Diver Training: Kick-up the intensity, or not?

[DCBC]

...I think the heavy emphasis on skills in a class such as Fundies would have much more relevance to what I do.

Thanks for your comments Ron. Actually I believe you'll find that the GUE Rec 1 Standard (Fundies) is not that much different from mine.

 

[freewillie]

Recreational diving is recreational. It is supposed to be fun and not work. Sun, warm water, colorful reefs, exotic fish. Why would I want to take a course to train as a Navy SEAL to vacation dive? My family (and many of my friends) already thinks I'm crazy and obsessed with scuba by shore diving cold water here in SoCal.

 

[DCBC]

However, recreational divers (i.e. those not being paid to be there) have no need for these particular skills or attributes because they can and should walk away from conditions they cannot cope with rather than be all gung-ho about it and pressing on regardless. The time taken on jumping through hoops would be much better spent on mastering the skills they do need which I think are sometimes approached as box ticks instead.

I think the key to diving at any level is to know your safe diving envelope and dive accordingly. The Navy and Commercial Divers I've worked with over the years are the most safety conscious people I've known (there's no such thing as a "gung-ho" Commercial Diver). "Jumping through hoops" as you put it, is one of the skill-sets that they must "master." (buoyancy).

 

[kaerius]

I dunno, I've heard stories about Navy divers sitting at the back of the boat and having a smoke, with their skin bends audibly popping, as they wait for the on-boat chamber ride after a no stop dive with deco obligation.

 

[TMHeimer]

I agree with most of your course as it can only be beneficial. I also agree that many folks today would avoid it, as the attitude today can be get things done instantly. Your float ideas are OK, as long as you permit drown proofing for severe sinkers like me. My thought on the float is maybe to forget about all the arms out stuff and just make it a lot longer--like an hour (who has pool time for that?), as you may actually do that some day if your boat sinks in the middle of L. Michigan and your scuba gear is also on the bottom. A whole lot of physics and physiology is probably overkill. PADI elliminated a lot of physics for the "new" DM course, one of the few "dumbing down" things I think I agree with. Knowing the basics of "why" would seem enough, even for a DM, let alone an OW diver. After we did those sections in the "old" DM course our instructor asked if knowing all this stuff would make us think more about what we're doing on our own dives. I thought no, I took OW very seriously when it comes to DCS or other safety problems. BUT, a comprehensive course like yours can only help, or at least be more interesting.

 

[ScubaSteve]

How much does your course cost when compared to the same certification level issued by someone training to agency guidelines? Are we talking a factor of 2? 4? As much as we would like to leave the dollars and cents out of it, and in some way should, it is impossible to do today. I would have gladly paid more for my training to get what you offered but that would be limited to a premium.....not twice or more.

How many of you would find increasing the intensity of your diver training beneficial? Regardless of certification Agency, would increased difficulty enhance or detract from your training experience?

For those who don't know me, I'm an "old school" Instructor with a background in Navy and Commercial Diving. Many of my students take my course because they wish to either follow a similar career, or just want a challenge. To give you some parameters of the Basic Program (50-65 hours), the applicant must pass an in-water evaluation that consists of a:

- 400 M swim;
- 25 M underwater swim;
- tread water 2 minutes (arms and legs);
- tread water 2 minutes (arms only, legs crossed);
- tread water 2 minutes (Legs only, hands out of the water;
- 10 pound weight belt recovery (18')
- 15 minute survival float.

This is done in a continuous fashion (without pause). If an applicant fails to complete one or two segments, they may continue with the confined water training, but must successfully redo the test before progressing to OW.

The program is divided into 5 sections (plus an optional session):

1/ Fins, Mask and Snorkel

Divers become proficient with this equipment while increasing in-water fitness. This includes: mask clearing, surface dives, entries, kicks, doff and don (in 18' of water).

2/ SCUBA

Divers become proficient with this equipment while increasing in-water fitness. This includes the same skills undertaken with FMS. From the beginning of the class, emphasis is placed on good buoyancy control. This is tested later in the course with "the Gauntlet" (a set of underwater hoops at various depths that Students must negotiate). To get through the last hoop, the Student must take off his SCUBA to fit through a smaller opening. Other aspects of this class include: emergency swimming ascent (CESA), sharing air, buddy breathing, doff and don (with a blacked-out face mask), station breathing (movement between 5 SCUBA stations which will be shared by a number of other students).

