Instructors wearing drysuits while students wear wetsuits

[fnfalman]

I don't believe that instructors should use the same gears as OW students.

Harkened back to those days, I didn't know squat from diddly and was too worried about learning the skills than worrying about poodle jacket versus BPW or wetsuit versus drysuit.

 

[rongoodman]

A few years back when Extended Range tech courses were more popular, we used to see similar discussions regarding instructors being on air instead of trimix, just because the students were.

 

[Dam0]

Our instructor would refuse to teach anyone in anything but a dry suit. He had school suits at his disposal and I thank him for it. I doubt I'd be diving otherwise.

It added an additional task to manage at OW but worth it. He didn't try and push the cert on us either.

 

[Mustard Dave]

I am surprised to hear an instructor say a student could do their open water checkout in a dry suit. When my son complained about being cold, the instructor's suggestion was to buy a custom-fit wetsuit, each 6 months if necessary. Instead, I got my son into a dry suit. How many instructors are open-minded to open water students in dry suits ?

The school I learned with do all their training in drysuits. In the UK, most people dive them all year round but I will use my wetsuit when the temperature is around 15 degrees Celsius. Trying to teach any other way would be stupid. A student should never be made to feel uncomfortable and it shocks me when I see students in wetsuits when the temperature is 7 degrees C. There is no reason why an OW student cannot be taught in a drysuit other than PADI lose out on sales as they no longer need a drysuit course.

You chose right with your son's suit - the instructor sounds like a plank.

 

[boulderjohn]

There is no reason why an OW student cannot be taught in a drysuit other than PADI lose out on sales as they no longer need a drysuit course.

PADI has standard procedures for teaching students in dry suits in the basic OW course with no extra money whatsoever. The dry suit course is not intended for that purpose.

 

[Mustard Dave]

PADI has standard procedures for teaching students in dry suits in the basic OW course with no extra money whatsoever. The dry suit course is not intended for that purpose.

I don't doubt it, but if an OW diver learns in a drysuit from day one, they do not need to pay for any more instruction. If they learn in a wetsuit and then decide they want a drysuit, they will need to be taught again.

 

[Peter_C]

PADI has standard procedures for teaching students in dry suits in the basic OW course with no extra money whatsoever. The dry suit course is not intended for that purpose.

But do you get a "Drysuit Card" included with open water? My gal didn't get a drysuit card, but we didn't ask for one either. She doesn't really need one as she owns her own drysuit.

 

[RJP]

But do you get a "Drysuit Card" included with open water? My gal didn't get a drysuit card, but we didn't ask for one either. She doesn't really need one as she owns her own drysuit.

The DS card would not be included with OW, unless the student also met the criteria for getting a DS card. Simply doing 4 OW dives in the suit would not suffice. DS certification would require academics, an additional pool session, and an additional OW dive for DS skills. As far as I know the additional skills required for the DS-specific dive cannot be combined with any of the OW dives - ie disconnecting DS inflator hose, etc. Thus the need for an additional dive.

 

[Mustard Dave]

But do you get a "Drysuit Card" included with open water? My gal didn't get a drysuit card, but we didn't ask for one either. She doesn't really need one as she owns her own drysuit.

No, you don't, but like you say why bother if you own your suit? If you need to hire one it is a different matter and having the card might be useful. The subject often comes up on a couple of UK forums and nobody seems to be able to give a definitive answer. Capernwray, an old quarry now used as an inland dive centre say the following:

"Diving in a dry suit requires specialist training and Capernwray reserve the right to refuse hire to those individuals who in our opinion do not possess the requisite level of knowledge or experience in dry suit use."

You could argue that a new PADI OW diver trained by my local school can demonstrate the experience as his log book will say he was wearing a drysuit for all his OW dives. I've never needed to ask so I don't know how they would respond.

I have a drysuit card because I got it really cheap. I had the PADI Scuba Diver cert before doing OW so I only had to do part of the OW course. When I signed up, the owner of the dive centre said I was welcome to do the whole course for no extra cost but I would have to pay for my site entry fees and air for the extra day. I asked about the drysuit cert as I was planning on hiring a suit. In the end I bought one straight away so I didn't need it. Most people at my club dive drysuits but I cannot think of anyone else who has the cert. Those that don't own suits can hire them from the school and a cert card is never requested as they know all their former students who dive with the club have the necessary skills.

 

[Dr Dog]

My instructors always have drysuits on... I could rent one and keep up with them if I wanted.. But they spend a considerable longer amount of time at depth doing nothing but watching stuff, so it takes its toll on you.

I see them wearing drysuits the same as me wearing a Henderson and the next person wearing a Cressi.. It makes no diff what you are wearing, unless I am doing a drysuit course