Beginner to Diving outside of Club

[IanRMartin]

Hi,
Currently i have only dived with members of my SAA club but often there isn't alot happening and they tend to do the same sort of dives and far to many at stoney! I don't mind going to stoney everynow and then or with newbies for some experience but not all the time! so after spending a little time on YD and hopefuly making a few friends i am considering diving out side of my SAA club.
I would really like a little advice i've seen a number of trips on the YD calender but am unsure of the level of diving being done. I generly dive with a single 15ltr and 3ltr pony so don't want to sign up to a trip and find everyone with twin 12's and 7ltr stages . I currently would not like to dive below 35 meters!
Also i don't mind admiting i would be a little nervous just putting my name down for a trip with a load of poeple i don't know plus i've never dived off a hardboat before just the club rib Which is at portland at the moment and to often never makes it outside the harbour.
I really want to get on and do some diving i've recently passed my basic nitrox so would like to get some experience with that.
Can anyone reasure me a little about these trips! And convince me to just do it and stop worrying about it.
Thanks
Ian

[tom]

Just do it and stop worrying about it.






EDIT: somewhat more helpfully, most trips have a max depth specified - if not, just post on the thread asking what is planned. Diving is being done at pretty much all levels from what I can see, but I guess the majority are 'recreational depth' with minimal deco etc. This being YD, you may well turn up on the boat and find it loaded with twinsets and stages - but in many cases people are using them for two dives. You can always mention it when you sign up "I'll be looking to do a no-deco dive on 32% - anyone wanna buddy up?). Just take along a second cylinder for the second dive and you'll have just as much gas . Hardboats are generally much more comfortable to dive off, so there's nothing to worry about there.

As for a load of people you don't know - to be honest, YD'ers are all pretty much horrible people*, but if you want to dive you'll have to put up with them




*that's not true

[EdHornby]

I was in scapa back end of last year with our club and YD were on the other boat - I can attest they are a friendly bunch

[warmwaterdiver]

Hi Ian

As discussed earlier on this week with you, Yd'rs aren't all that bad! As you know, I was in exactly the same situation 12 months ago and the only way to find out is to get booked on a trip and go from there. The first trip I booked on nearly stopped me booking again (Pembrokeshire last May for those who went) EDIT due to the weather. If your in any doubt about a trip you like the look of, don't hesitate to PM the organiser asking more questions, not many of them bite

Gary

PS:

Originally Posted by IanRMartin

so don't want to sign up to a trip and find everyone with twin 12's and 7ltr stages

sorry if thats what you saw and assumed from our chat

PPS:
Theres a few to avoid but I'll let you know about those by PM

[Fiona]

Ian as Tom said just do it

I was also in the same position as you, my club always did the same thing and I was getting bored, someone told me about YD and then I started to post, I took the plunge on an annual YD gig to Angelsey which and I don't mind admitting was a bit intimidating. I didn't actually enjoy the trip but decided to give it another go which I can say 3 years on I am glad I did.

All my diving is now done with friends made on YD and we have some really good mass gigs. Look out for a trip which you think would suit you, sign up and join in you will not regret it, they won't bite.

My diving is the same as yours, 35m range I have a little set of 7's so don't worry about everyone diving big twins and stages even the RB lot are OK barmy but OK.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by IanRMartin

...
Can anyone reasure me a little about these trips! And convince me to just do it and stop worrying about it.

Ian you will be fine. Most UK diving is less than 35m and most folks are pretty friendly. The only thing to worry about is why on earth you would stay a club member after a couple of trips elsewhere....

Chris

[kuki9591]

Ian,

I am also a YD gig virgin, but hopefully plan to pop my YD cherry soon, I have become frustrated with the club scene and YD appears to be a friendly and focused alternative.

Mike

[IanRMartin]

Big Thanks!
I really appreciate these replies its what I needed/wanted to hear , I'm sure once i get started i'll wonder why i waited so long before doing it in the first place.
I look forward to seeing some of you on a future trip then when i bite the bullet.
Thanks Again
Ian

[Mark Chase]

Hi

Rest assured Hard boats are much easier to dive from than RHB's. The only difference is you giant stride to get in Getting out is worth thinking about. Watch out for the dive platform or ladder going up and down and hitting you hard on the way down and stay well back from the diver before you getting out in case he she falls of the ladder.

The most critical piece of advice is don't feel intimidated on the strange boat with strange divers. Do your own thing in your own time as you would normally do because to do otherwise is to make mistakes.

Try and pre organize a buddy of similar experience or at least with similar dive goals. Its no use turning up and saying you only want to do a 15min bottom time when every one else is doing 30 and similarly its no use doing a 60min bottom time when the others are doing 30.

On non team dives i tend to totally ignore the rest of the boat. I ask the skipper for an in the water time and I decide what time I need to start getting ready. I discuss the dive plan with my buddy and ensure that our plan for shot or SMB ascent and our run time is acceptable to the skipper.

There may or may not be a general vote on an up the shot ascent or a SMB ascent dependent on conditions.

If I turn up on a boat without a buddy I take the risk of having to alter my dive to suit my buddy or diving alone. I am happy to do either I sometimes dive as a three if there are people i particularly want to share the dive with.

If your not happy with this then I strongly suggest pre arranging a buddy even if its someone you haven't dived before. If its a YD gig ask on the net for a buddy giving them your details in terms of experience and planned bottom time /gas etc.

Chose some dives well within your experience to start with just to get a feel for it all.

Once you have got into a comfort zone its very liberating. You are able to dive on the stuff ideally suited to you rather than have to follow the club.
If like me you use the same boats often. Then you will find you meet the same divers over and over again.

ATB

Mark Chase

[recurve]

You may find one or two trips posted for 'virgins', they are great fun and a great intro both to the dives and the divers.

Popped my cherry last year in Swanage. Deep joy, first UK sea dives, loved it to bits, great helpful people on hand to help you as much as you need. Hopefully up in Scapa later this year with YDers too, and I believe there is a Scapa virgins trip too.

Get yer name down

PS Stoney is my second home due to non-proximity of decent diveable water on the coasts round here, and I actually quite enjoy that too!

Oh, I've never joined a club, YD has kindly provided me with a whole host of great buddies.