other "danglie divers" I'd seen in the past and decided there was a message.

The Dangler's Instructor

What does the dangling gear tell you about the dangler's instructor? Did he/she emphasize that the new diver should always "breathe deeply and continuously and never hold your breath." Was it emphasized that there was no excuse for a diver running out of air, which was why frequent gauge checks were stressed. Nor, if the instructor focused on a buddy's responsibility to their buddy, was there any excuse for a buddy running out of air. Periodic air checks are part of that responsibility.

If the issue of not having any loose or dangling gear was not drilled into the new diver, then it suggests other crucial areas in creating a safe diver might have been glossed over as well. The key questions: Did the instructor produce a "Safe Diver" or just another "Certified Diver"? Would you feel safe diving with this danglie diver if you had some type of an emergency?

The new diver produced by the instructor is a reflection of his or her professionalism and dedication in introducing neophytes to the wonders of the under seas. So ask yourselves: If you are an instructor, are you producing just certified divers or are you creating safe divers in your own professional image and likeness?

The Dive Boat Crew

What about the liability issue? Well, you might say the divers signed the waiver, Does that waiver make the dive boat crew and the dive operators "lawyer-proof" in an accident or incident involving dangling scuba gear?

If that dangling gear is dangling because there are no fasteners, clips, etc. on the rental BC or not enough to secure all their dangling gear, could it be a case of negligence if an accident were to happen because of the danglie? How about if the dive crew never even checked their divers before arriving at the dive site to insure they were in a "safe diver" mode? Or never bothered to correct that loose and dangling gear just prior to the diver's exiting the boat to begin the dive?

Amazing what those heavy-duty rubber bands (size 64 at your office supply store) can do as last-minute fix-the-dangling-gear problem. But before that liability protection move can be accomplished the problem has to be spotted. If the dive crew is monitoring their passengers, as they should be doing, they know or have an indication of possible problem divers. In any case they should be able to spot and correct a dangling gear issue before dive-site arrival or in that last minute before the diver exits the boat when they check to ensure the diver's air is on.

The Problem

Ok, so who is responsible for making and keeping those divers "Safe Divers" and dangle-free? Obviously, the instructor, who moulds the tadpole into a diver implants that fundamental safe diving knowledge- or should have. Certainly the new safe diver is responsible for their diving and their dive buddy's safe diving activities, but most divers are infrequent or periodic divers. After "out-of-water" time, they often forget at least some of those safe diving practices or lose that safe diving edge.

The divers you see in the field are certified, abut are they still safe divers? And if they are not, who is responsible for getting them back up to that safe diver level? Sure they could take a dive refresher and some do.

Others might actually read the safe diving tips on the waiver or safe diving practices form they sign before they get on the boat. Most, however, take neither a refresher nor read and think about the safe diving tips on the waiver. In others, that "diving edge" has dulled, and they no longer have the safe diving focus they had when they were first certified or when they dove more frequently.

A Crucial Role

Now it is up to the dive crew to move those infrequent divers back into that safe diver mode. When the crew took their basic divemaster/instructor training, it was stressed to look over the divers under their care to measure anxiety, possible trouble divers, etc. It should not be any different on a dive boat. The dive crew will be demonstrating their professionalism as well as reducing possible liability exposure of the dive operation. And of course there is always the tip motivation, which will certainly be enhanced if the crew presents themselves as caring, professional divemaster/instructors.

Sources - Fourth quarter 2007 copyright 1996 NAUI. All rights reserved.

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