How to Book a 'Planned Trip' - UPDATED - ALL PLEASE READ!!

[Mr T.]

Hi Guys,

Just a few 'How To' and 'What to Expect' indicators, so that we can reduce any potential confusion and/or frustration for both members and Admin alike.

Getting this clearly understood and in working practice will prevent the need for Admin to move any incorrectly positioned threads and save you the frustration of PM'ing me and asking "where's my thread gone?"


What Should I post (and what shouldn't I post) in the Planned Trips section?

This section is primarily for the purposes of posting planned trips for and by YD'ers - where the core criterion is to fill a hard-boat/RIB, shore diving party or foreign liveaboard etc. with YD'ers.

NB: Anyone just wanting to punt information (e.g. a skipper's email and moby number for a possible hook-up etc.) on a few space places they're looking to fill on an already existing/organised trip (which perhaps might not have been organised via the YD's boards), then please post them in the 'Spare Boat Places to Fill' section, providing as much detail as might be necessary.

Also, anyone looking for dive buddies, please use the 'Need a Buddy?' section accordingly, providing info on your current dive experience and cert level, along with where you can/are willing to dive and what sort of diving you'd be happy doing (e.g. deep, shallow, mixed-gas, rebreather, wreck, drift, reef/sceneic etc.)


What kind of information should I provide when posting a Planned Trip?

So that readers of you post can make an informed decision as to whether they might like to join any given trip, please ensure that you 'set the correct level of expectation' when submitting your details and information on the trip.

It helps if the following crtieria is included:

* Clear days and date(s) of the trip you're intending to fill.

* The name of the boat/RIB/Shore gig you're hoping to fill. It's also good practice - where you can - to cut and paste any helpful URLs/Weblinks of the boat, dive centre etc. into the post so that readers can then go and have a butcher's for themselves.

* Where possible, a clear indication as to precisely how much the trip will cost per diver, per day - and please indicate/breakdown what is included or not in that cost (e.g. onboard lunch, gas/air, accommodation etc.)

* A 'nice to have' would also be to post where the nearest air station is, and any rough costs if you can get them - these might be available on any URL you post.


What responsibilities and committments do I have to a trip and its organiser, and what happens if I put my name down for a trip and then can't - for whatever reason - make the trip, even though boats and/or accommodation have been booked for me on the basis that I intended to make the trip?

Just so levels of expectation are common for all YD'ers....

OK, the wholesale theft from YD members which occured in the "Peter Kelly Incident" (PKI) aside, we are all adults here, and should be aware that other YD members are not here to be used as, or act as a personal bank; or to bail out other members if they decide (for whatever reason) they do not want to or can't make a trip on which their name has featured in both the planning and costing of the trip in question.

Now, just so everyone here is clear, and can't say they "weren't told", or "didn't know", it has been, for at least two years, 'the working practice on YD Gigs' (and acknowledged and accepted as such), that if you've put your name down for a gig, with your name then featuring in the costing and general organisation of boats and accommodation, then you are responsible for the cost of that place. No ifs or buts.

If you decide, for whatever reason, that you can not make the trip, then it is up to you to find a suitable substitute to take your place and cover the cost of your place - if a substitute can not be found by you, then you cover the cost yourself - be that any required deposit or monies-in-full for both boats and/or accommodation.

Other YD'ers are not, and shall not be asked to be put into a position where they are expected or asked to fund your place or cover your costs - they are not the ones who bailed on the gig. Harsh but fair.

Also, and it's important to remember that, unless there are names current and present on any apparent 'Sub's Bench' list on any given trip, do not rely, guess, assume or hope that the next person on the Sub's Bench will automatically take your place - it is up to you to contact the next name on the Sub's Bench list and agree with him or her that they are happy to take your place. If you find they are not, then you must work your way down the Sub's list to find one who is. Then, and ONLY then, is your committment and responsibility to the costs of the trip covered. Again, if you can not find one on the Sub's Bench who is willing to take your place, then it is your responsibility to cover the costs of your place.

There have been cases recently where members have, with out contacting the trip's organiser, just glibly posted that they can't make the trip in the Planned Trip thread in question, and stating that "so I guess the next on the Sub's Bench can take my place..." - at the time that was posted, there were no names on that trip's Sub's Bench, a position which was not unknown to the member when posting. Sorry, but this doesn't and won't cut it in future.


What if I have places booked on trip/boat and simply don't show up for the dive? (with or without letting the trip's organiser know either on the day or in advance)

Simple: you owe the skipper for the place(s) you booked but failed to fill. Ditto any accommodation booked for you.


What happens if I turn up and attend a YD Gig and decide not to dive - for whatever reason that might be?

Same rules apply - you owe the skipper for the places booked for you and unfilled on the boat. Ditto any accommodation.


Obviously a lot of the above is common sense, but in order to remove any potentially heated or embarrassing conversations between members in future about a trip's organiser having to 'justify' why a vacating/missing trip member should pay their end, it needed stating plainly.


Will my post automatically be placed in the 'Event Calendar'?

The short answer is no.

Whereas the old YD system software (pre-June 2004) would - in one function - allow you to submit a Planned Trip post, and then give you the opportunity to post a trip title, date/range of dates (which would then automatically be placed into the event calendar) etc. the new system software, alas, does not.

This being the case, would you please - once you've completed your Planned Trip post - then make an entry in the Event Calendar and cut-n-paste the URL from your Planned Trip post into the entry. This way folks can see your post by just clicking on the Event Calendar without having to wade through pages of Planned Trips.

See HERE for rules on How to Use the Event Calendar.



Anyone with questions or needing help, please PM me and I'll get things sorted for ya.



Thanks all for your help in this matter.

Cheers,
Bren.