How good of a swimmer do you need to complete open water course

[Altamira]

Instead of having the student float for 10 minutes, time would be better spent actively teaching people drown proofing techniques, although that in itself is a bit of a misnomer. No guarantees issued about not drowning.

 

[Kodad]

For my NAUI OW we were not allowed to just float. We had to tread water for 10 mins and if the instructor caught you floating he would start the timer over. I can float for hours, but I did tread like he asked me to. We also did the underwater swim. For the 200m swim, I just backstroked my way through it. Being the old guy (50yrs) I just went slow and steady. I finished before the young guys who took off fast and tried to make a race out of it.

 

[TMHeimer]

For my NAUI OW we were not allowed to just float. We had to tread water for 10 mins and if the instructor caught you floating he would start the timer over. I can float for hours, but I did tread like he asked me to. We also did the underwater swim. For the 200m swim, I just backstroked my way through it. Being the old guy (50yrs) I just went slow and steady. I finished before the young guys who took off fast and tried to make a race out of it.

Yeah, that's what I harp on. Treading, floating, drownproofing--who cares? What's the objective?--I assume just to survive for 10 minutes. Maybe NAUI figures floating is too easy (not for ME--in fresh water), requiring no muscle work, whereas treading (I CAN easily do this) shows muscular prowess???

 

[Kevrumbo]

Hi,

Pretty new to diving and was walking around Bali and see a lot of shops offering open water courses. Some to a few of them and a couple of them said that I need to be a good/steering swimmer to do the open water course. Others were more of the opinion that diving and swimming are different activities.

On my own, I can swim on my own in the pool. There was a time I could do 400 mts but dad to say that I have not kept my fitness level and would probably be exhausted at 100 mts today. Have no experience of open water swimming (35 M).

Should I take up the open water course?

Anything you can learn from open water Scuba training -or an added advantage of having previous swimming skill & experience- can give you a potential survival edge in an emergency contingency. Practice it for competence, develop with confidence, and you'll do it without panic if ever an emergent condition arises.

Swimming skill may be irrelevant for scuba diving per se, but it's still a vital activity to learn & know -what if that tropical liveaboard you're on (or worse those wonderfully "seaworthy" Indonesian/Philippine Ferries) starts to sink without warning? What if an empty life raft turns out to be only a 200 meter swim away. . .?

 

[Bob DBF]

Yeah, that's what I harp on. Treading, floating, drownproofing--who cares? What's the objective?--I assume just to survive for 10 minutes.

That would be my priority, as well. This is why the "you don't need to swim to dive" crowd confuses me, I wouldn't let my daughter near the water without trained adult supervision until she could swim well, why would I let her dive without being able to swim?

You don't need to swim, you have the BCD to keep you afloat.

Until it pukes and you drown. Staying alive on the water is not just about mechanical devices working properly to keep you alive.


Bob

 

[AJ]

Until it pukes and you drown. Staying alive on the water is not just about mechanical devices working properly to keep you alive.

Exactly my way of thinking. You don't need to be able to swim to dive, but some day you may need to swim to survive.

 

[dmaziuk]

You don't need to swim, you have the BCD to keep you afloat.

Until it pukes and you drown. Staying alive on the water is not just about mechanical devices working properly to keep you alive.

There's always a second half and for some reason people always leave out the second half. In this instance the second half was "but in the water you will be a danger to yourself and those around you".

 

[Epicnemesis]

I was in maybe the worst shape of my life when I got certified. (Less than a year ago, I am now in the best shape of my life.)

I think my instructor had us do 400m. The key is slow and steady. I was the last person to finish my laps by like 5 minutes. I wasn't about to fail my class by over-exerting myself due to peer pressure. Anyone can swim for that distance with no time constraints.