My open water class experiences

[maj2]

With the length of time you are in the pool for any OW class that I have seen, pretty much any water will fill cold by the end of the class. It is not unusual to see people in my area wearing a wetsuit (anywhere from a shorty to 3mm) for pool classes. I wore a shorty for mine, and was fine. I still use the shorty for any pool diving that I do.

And as KevinNM pointed out, people's cold tolerances differ greatly. He had an example in Hawaii. Mine was in the St Lawrence River in 72F water with divers in exposure protection ranging from just a bathing suit right up to drysuits. It's all fine. Just a matter of gearing up for your own preferences and tolerances.

One other bit of advice... if you will be doing your check-out dives in local Chicago area water, you might want to wear gloves and hood in the pool for a bit. I have seen several people have issues with the feel of a hood and the loss of manual dexterity due to cold water gloves. Getting some practice with the extra gear in a pool setting will give you a better feel for what to expect later.

 

[TMHeimer]

When I assisted with OW courses we always had a break midway in the pool, when the students and staff grabbed a quick hot shower (well, all but Instr. Randy, whose cold tolerance even put ME to shame). Some will say (and it's true) that the pool feels really cold after a hot shower, but an hour later in the pool you are glad you did warm up.

 

[TMHeimer]

Sorry, that "slow computer" double post thing again.....

 

[Marie13]

I got my BP/W last night so I'll have it on in today's pool session. I just realized the crotch strap adds a level of complexity when we're practicing BCD removal and donning in the water.

Any particular way I should handle this? You've got time to post since I'be got 2 hours before I leave for the shop (air refill and getting rental drysuit) before we head for the pool.

 

[Marie13]

Actually, I worried needlessly about the crotch strap adding a level of complexity. We were at the bottom of the deep end, and I was able to remove and don my BP/W without issue. Had no problem getting crotch strap rethreaded onto belt strap. Instructor later told me she though "uh oh" when she saw the crotch strap come unthreaded, but was glad I had no issues.

I had actually gotten up an hour earlier this morning and spent 15-20 minutes putting it on and taking it off to just get used to doing it. Made all the difference in the pool.

 

[Reef_Rat]

With any new gear I always recommend blind donning and doffing underwater to amp up familiarity. Congrats on your new cert! Diving is all new and totally alien to everybody when we start. I couldn't even count how many dives I have. Hell I do it for a living and still I'm a "new" diver. Good on you adding the extra time to learn your gear. Any dive in water less than 95 degrees where you remain static will SUCK after a while. I've had my divers on the reef in south FL in the summer and I tend to hover neutral to watch them and I'm wearing 2pc 7mm Henderson w/ hood and gloves and 5mm booties and socks and still shivering in about 90fsw.

 

[Neilwood]

Actually, I worried needlessly about the crotch strap adding a level of complexity. We were at the bottom of the deep end, and I was able to remove and don my BP/W without issue. Had no problem getting crotch strap rethreaded onto belt strap. Instructor later told me she though "uh oh" when she saw the crotch strap come unthreaded, but was glad I had no issues.

I had actually gotten up an hour earlier this morning and spent 15-20 minutes putting it on and taking it off to just get used to doing it. Made all the difference in the pool.

I am glad you found it no problem. It does appear to add difficulty but with a tiny amount of practise it becomes easy. I reckon I can fully don my bp&w quicker than most of the people with jacket type that I dive with. Reason being is mine doesn't need adjusting when on (waist belt done up=adjustment complete) whereas the jackets still need the cummerbund done, the wait strap done, the shoulders tightened and then checked. I know mine is right because it hasn't changed since the last time it was on.

 

[Marie13]

Congrats on your new cert!

Not quite yet! This was just the pool work. Checkout dives are in three weeks.