Propeller accident after diving at Galápagos Islands

[Nathalie_nl]

An idea from my physiotherapist: he says that whenever he goes on a diving holiday, he buys a 5 meter dog leash with retractor to attach to his smb. Because of the salt water he can use it only during one holiday and then throws it away. It costs pennies and is very handy to use, especially during ascent. Is this a typical Dutch device or is it sold in more countries?

Nathalie.

 

[DandyDon]

An idea from my physiotherapist: he says that whenever he goes on a diving holiday, he buys a 5 meter dog leash with retractor to attach to his smb. Because of the salt water he can use it only during one holiday and then throws it away. It costs pennies and is very handy to use, especially during ascent. Is this a typical Dutch device or is it sold in more countries?

Nathalie.

Well, yes - they are common here. An idea...

 

[flots am]

Here's a run-down of the most interesting changes:

• skill added for addressing a loose band from a cylinder that has become unsecured
• skill added for emergency weight drop

Weren't both of these already requirements?

• formalized performance requirements for buddy contact under water
• formalized performance requirements for good surface habits
• skill for descents changed. Descents to neutrally buoyant over the bottom as opposed to "landing" on the bottom
• skill for ascents changed. Ascents are to be taught from neutrally buoyant
• skill for air-management. OW divers are to be aware at all times of their pressure to within +/- 20 bar when asked without re-checking the spg

Cool!

• AAS swimming skill changed to include an ascent and orally inflating the BCD

I thought this was already required too?

• performance requirements added for determining and adjusting trim for horizontal attitude in the water
• OW course is now to be conducted such that as much of the course as possible is done while neutrally buoyant (no more sitting in a line on your knees)

Cool again!

If they weren't already requirements, it's nice they're being added.

A non-obvious side-effect is that this is going to require a longer class and cause the resort courses to take a hit. I just don't see how anybody can learn all of these in a few pool sessions.

flots

 

[Nathalie_nl]

Hi flots am,

You left out the coolest of them all: - skill added for (D)SMB use in open water.

Nathalie.

 

[Diver0001]

An idea from my physiotherapist: he says that whenever he goes on a diving holiday, he buys a 5 meter dog leash with retractor to attach to his smb. Because of the salt water he can use it only during one holiday and then throws it away. It costs pennies and is very handy to use, especially during ascent. Is this a typical Dutch device or is it sold in more countries?

Nathalie.

Interesting idea. Another variation I've seen on this is for the diver to attach a rope 5m long to the DSMB with a weight on the bottom of the rope. The rope is wound around the blob when it is stowed. To deploy it, just unwind and drop the weight and you don't have to think about the line again.

I would personally tend to distrust anything with a "spool", even a dog leash, because of the risk of jamming. If it does somehow jam then you will have to let go of it and risk losing the whole thing. I've personally never seen a reel that won't jam, although I think a dog leash has the potential to work better than a lot of specialized reels that are made for diving.

Personally i just use a spool but it may require a little more practice with deploying it.

R..

 

[boulderjohn]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

We seem to be having trouble getting the link she wants. If this works, I will amend the others: Going home after 16 nights in Ecuadorian hospital - Reisverslag uit Guayaquil, Ecuador van Nathalie - WaarBenJij.nu

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[Diver0001]

A non-obvious side-effect is that this is going to require a longer class and cause the resort courses to take a hit. I just don't see how anybody can learn all of these in a few pool sessions.

flots

Yeah. What I suspect is that instructors who are working under severe time pressure with large groups and have routines based on keeping their "ducks lined up" on the bottom are going to have a very difficult time adjusting to a new paradigm, which this is. Some will try but unless they get more time from their employers then there is realistically little hope that they'll be able to perform to the new bar.

I honestly don't think employers in resorts will change much. They'll look for details in the wording of the standards that they can use to argue that they are not "required" do perform to the new bar and therefore they are justified in going on like they always have, by pressing their instructors to teach as little as possible under unrealistic timelines.

The difference is, however, that more instructors will adopt the new way of working and you'll start to see a much clearer division between "resort style" courses and the better OW courses. Outside of the resorts, the only shops you'll see who will continue to look for the loopholes will be the ones who have made a conscious decision to under perform.

That's good news for instructors and shops who want to stop the "price fighting" and differentiate the course offerings on quality because there is now a formalized statement of quality instruction that "quality" shops can point to in order to win ground from the "price fighters". Some instructors were already teaching to this bar (discussing this with PADI is part of how this came about) but in my interpretation, PADI is clearly choosing sides in the debate. This is new, and very welcome.

R..

 

[boulderjohn]

Here's a run-down of the most interesting changes:

• skill added for addressing a loose band from a cylinder that has become unsecured
• skill added for emergency weight drop

Weren't both of these already requirements?

No. Fixing a loose cam band while in the water was not a part of the course. Students had to remove and replace the weight belt in the past, but they did not have to drop it.

• formalized performance requirements for buddy contact under water
• formalized performance requirements for good surface habits
• skill for descents changed. Descents to neutrally buoyant over the bottom as opposed to "landing" on the bottom
• skill for ascents changed. Ascents are to be taught from neutrally buoyant
• skill for air-management. OW divers are to be aware at all times of their pressure to within +/- 20 bar when asked without re-checking the spg

Cool!

• AAS swimming skill changed to include an ascent and orally inflating the BCD

I thought this was already required too?

It was required in the open water. Now it is also required in the pool. In the past they just had to swim a certain distance to simulate an ascent.

 

[Nathalie_nl]

Hi John - this last one works.
Thx! Nathalie.

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

We seem to be having trouble getting the link she wants. If this works, I will amend the others: Going home after 16 nights in Ecuadorian hospital - Reisverslag uit Guayaquil, Ecuador van Nathalie - WaarBenJij.nu

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[Ayisha]

formalized performance requirements for good surface habits

Diver0001, just wondering since this one's a bit ambiguous, what are the performance requirements for good surface habits?