Blinding your buddy

keylimepie · June 9th, 2006, 10:53 AM

Just looking for some clarification on what to do with your torch when dumping gas from your wing. I used to pass the torch over to my right hand before dumping. Someone (who shall remain nameless

) then said you need to dump with the torch still in your left hand as one day you might have a scooter in your right hand. OK, I thought, I can see that. I then read elsewhere that keeping the torch in your left hand runs the risk of blinding your buddy, which also makes sense to me. So what do you do, and what do you do if you have a scooter -do you ever need to dump gas when using a scooter?

Dave

Rob Andrews · June 9th, 2006, 11:02 AM

I thought that was why some goodman handles had a thumb loop so you could hold the light using your right thumb (while still scootering) and then dump with the left hand and not blind your buddy.

I would have thought reaching back with your torch to dump air and continuing to scooter forward (in the dark with your torch now pointing backwards!) was maybe a bad idea! I stand to be corrected though.

*peter_steinhoff* · June 9th, 2006, 11:20 AM

SOP while dumping would be to temporary hold the light with the right hand, scooter or not.

On a scooter you could however get in a quick dump with the wing inflator while holding the light in the left but that is best done on occations where you would not have light communication with you buddy anyway, like a few seconds going over a hill or around a corner in a cave.

Cheers,
Peter

*Rich Walker* · June 9th, 2006, 11:30 AM

Dave,

You pass the light to the right hand while scootering, and dump with the left hand, as per normal. The thumb loops on the light heads are useful here, but you can just slip your thumb into the goodman handle if you don't have one.

Rich

davy · June 9th, 2006, 11:31 AM

Like Peter said.
It's also easy to just grab the goodmann handle with your right thumb, dump gas with left and slide left hand back into the goodmann handle without your buddy ever noticing...

Edit: Rich beat me to it

caverkevin · June 9th, 2006, 11:55 AM

As with many issues, it appears I have a little different way of doing things.

I just keep my light in the left hand when using the inflator and scootering. Just pay attension to how you move the light around. Do not make any quick light movements that will spook the buddies.

Generally I will move the light slowly off to the left, then up. Do what I need to do with the inflator while keeping the beam up and slightly forward. When finished move it back to the buddies' field of view. Trick being slow movements and making it look like I am just looking at the cave. I do the same thing when I need to light my bottom timer, except I point the light down.

I don't much care for the light being in the right hand. I do not have as much control over what happens with the beam while scooter handle and light are both in my hand. Keeping it in the left keeps it ready for action.

As for not blinding your buddies.....Don't shine the light at them!! If you need light their face, just use the edge of the cone and not the spot of light. Treat that light like a loaded weapon, because it is!!! My buddies have gotten their butts reamed

for not watching their lights. It hurts my eyes when I am in a dark cave.

Cheers!!

Kevin

Rob Andrews · June 9th, 2006, 12:42 PM

Kevin if I'm not mistaken the question was with regard to using the rear dump so the light automatically points backwards when you reach back for the dump cord. If you can use your rear dump and keep the light pointing forwards you must have double jointed wrists and 4 foot long arms.

But fair play if you can its the ideal solution.

Quote: (Originally Posted by caverkevin)

As with many issues, it appears I have a little different way of doing things.

I just keep my light in the left hand when using the inflator and scootering. Just pay attension to how you move the light around. Do not make any quick light movements that will spook the buddies.

Generally I will move the light slowly off to the left, then up. Do what I need to do with the inflator while keeping the beam up and slightly forward. When finished move it back to the buddies' field of view. Trick being slow movements and making it look like I am just looking at the cave. I do the same thing when I need to light my bottom timer, except I point the light down.

I don't much care for the light being in the right hand. I do not have as much control over what happens with the beam while scooter handle and light are both in my hand. Keeping it in the left keeps it ready for action.

