I teach the
PADI wreck.
WheelsUSN outlined the limitations: Light-zone, 130'/40m linear from surface, rule of 1/3rds gas and no restrictions (confined passages).
THAT SAID: the course is
very basic on the penetration skills. It does not even closely compare with a cavern diver course, which has
identical limitations on penetration. That always struck me as a huge disparity. The course has only 1 penetration training dive, where you lay and retrieve a guideline; there are no contingency drills (lost line/lost buddy/entanglement) and no zero viz familiarization (black mask). Then there is only 1 (one) actual penetration dive (and that is optional?).
From my experience; two penetration focused training dives is nowhere near enough to adequately prepare a diver for real wreck penetration. For that reason, I don't count the PADI course as anything more than an
introduction to wreck penetration. Nothing more, nothing less.
If taught by a clueless instructor (
there are many - the prerequisite training/experience to teach this is a joke.. just 25 logged wreck dives that don't have to be penetrations), then it isn't even a good introduction. It's a waste of time. A 'good' instructor will add what is necessary to make the course more robust, BUT... they still only have 2 penetration-focused dives in which to achieve that tall order. The other two dives (non-penetration) can be used for core stuff like trim/ buoyancy/ propulsion/ situational awareness... a good instructor will take advantage of that (it's critical to being a safe wreck diver).
I only sell this as an introductory wreck course - I think it's disingenuous to pretend it's more than that (and I still add A LOT to the program). I offer post-qualification clinics and '
overhead protocols' clinic training to make up the short-fall...
I teach for both PADI and ANDI currently. I much prefer the
ANDI L2 Wreck course - which is a much more direct equivalent of cavern-level diving. It has all the drills and skills (black mask, lost line, lost buddy, entanglement) and 4 actual penetration dives. The course requires redundant gas too - so either a pony (minimum) or doubles (which can be taught as a supplement). It requires their 'complete safeair user' qualification as a prerequisite though (kinda similar to advanced nitrox, but just 50%, no deco).
Here's a relevant article:
How to evaluate a wreck diving course
---------- Post added October 1st, 2013 at 08:47 PM ----------
My particular PADI Instructor back in 2005 just finished a GUE Cave 1 course a few months before, so he incorporated a lot of that great overhead training & knowledge in the standard fare PADI Wreck syllabus. (example: reel line laying technique; long-hose gas sharing on egress from inside a wreck; gas management & modified-thirds turn-around etc.).
For reference: gas-sharing in the overhead is specifically prohibited on the PADI Wreck Diver course (instructor standards).
Everything else (proper guideline procedure, gas management, redundant gas etc... can be added). Other skills can be added in open-water training sessions (not overhead) - that's where I get my black masks out to play...
---------- Post added October 1st, 2013 at 08:50 PM ----------
Your point on gas sharing reminded me of something. I was talking to a friend who took the course and was told they don't teach long hose.
I was told if air share was needed and they needed to share air and squeeze through a restriction, the donor removes his BCD and pushes it through the restriction while air sharing.
I thought that was strange and sounded kinda unsafe.
That isn't taught - and any comments suggesting so were the thoughts of that particular instructor (a scary one, it seems).
The purpose in not allowing recreational wreck divers through restrictions is to ensure that they can always exit air-sharing without a long hose (side-by-side or piggyback). Beyond restrictions is the preserve of more advanced/technical wreck training - where the long-hose is mandated and taught.