New diver... questions for your instructor

[BartBe]

Thanks for the info...

Where can i get a video with good and bad divers ? It would be a great help to know what i'm looking at .

Question... Trim : is that about balancing out your gear and getting the gear connected to get a minimum chance to stay hooked somewhere ?

Don't forget that i haven't started my cours yet so some of the terms flying around on the forum are still a bit blurry for me...


Can u also let me know wich techniques i should specifically practice as much as i can to make diving as comfortable and fun as possible. ( i'm not saying there's any i shouldn't practice at all but i guess that there are some techniques that are basic scuba diving requirement).

 

[HammerNoMore]

Juls64 once bubbled...

That is really interesting. I feel the same way. My dive shop is encouraging my husband and I to pursue Divemaster. They are a Padi shop so you only need 20 dives to begin. I think that is ludacris. Granted some people catch on quick and all, but how confident or comfortable would you be when the divemaster assisting or demonstrating a skill or whatever has so little experience. I am setting my own goals and will pursue that when I feel I am ready.

I have two comments on this. I look at scuba training as a way to aquire knowledge and new skills. Proficiency comes with time and practice. They are two different things entirely.

It is my personal belief that a diver (at least one using PADI) should work their way through rescue fairly early. Being able to help yourself or others you may find is an important responsibility of a diver.

Until you reach a point of self suficiency, you are a student, c-card or not and should probalby continue to practice and/or train. I have no problem with a person going strait through from OW->DM, as long as that person doesn't intend to work as such and is just seeking new knowledge and skills.

The second comment is on the DM course. Unless you have a desire to try to make a living guiding divers around or being a boat hand, or you need it as a stepping stone to instruction, the only real reason I see to take DM is the knowledge you will gain about decompression science and the like. You can just as easily gain this knowledge on your own by reading if you are so inclined.

 

[BartBe]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...

Ask about the number and length of the OW dives. If they're giving students 20 minute dives go someplace else.

What should a descent OW course dive be like...
Are the instructors supposed to go over the exercices with you on those dives?
How long should they +/- last ?
Do they just take you on a dive... jump in, swim around a bit, get out ?
That kind of stuff ??

Tnx...

 

[Lead_carrier]

WaterDawg once bubbled...
Hi there,


The reson I think this is a good question is that when an instructor takes students out on dives he really isnt challenging him self (could you imagine what that would mean for the student!). i could be wrong Im not an Instructor.

Good luck

:wacko: It is obvious you're not quite to the instructor level. :whoa: Next time your LDS goes for certification dives ask to tag along and tell the instructor that you want to keep up with all 8 divers in cold, low visibility water. Make sure that the hot dog that knows it all doesn't take off on a swim of his own chosing. That everyone will follow the correct ascent procedures, not hold their breath, ascend too quickly or inflate to see if they can really clear the water with their weight belts. That everyone will be careful and not drop a lead weight or tank on their toes or worse on someone elses. You're right. We have no challenges when we take students in for certification. Why did I choose to do anything so boring.. ut:

 

[HammerNoMore]

BartBe once bubbled...


What should a descent OW course dive be like...
Are the instructors supposed to go over the exercices with you on those dives?
How long should they +/- last ?
Do they just take you on a dive... jump in, swim around a bit, get out ?
That kind of stuff ??

Tnx...

My OW consisted of about 5 hours once a week for 6 weeks. The time was split up about 50/50 between the classroom and the pool each session. Doing your class "over the weeken" just doesn't really cut it IMHO.

As far as the certification dives, if you go to some local quarry or lake, they will generally be mostly all just demonstrating skills for your instuctor. If you go to someplace with something to see you'll get some sight seeing mixed in with the skills.

James

 

[MikeFerrara]

BartBe once bubbled...


What should a descent OW course dive be like...
Are the instructors supposed to go over the exercices with you on those dives?
How long should they +/- last ?
Do they just take you on a dive... jump in, swim around a bit, get out ?
That kind of stuff ??

Tnx...

You will need to demonstrate skills on three of the 4 dives. The first dive is just a dive. A tour for the purpose of gaining experience is a required part of every dive. The longer the dives the more experience you gain. You might also ask your instructor how these dives are organized. If your just playing follow the leader you won't learn much. Before I'll certify a diver they must demonstrate to me that they can plan and conduct a dive without my help. On the last dive, I follow them and just watch. If they need my help they're not ready to be turned loose yet.

 

[MikeFerrara]

James Goddard once bubbled...


As far as the certification dives, if you go to some local quarry or lake, they will generally be mostly all just demonstrating skills for your instuctor. If you go to someplace with something to see you'll get some sight seeing mixed in with the skills.

James

This is what should be avoided. there's plenty to see in quarries and the instructor should show you where it is. Touring for fun and experience on each dives is a required part of the class.

I know a shop who places an instructor out on the platform and has a DM shuttle divers out to do skills and then shuttle them back. That's the extent of the tour. These people are non-diving non-teaching idiots but they are certifying about 400 divers a year. They do dives this way after spending only about 5 hours in the pool. This is the kind of class you want to avoid, IMO, and there are lots of them.

 

[Lawman]

Aren't you supposed to be wearing a swimming suit when
we're in the pool?:wacko:

 

[HammerNoMore]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


This is what should be avoided. there's plenty to see in quarries and the instructor should show you where it is. Touring for fun and experience on each dives is a required part of the class.

I didn't say it was right, just typical. I generally watch the OW instructors at our local quary swim out to the platform, do skills, swim back. While there might be a few things of interest in the quarry, trying to see them after an OW class has been in the area is usually impossible. Our quarry is pretty shallow and kicks up easy.

James

 

[MikeFerrara]

Most of the bottom dredgers around here head home pretty early. We start our dives a little later in the day so we're diving after things start to clear. I also know the spots most people don't get into so while we might pass through some really bad vis on the way there I can usually get the students some decent diving. During out last class dives were running about an hour with the longest being like 80 minutes. I'll dive as long as their gas lasts.