As for not blinding your buddies.....Don't shine the light at them!! If you need light their face, just use the edge of the cone and not the spot of light. Treat that light like a loaded weapon, because it is!!! My buddies have gotten their butts reamed

for not watching their lights. It hurts my eyes when I am in a dark cave.

Cheers!!

Kevin

caverkevin · June 9th, 2006, 12:53 PM

"I see" said the blind man. "It all comes back to me when I spit into the wind."

Yeap, would be pretty tough to use the rear dump with the light in your left hand. Add that to my list of why I never use the rear dump. Thanks for reason number 153.

Cheers!

Kevin

Rubis · June 9th, 2006, 01:09 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by caverkevin)

Don't shine the light at them!! If you need light their face, just use the edge of the cone and not the spot of light. Treat that light like a loaded weapon, because it is!!! My buddies have gotten their butts reamed

for not watching their lights. It hurts my eyes when I am in a dark cave.

Cheers!!

Kevin

Yep ...

**neilh** · June 9th, 2006, 01:35 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by desertrat)

I thought that was why some goodman handles had a thumb loop so you could hold the light using your right thumb (while still scootering) and then dump with the left hand and not blind your buddy.

Speaking of which, anyone know whether the exploration goodman head from UE would fit a salvo?

Failing that I might have to find some metal and see about knocking up a thumb loop myself... (I know it's not hard, but I'll manage to stuff it up!)

June 9th, 2006, 10:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
keylimepie(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sunderland Posts: 123	Blinding your buddy Just looking for some clarification on what to do with your torch when dumping gas from your wing. I used to pass the torch over to my right hand before dumping. Someone (who shall remain nameless ) then said you need to dump with the torch still in your left hand as one day you might have a scooter in your right hand. OK, I thought, I can see that. I then read elsewhere that keeping the torch in your left hand runs the risk of blinding your buddy, which also makes sense to me. So what do you do, and what do you do if you have a scooter -do you ever need to dump gas when using a scooter? Dave __________________ Blog updated 20.01.2007: http://davestwinsetdiving.blog-city.com/

June 9th, 2006, 11:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
peter_steinhoff(Offline) Instructor candidate Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sweden & Florida Posts: 205	SOP while dumping would be to temporary hold the light with the right hand, scooter or not. On a scooter you could however get in a quick dump with the wing inflator while holding the light in the left but that is best done on occations where you would not have light communication with you buddy anyway, like a few seconds going over a hill or around a corner in a cave. Cheers, Peter __________________ Peter Steinhoff GUE DIR-F, Tech1, Tech2, Cave1, Cave2, Cave3, RB80-1&2, DIR-F/Cave Instructor Candidate. NAUI Tec Instructor (Trimix, Technical DPV, Technical Wreck Penenetration etc) WKPP Support Diver, Halcyon Product Development Team, Gavinscooter Representative. Various IANTD, NSS-CDS, NACD, PADI & NAUI. ---------------------------------------------- http://dir-diver.com http://peter.steinhoff.se (swedish only)

June 9th, 2006, 11:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rich Walker(Offline) GUE Instructor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sheffield Posts: 300	Dave, You pass the light to the right hand while scootering, and dump with the left hand, as per normal. The thumb loops on the light heads are useful here, but you can just slip your thumb into the goodman handle if you don't have one. Rich __________________ Education, Equipment, Experience GUE training with Rich Walker

June 9th, 2006, 11:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
davy(Offline) DIveR Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Belgium Posts: 275	Like Peter said. It's also easy to just grab the goodmann handle with your right thumb, dump gas with left and slide left hand back into the goodmann handle without your buddy ever noticing... Edit: Rich beat me to it Last edited by davy; June 9th, 2006 at 11:36 AM.

June 9th, 2006, 11:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
Rob Andrews(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wombourne, West Mids, UK Posts: 133	I thought that was why some goodman handles had a thumb loop so you could hold the light using your right thumb (while still scootering) and then dump with the left hand and not blind your buddy. I would have thought reaching back with your torch to dump air and continuing to scooter forward (in the dark with your torch now pointing backwards!) was maybe a bad idea! I stand to be corrected though.

