Getting my son certified

[ReeferBen]

So I signed my son, 10 years old, for a NAUI certification camp. I went to the local shop and we talked, the instructor talked to my son and had him to some reading. We went over the information briefly. I was certified about 9 years ago through YMCA. I have only done around 150 dives in that time. My sons SCUBA camp starts tomorrow morning.

The instructor told me the camp is for 10-18 and expects the older kids to pick up the information much faster and asked me to go over the info this weekend to get a head start with my son. We watched both of the DVD's and followed along in the books. Alot of the words are tough for him making some of the info go over his head. I spent probably about 10 hours this weekend working on it with him so far but he is having a tough time. A test came with the NAUI book, I am assuming it is a practice test. I had him do some of the practice test and he got it about 50/50. The questions about not holding your breath and such he had no problem but some of the others like weight of a full tank he got 40lbs but couldnt get the kilogram conversion.

Does he need to get 100% on the test to be allowed to do the check out dives?

Also I forgot to ask the instructor what the depth restrictions for a 10 year old naui cert it, I can ask tomorrow but if you know?

If we get through the class, and check out dives I would like to get him a BCD, he is about 97lbs and 4' 10". I saw some online but wasnt sure what is good for his size that he will be able to use in the quarry with me and also in the BVI when we go?

TIA

 

[DCBC]

Congratulations on getting your son into the scuba camp! NAUI is a great organization. I started my NAUI training when I was 11 and was certified at age 12 so I can relate to his experience. I too had difficulty with some of the underwater physiology and physics at that age.

NAUI like most training agencies sets-out "minimum standards" for certification. What is actually required however is up to the instructor, as long as the minimums are met. For example, if the instructor sets a pass mark like my instructor did at 80% that's what it is. In my courses, I set a pass of 80% on general knowledge with all key questions being correct and have two other exams on decompression and tide tables. These last two must be perfect to proceed to openwater.

Each instructor sets what he or she sees as reasonable, but this usually exceeds the minimum requirements set-out by the training agency. So the only answer I can give to your question is to speak with the instructor running the program.

As far as equipment is concerned, it really depends upon your son's size. If he needs a XS size for example, it's best to buy it so it's available. Otherwise I would rent gear as he will most likely grow out of it quickly. I purchased my own wet-suit as my check-out was in cold water and no suits would fit me. I went to the expense of buying a custom suit only to grow out of it 6 months later. I rented the other equipment until I was 16.

Good luck with the experience and have fun!

Wayne

 

[knowone]

How passionate is ReeferBen Jnr?

 

[Amphiprion]

I hope he is really into diving and you aren't pushing him. Anyway, I'd suggest helping him out with the weight conversion. At 10 he may not have had basic algebra and solving for X in math class. You may have to teach him this stuff.

 

[scuba712]

I would also recommend renting equipment especially for a boy that young. I got certified when I was 13 and it seemed like every time I went diving I had to change equipment sizes. Just call the place in the BVIs and make sure they have a size small enough for him. If he is doing some significant diving over the summer than it may be worth getting a wetsuit for him...that is what I did when I was 15 and took my Broadreach trip (gobroadreach.com, pretty amazing experience). I'm glad to hear another kid getting an early start diving.

-Daniel

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[fjpatrum]

At his size he'll probably be able to find BCs and such that are extra small "women's" sizes. Since most rental BCs aren't really "women's" it won't much matter (if it that kind of thing is likely to bother him) and shouldn't be too hard to find. There are enough ladies that size to warrant any dive shop having at least a couple BCs available to fit them and that way you don't have to worry about him outgrowing it after 2 dives.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Buy him a Zeagle Express Tech and he'll still be using it when he has kids and can pass it on to them.

 

[ReeferBen]

Thanks for all the advice guys. We just got home a few hours ago from our weekend at the quarry doing the check out dives. He had a blast, on the written test he got 81 of 86 correct and the instructor went over the ones he got wrong with him. He did a snorkel and 2 dives on Friday morning, and two dives today. On the last dive today he led the group of 4 plus the instructor on the navigation and got us right back where we started. Made me very proud of him, he really worked hard on this all week through the pool work, classroom work, and over the weekend at the quarry.

His instructors did a very nice job working with him at the quarry and helping him along. He had done a lot of snorkeling in the past with me, and was always jealous of me and my sister taking off in the boat to go out diving and now we can all go together.

The other dive shop I visit also recommended the zeagle, telling me as he grows I could just replace the shoulder straps, since the parts are modular and I would be able to grow the BCD with him.

Anyhow just thought I would update, he was very happy on the way home. I plan to take him to the quarry a bunch this summer to work on some of the skills with him at the shallower platforms and improve his skills before we go back to the BVI's.

 

[Chugwhump]

Great Post.
I just asked some questions like this myself for my 10 year old.
I am mostly looking for the right books to get him started.
Chug
Did it when he was 12.

 

[ReeferBen]

Heres my little guy right before we went down to the quarry for the last dive today. He clipped off his SPG after I took the pic lol. At one of the dives his instructor tried to hand him a crayfish to feed to the fish and he wouldnt take it, when we came up he said, "Did you see the instructor try to attack me with that crab!" lmao...