Has anyone NOT passed their OW?

[drbill]

I wasn't certified by NAUI (although I knew Jon Hardy pretty well) or PADI, but Los Angeles County. Their program was pretty strict in my experience and you didn't pass unless you demonstrated a good command of the necessary skills. As I remember way back then, there was more than one in my OW class that didn't pass.

 

[k ellis]

Has anyone not passed their OW? Just finished our confined water and classroom sessions, will be taking our final written within the next week or so and open water dives in Maui next month. Our instructor said we're doing well but that we're not quite ready for the final open water and need a couple more practice pool sessions. Getting nervous....​

When I divemaster I rarely see people not complete their course. Most often people dont complete the course because they chose not too. They become afraid or simply chose not to come back for their own personal reasons. I can not mention names but I did see one who was rather large in size and as a result special ordered a wet suit and had it shipped out over night. I was told that he paid quiet a fee to get it.

When it came time to dive the open water it was still in the spring and if I recall it was the earliest of spring where the water temps still did best dry or with a 7mil at best. (Me I did a 5 mil but hey) He ended up using well over 60 pounds and if memory serves correct it was in the mid 70s for the weighting. He went down to begin his skills but came back up and it took 2 dive masters to take turns pulling him back to shore because he was to tired to kick himself.

He was a very great guy and one you really wanted to help but unfortunately he never came back to finish his skills. I was told other things came up but I respect privacy on people so I wont detail but none the less hes the only one I never saw complete the course that really tried his hardest. We were willing to work with him but unfortunately he just wasnt ready at that time and on his own decision decided not too.

Most often though when people chose not to complete the course its because they have a phobia or fear of being underwater and they simply can not over come it and decide not to continue on.

---------- Post added April 22nd, 2015 at 11:09 PM ----------

Almost no one fails. Unless you can not swim or are claustrophobic they will pass you. If you do not pass then you will not be buying lots of equipment from them when you are done with the course. For you it is a multi hour course, for them it is a multi hour sales pitch. A few decades back about 25-30% failed but that is no longer the case today.

Its funny you mention that. I could not swim to save my life when I first started. I looked like the terminator T-1000 in Terminator 2 at the end but I knew I wanted to dive. It was my passion and my dream. I spoke with my instructor and when I paid my money I went home and read the requirements and called my instructor tearfully and painfully cowering down because I knew all was lost. He said to come in and get in the pool and hed work with me. He stopped what he was doing (Hes the shop owner) and entrusted the operations to an employee and got in the pool with me.

I couldnt do it and cursed the air and swatted some flies but he was calm and said "Here is what I want you to do" and showed me how to swim. He did in 10 minutes what 30 something years had not been able to do and that was taught me to swim. So if you want it bad enough it can be obtained I am proof of that.