June 9th, 2006, 11:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
caverkevin(Offline) Doing It Caverkevin Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North Kackilackie Posts: 361	As with many issues, it appears I have a little different way of doing things. I just keep my light in the left hand when using the inflator and scootering. Just pay attension to how you move the light around. Do not make any quick light movements that will spook the buddies. Generally I will move the light slowly off to the left, then up. Do what I need to do with the inflator while keeping the beam up and slightly forward. When finished move it back to the buddies' field of view. Trick being slow movements and making it look like I am just looking at the cave. I do the same thing when I need to light my bottom timer, except I point the light down. I don't much care for the light being in the right hand. I do not have as much control over what happens with the beam while scooter handle and light are both in my hand. Keeping it in the left keeps it ready for action. As for not blinding your buddies.....Don't shine the light at them!! If you need light their face, just use the edge of the cone and not the spot of light. Treat that light like a loaded weapon, because it is!!! My buddies have gotten their butts reamed for not watching their lights. It hurts my eyes when I am in a dark cave. Cheers!! Kevin

June 9th, 2006, 12:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
Rob Andrews(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wombourne, West Mids, UK Posts: 133	Kevin if I'm not mistaken the question was with regard to using the rear dump so the light automatically points backwards when you reach back for the dump cord. If you can use your rear dump and keep the light pointing forwards you must have double jointed wrists and 4 foot long arms. But fair play if you can its the ideal solution. Quote: (Originally Posted by caverkevin) As with many issues, it appears I have a little different way of doing things. I just keep my light in the left hand when using the inflator and scootering. Just pay attension to how you move the light around. Do not make any quick light movements that will spook the buddies. Generally I will move the light slowly off to the left, then up. Do what I need to do with the inflator while keeping the beam up and slightly forward. When finished move it back to the buddies' field of view. Trick being slow movements and making it look like I am just looking at the cave. I do the same thing when I need to light my bottom timer, except I point the light down. I don't much care for the light being in the right hand. I do not have as much control over what happens with the beam while scooter handle and light are both in my hand. Keeping it in the left keeps it ready for action. As for not blinding your buddies.....Don't shine the light at them!! If you need light their face, just use the edge of the cone and not the spot of light. Treat that light like a loaded weapon, because it is!!! My buddies have gotten their butts reamed for not watching their lights. It hurts my eyes when I am in a dark cave. Cheers!! Kevin

June 9th, 2006, 12:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
caverkevin(Offline) Doing It Caverkevin Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North Kackilackie Posts: 361	"I see" said the blind man. "It all comes back to me when I spit into the wind." Yeap, would be pretty tough to use the rear dump with the light in your left hand. Add that to my list of why I never use the rear dump. Thanks for reason number 153. Cheers! Kevin

June 9th, 2006, 01:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Rubis(Offline) cave deprived and Kissed Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Broadway, (lost in Central NC, USA far far way from Caves SIGH !!!) Posts: 275	Quote: (Originally Posted by caverkevin) Don't shine the light at them!! If you need light their face, just use the edge of the cone and not the spot of light. Treat that light like a loaded weapon, because it is!!! My buddies have gotten their butts reamed for not watching their lights. It hurts my eyes when I am in a dark cave. Cheers!! Kevin Yep ...

June 9th, 2006, 01:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
neilh(Offline) Haemoglobin on the bus... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Barnsley, UK Posts: 1,900	Quote: (Originally Posted by desertrat) I thought that was why some goodman handles had a thumb loop so you could hold the light using your right thumb (while still scootering) and then dump with the left hand and not blind your buddy. Speaking of which, anyone know whether the exploration goodman head from UE would fit a salvo? Failing that I might have to find some metal and see about knocking up a thumb loop myself... (I know it's not hard, but I'll manage to stuff it up!)