I think I may have picked the wrong instructor - advise please

[Pizz]

A lot of what you describe is the stuff that has to happen logistically in addition to the standards that have to be met. I will comment on the parts that related directly to the standards:


Did you set up and break down your gear? 2 set ups, 1 breakdown

Here is what is missing from CW #1:
Two different ways to recover a lost regulator and purge the regulator after recovering it. We did one (lean right and sweep arm back)
Alternate air exercise (got an explanation that they don't breath as easy by design because of freeflow concerns and got to try a couple breaths)
The swim should be 200 yards
You should have had a 10 minute float.


What do you mean by buddy breathe? (his words not mine and I pulled the plug on second session before we got to try so I don't know for sure - I think it was to be for us to drop regs and get partners octo) If you mean using the alternate regulator for an OOA diver, then that is OK, but if you mean sharing the same regulator, that is not supposed to be taught. It seems to me that you didn't do it anyway. Breathing from a free flowing regulator is a standard.

So I will list the things you missed in case you did them and forgot about them:

200 yard swim 100 yds
Float No
5 equipment setups and breakdowns 1.5
Two regulator recoveries 1
Alternate air exchange in shallow water no
Deep water entry (should be more than one) no
5 point descent haven't a clue
No mask breathing no
Mask replacement underwater no
Disconnect low pressure inflator hose yes
BCD oral inflation no
Weight check I don't think so
Air depletion exercise me yes, wife no
Weight removal at the surface no
Deep water exit no
Neutral buoyancy under water--both with inflator and orally he couldn't get my wife neutral, and i think i was close but???
cramp removal yes, cause my wife got one in calf.
Tired diver tows yes, but by end of octo becasue he said PADI shouldn't be teaching a tow from back of BCD - to close to diver and he could panic
Air depletion followed by alternate air exchange followed by one minute swim with buddy--both as donor and receiver nope
Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) no
Skin Diving exercises no
No mask swim/mask replacement no
Hover for 30 seconds without moving hands or feet i think we did it
Remove and replace the scuba unit on the surface no
Remove and replace the scuba unit under water no
Remove and replace weight belt on the surface we didn't have weight belts
Remove and replace weight belt under water ibid
​

So, with the only exception of those 26 items, your instruction was quite complete.

By all means give this information to PADI.

Thanks for the info, I forgot a couple. . . .

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks for the info, I forgot a couple. . . .

I did, too. I forgot to mention the swim with snorkel and the snorkel/regulator exchange. Here are some more comments:

A lot of what you describe is the stuff that has to happen logistically in addition to the standards that have to be met. I will comment on the parts that related directly to the standards:


Did you set up and break down your gear? 2 set ups, 1 breakdown

Here is what is missing from CW #1:
Two different ways to recover a lost regulator and purge the regulator after recovering it. We did one (lean right and sweep arm back)
Alternate air exercise (got an explanation that they don't breath as easy by design because of freeflow concerns and got to try a couple breaths)It sounds like you didn't actually do the exchange.
The swim should be 200 yards
You should have had a 10 minute float.


What do you mean by buddy breathe? (his words not mine and I pulled the plug on second session before we got to try so I don't know for sure - I think it was to be for us to drop regs and get partners octo) If you mean using the alternate regulator for an OOA diver, then that is OK, but if you mean sharing the same regulator, that is not supposed to be taught. It seems to me that you didn't do it anyway. Breathing from a free flowing regulator is a standard.

So I will list the things you missed in case you did them and forgot about them:

200 yard swim 100 yds
Float No
5 equipment setups and breakdowns 1.5
Two regulator recoveries 1
Alternate air exchange in shallow water no
Deep water entry (should be more than one) no
5 point descent haven't a clue
No mask breathing no
Mask replacement underwater no
Disconnect low pressure inflator hose yes
BCD oral inflation no
Weight check I don't think soYou didn't--you would have remembered.
Air depletion exercise me yes, wife no
Weight removal at the surface no
Deep water exit no
Neutral buoyancy under water--both with inflator and orally he couldn't get my wife neutral, and i think i was close but???You would have remembered. I'm sure you didn't. It used to be called the fin pivot.
cramp removal yes, cause my wife got one in calf.
Tired diver tows yes, but by end of octo becasue he said PADI shouldn't be teaching a tow from back of BCD - to close to diver and he could panicWow! he doesn't even know how to do a proper diver tow!
Air depletion followed by alternate air exchange followed by one minute swim with buddy--both as donor and receiver nope
Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) no
Skin Diving exercises no
No mask swim/mask replacement no
Hover for 30 seconds without moving hands or feet i think we did itI doubt it.
Remove and replace the scuba unit on the surface no
Remove and replace the scuba unit under water no
Remove and replace weight belt on the surface we didn't have weight beltsIt can be integrated weight pockets. It sounds like you didn't do it.
Remove and replace weight belt under water ibidIt can be integrated weight pockets. It sounds like you didn't do it.
​

So, with the only exception of those 26 items, your instruction was quite complete.

By all means give this information to PADI.

In summary, you aren't getting anything like a real scuba course. Check this page for information about how to deal with it: PADI Members' Quality Management Program - Scuba Diving Instructors Evaluation Procedures

It is important that you do it, not just for yourself, but for others as well.