open water training question

[Meister481]

I did the remove & replace drill in the pool in my OW class back in 1988, wearing a wetsuit; don't recall whether we also had to do it on a checkout dive or not. My son took PADI OW this past summer and did not have to do it.

I think it's worth teaching. I don't recall that it caused great difficulty or stress to anyone in my class, and it does help with confidence and comfort in the water. Is it a necessary skill? Maybe, even if it's not something you'll need often. Over the years I've had to do it on a dive a couple of times, both times due to a tank slipping from a loose tank strap.

One of the (several) things I dislike about integrated weight BCs is the difficulty presented if you're in a wetsuit and need to remove the BC for some reason.

If the instructor didn't do it, they broke standards.

[Me]

I'm a current PADI instructor and gear removal and replacement at the surface and at depth is required in confined water dive five. During open water certification dives, only gear R&R at the surface is required. The certification dive in which it is performed is flexible and up to the instructor.

Pages 46 & 48 of the 2010 PADI Instructor Manual, Open Water Diver.

[Half-Fast]

I wasn't real impressed with his class. I wouldn't be surprised if the instructors broke standards. I thought maybe the standards had changed (and they probably have) in the last 20 years or so. I just double-checked with my son in case he did the drill one night when I wasn't there, and he confirmed he didn't do it. He didn't do a surface R&R on any of his OW checkout dives, either.

I find I'm having to fill in quite a few gaps in his dive education. Not that I mind (I rather enjoy teaching the kid), but I'm pretty disappointed in the combination of PADI and instructor that didn't do an adequate job.

[Me]

I find I'm having to fill in quite a few gaps in his dive education. Not that I mind (I rather enjoy teaching the kid), but I'm pretty disappointed in the combination of PADI and instructor that didn't do an adequate job.

Ed, if my late BF and I had taught your son he'd be doing drop descents and stop-hovers a few inches off the bottom, his buoyancy would be well on it's way to stellar (plus he would have the tools of knowledge to tweak it), he'd have his secondary on a bungie around his neck, he'd be buddy breathing, and if he had mastered the tables and wanted more he'd be working SAC rates and physics with the "master" prior to moving to AOW (my late BF was a university physicist).

I hate to say it, but my BF and I were and are not the norm at the shop we teach. Alas..... One of the reasons we only did/do privates.

Lori

[BillBowden]

I'm doing a RB crossover next week. I'm told I'll be removing and replacing my gear. Possibly exchanging units while swimming? OH BOY, that's gonna be fun.

[Sludge]

NASDS forbade the teaching of buddy breathing.

[Half-Fast]

Ed, if my late BF and I had taught your son he'd be doing drop descents and stop-hovers a few inches off the bottom, his buoyancy would be well on it's way to stellar (plus he would have the tools of knowledge to tweak it), he'd have his secondary on a bungie around his neck, he'd be buddy breathing, and if he had mastered the tables and wanted more he'd be working SAC rates and physics with the "master" prior to moving to AOW (my late BF was a university physicist).

I hate to say it, but my BF and I were and are not the norm at the shop we teach. Alas..... One of the reasons we only did/do privates.

Lori

Yeah, but I would've had a heckuva drive from Florida to get him to your classes.

Anyway, I guess it's what I get for putting him in a class with instructors I'd never dove with. I've since dove with them, and I doubt the instructors could demonstrate the bouyancy skills I'd like them to teach. He was taught nothing regarding trim, never had to hover, etc. Fortunately he's sharp and he's very comfortable in the water (heck, we're Floridians - he was in springs and pools with me before he could walk, and swam like a fish while he was still a toddler) so he understands what I tell him and he learns fast.

The kids SAC rate is so low I'm not sure I want to show him how to calculate it...

[Me]

NASDS forbade the teaching of buddy breathing.

PADI it was required up until a few years ago, now it's optional.

[Me]

Yeah, but I would've had a heckuva drive from Florida to get him to your classes.

Awww....we could have whipped him up at Ginnie on one of our sojourns.

[Half-Fast]

Awww....we could have whipped him up at Ginnie on one of our sojourns.

Sometime when you're down here I may hand him over to you. And whipping may well be necessary...