3/ SCUBA Rescue

Areas covered include: the diving casualty, first-aid/cpr, diver recovery and transport, tired diver, panic reduction, surface & sub-surface rescue

4/ Lectures/Examinations (Text used: U.S. Navy Diving Manual)

During the first 3 sections, Students learn about: diving equipment/selection/maintenance, diver physiology, physics, Boyle's, Charles, Dalton's, Henry's laws, properties of breathing gases, harmful aspects of each gas (partial pressures), etc., etc., decompression, tide charts, dive planning. There are separate examinations for general knowledge, decompression, tide tables and dive planning (including the calculation and projection of gas consumption at various depths RMV/SAC).

Chamber Ride (Optional Session)

Students attend a simulated dive in a decompression chamber. This is usually done between 100 and 130 FSW.

5/ Open Water Dives

This is usually done over two weekends. It includes an ocean surface swim (1000 yards), Skin Dive (FMS) and a minimum of 5 open water dives (usually 7 including two boat dives). It includes an emergency swimming ascent from 50 FSW.

Anyway, I'm sure I missed something, but this was only to give an idea of the training intensity. Primarily, the goal is to turn-out a competent diver who can operate effectively in a Buddy team, independent of an Instructor/DM. The OW training conditions are harsh: waves average 4-5 feet, surface entry through rocks, surf, current and at times poor visibility. Water temperature can be below 32 degrees F.

For most people, a course of this type is overkill, but for a few people it provides what they want. How about you? If a similar program were available in your area, would you be interested in taking your training up a notch?

 

[TSandM]

I'm all for improving training and creating better divers, but I think the class you outlined is excessive, and it is way beyond the requirements of GUE Rec 1.

Doff and don with a blackout mask? I'm assuming you do this as a controlled stressor, but I don't think the average recreational diver needs to be trained to that level of stress management. Similarly with the station breathing, and the gear removal to pass through a small hoop. Good heavens, you'd think you were training Full Cave divers!

 

[DCBC]

I also agree that many folks today would avaoid it, as the attitude today is to get things done instantly.

Yes. Like many things today, people want it cheap, now and easy. In fact, there are more positive comments than I anticipated.

Your float ideas are OK, as long as you permit drown proofing for severe sinkers like me.

I too have had the same problem...

A whole lot of physics and physiology is probably overkill.... BUT, a comprehensive course like yours can only help, or at least be more interesting.

I'd agree it's overkill for most people, especially for where most divers dive. As to your next point, it is more interesting for people who want a real understanding of the subject matter. Once an individual completes the course, they can calculate the PPO2 (for example) at any depth, using any mixture. It's not that they're qualified to use mixed-gas, but they know how to apply the science. They can understand why different mixtures like Nitrox use different tables and why the safe maximum depth for the gas can be calculated. Some people want the knowledge, while others don't. In any case, I think that the Diver is better prepared if they understand it. But like you say, it's overkill for most people. Thanks for your comments.

 

[HIGHwing]

How about you? If a similar program were available in your area, would you be interested in taking your training up a notch?

No. With all due respect, I would assume it's just some old military guy reliving his past and stroking his ego trying in the process of creating his own band of brothers.

I think what you've managed to do is describe a fine entry point for many of the technical courses, because of the inherent need to swim, haul, or carry a set of doubles. Clearly this level of detail is not necessary to go on a 60' dive at Club Med where the gear is already setup and all you have to do is fall into the water. I would evaluate your entry point as overkill and mostly for your gratification - unless... You have established a market presence whereas divers coming to you are indeed going the commercial route, etc. Under those circumstances it makes more sense to me. Besides, if almost everyone is passing anyway, the requirements are more of an obstacle than test and evaluation.

Have you done any research on the topic of giving people too much information for the relevant task?

 

[DCBC]

How much does your course cost when compared to the same certification level issued by someone training to agency guidelines? Are we talking a factor of 2? 4? As much as we would like to leave the dollars and cents out of it, and in some way should, it is impossible to do today. I would have gladly paid more for my training to get what you offered but that would be limited to a premium.....not twice or more.

I currently run the course through a Club. The course fee is $350 (although this many be increased for the next program). An additional $50 is charged for Club membership, which provides the diver with free air for the year. The optional Chamber ride is $100. Although dive gear is provided, students are required to provide a full-suit. This is required for a full-dress confined water session, as well as the two weekends of the OW Dive. A local shop provides a package price for this purpose. The costs of the dive boat varies (dependent on the number of divers and season), which is an additional cost. Divers are certified after dive 5 and the boat dives are optional and usually done on dive 6 and 7 (to optionally provide them with experience under supervision).