SCUBA CLUB POLICIES & PROCEDURES

CONDITIONS FOR EQUIPMENT CHECK-OUT:

UM SCUBA Club reserves the right to cancel membership, without refund, to any individual who continually exhibits unsafe diving practices

1. Club equipment is for use only by active (dues paid) Club members in good standing. Club equipment can be used by Club members involved in an Open-Water (O/W) training program provided there is a Club sponsored Scuba Diver Instructor present during all of these activities. These students may not check out Club equipment for any other purposes.

2. Positive Proof of certification and active Club membership must be presented to the equipment manager(s) or other Executive Officer before any gear is checked-out.

3. A check-out form must be filled out and signed by the intended equipment user each time equipment is checked out.

4. Equipment must be checked out personally by the intended user. Club members in O/W training must have made prior arrangements with the equipment manager(s) and their Scuba Instructor in order to check out equipment. If this is not possible, a representative (O/W Instructor in the case of O/W students) may sign the gear out for him/her. However, the representative must present the user's SCUBA certification card and Club membership card at the time of check out.

5. To check out equipment please contact an equipment manager at least 24 hours in advance to schedule a meeting time. This also applies for returning equipment. Club-sponsored dives will have a group check-out time announced at the meeting before the dive. If you cannot make this time please see an equipment manager to schedule an alternate time. If you are unable to schedule a time with an equipment manager, you can contact any other officer for equipment check out.

6. A maximum of 2 tanks, 1 buoyancy compensator (BC), 1 wet suit, 1 regulator (starting Spring 2005), and 1 underwater light may be checked out to a single member. Starting Spring 2005, the Club will no longer supply weights or weight belts. Weights and weight belts are to be purchased by club members for their personal use.

7. Equipment should be returned to the Club immediately following a dive trip. If this is not possible, the equipment must be returned no later than 7pm on the Tuesday following the day of the dive trip. If the equipment is not returned by this time, a late fee of $5.00 per item will be charged for the first day and $1.00 per item for each additional day.

8. Tanks must be returned with at least 500psi in them. If a tank is returned with less than this the user will be charged a $15.00 fee per tank for a mandatory tank VIP (or current VIP fee charge).

9. All equipment must be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water inside and outside prior to being returned.

10. Any member that checks out equipment assumes full responsibility for the return of that equipment in the same operational condition as it was received in and also accepts responsibility for any replacement or repair costs if lost or damage.

SAFE DIVING PROCEDURES:

1. Sign ups for each weekends dive will take place at the meeting preceding the dive. The latest to sign up for a dive will be Thursday at noon. All payments must be prior to Friday at 1 PM, if payment is not made, you will not be allowed to dive.

2. Strict buddy teams of 2 or 3 will be used for all dives. Stay close to your buddy (can he/she reach your alternate air supply?).

3. Surface and descend as a buddy team. Do not allow divers to return alone even if you have plenty of air and/or bottom time left. If you become separated from your buddy, search for him/her for 1 minute and then surface and continue to search on the surface.

4. Each member of a buddy team must have a timing device (watch, or dive computer with a timer build-in), a depth gauge, and a tank pressure gauge (SPG). Computer diving is mandatory on all Advanced level dives. Both members of the buddy team are to use dive computers on all Advanced level dives.

5. Strict adherence to the no-decompression dive tables/computers is a must. No decompression diving is allowed.

6. A safety stop of at least 3 minutes at 15 feet is required for all dives exceeding 40 feet.

7. A dive flag must be flown any time you are diving. Dive flags are available for check out if you are doing a non-boat dive.

8. Discuss and plan the dive with your buddy. Go over time, depth, route, hand signals, emergency procedures, etc. (Do you feel comfortable diving with this person?)

9. On a boat dive the boat crew is in charge-their rules go- No arguments or exceptions. Pay attention to any briefings by the boat crew, since every dive operation does things differently.

10. On any Club trip an Executive Officer can cancel the dive due to bad weather, etc. Any Executive Officer may also revoke a member’s privilege to dive during a trip if that member violates these rules or otherwise demonstrates unsafe diving practices. No arguments or exceptions.

11. Always begin your dive against the current and return with it to the exit site. Always keep in mind where you are in relation to the exit site.

12. Finish your dive (exited from the water) with at least 500psi remaining in your tank.

13. Penetrate a wreck only if you are certified to do so and your equipment is positioned so that it won't become snagged, Wreck or Cave Diver Certification is highly recommended. A dive light and a dive knife are also recommended. Penetration cave diving is not allowed on Club dives unless the purpose of the trip is for Cave Diving and all divers are certified Cave Divers.

14. Observe the marine life while diving, but do not disturb it. Keep track of where your gauges, octopus, and other gear are so that they don't dangle and hit corals or plants. The same goes for your fins when you kick. Collecting of fish for aquaria is permitted if you have a license, but spear fishing is not allowed.

15. Observe and obey all rules for safe diving practice per your dive agency and rating level.

16. ANY observed diving practices deemed unsafe by the officers will result in IMMEDIATE TERMINATION of club membership