SparticleBrane
Contributor
If you can pace yourself, a 300-yard snorkel kick is a "nothing skill".Carribeandiver:
Should they require swimming for OW certificate?
- Thread starter fisherdvm
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TomP
Contributor
Lookie here sonny boy... you can argue with us geezers all you like. you just can't win.fisherdvm:
Hmmmm.............well, just to give you some comparison numbers. The American Red Cross lifeguard swim requirement is 300 yards, the waterfront lifeguard req is 550 yards, a waterpark guard is 300 yards, and a shallow water attendant is 50 yards. So you see it is relative to the environment that they will be.
Keep in mind that these are entrance requirements and personally I feel that scuba, as is the case in lifeguarding, the emphasis should be placed on continued conditioning after the course.
What is the OW participant preparing for? Are we saying that the swim is an evaluation of their watermanship in the event they have trouble in the water? If this is the case, you would have a hard time convincing me that even a 500 yard swim as an exit requirement is a good measure of this. Consider that even a well conditioned swimmer would struggle if they had to swim a mile to shore in 70 degree water with limited thermal protection.
The swim requirement merely gives you a snapshot of their fitness level on a particular day but even a longer swim (if that's what you're suggesting) couldn't possibly imply ease in the above scenario. Once again, I feel the emphasis is in the wrong place.
Keep in mind that these are entrance requirements and personally I feel that scuba, as is the case in lifeguarding, the emphasis should be placed on continued conditioning after the course.
What is the OW participant preparing for? Are we saying that the swim is an evaluation of their watermanship in the event they have trouble in the water? If this is the case, you would have a hard time convincing me that even a 500 yard swim as an exit requirement is a good measure of this. Consider that even a well conditioned swimmer would struggle if they had to swim a mile to shore in 70 degree water with limited thermal protection.
The swim requirement merely gives you a snapshot of their fitness level on a particular day but even a longer swim (if that's what you're suggesting) couldn't possibly imply ease in the above scenario. Once again, I feel the emphasis is in the wrong place.
427Dave
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And a word from the old geezers, sonny. I have you know when I was a kid we had to swim to and from school, In the winter, up hill(both ways), with ice and snow knee deep. Therefore all should have to swim, but we did snorkel also.fisherdvm:
Hey I did the swim the whole 200 yards. When I had 1 lap to go the instructor said wow you're fast, then I told him I still had a lap he said ok. Point is I could have cheated on the swim but I didn't because I figured what if I ever really need to swim even 200 yards and I couldn't do it. Oh I finished the swim last in my class.
I did find the 10 min. treading easy for me though the rest of the class had problems.
I did find the 10 min. treading easy for me though the rest of the class had problems.
lets just say you find yourself 500 yards offshore on a shore dive. youll be glad yor instructor drilled into you the benfits of the swim test. i found myself in that situation out scallop diving and surfaced with a full bag of scallops.
not only did i do the swim but i never lost the scallops either. if you cant swim you have no bis in the water, your just an accident waiting to happen. as for the substitution of the swim test for the snorkel swim no way. it just gives dependance on a piece of equipement that may get lost or fail.
not only did i do the swim but i never lost the scallops either. if you cant swim you have no bis in the water, your just an accident waiting to happen. as for the substitution of the swim test for the snorkel swim no way. it just gives dependance on a piece of equipement that may get lost or fail.
Let’s forget SCUBA and swimming for just a moment.
As long as everything goes well and basically by the book swimming may not be a requirement to call you a diver.
But you’re at the shore, beach, out on a boat or whatever gets you onto or close to the water. Low and behold, I know this is impossible for some but you fall in without the color coordinated, properly clipped off and properly adjusted high dollar equipment. So is this where the SCUBA skills kick in or would those skills have something to do with the act of swimming?
Just because there are proper impossible to fall overboard railings on ALL the dive boats and the shoreline is never slippery is no reason not to be a swimmer. If it’s out there Murphy can get a hold of things and create a mess.
So don’t think of reasons not to swim and just go learn. Then get certified.
The Titanic kind of rings a bell about being unsinkable.
Gary D.
As long as everything goes well and basically by the book swimming may not be a requirement to call you a diver.
But you’re at the shore, beach, out on a boat or whatever gets you onto or close to the water. Low and behold, I know this is impossible for some but you fall in without the color coordinated, properly clipped off and properly adjusted high dollar equipment. So is this where the SCUBA skills kick in or would those skills have something to do with the act of swimming?
Just because there are proper impossible to fall overboard railings on ALL the dive boats and the shoreline is never slippery is no reason not to be a swimmer. If it’s out there Murphy can get a hold of things and create a mess.
So don’t think of reasons not to swim and just go learn. Then get certified.
The Titanic kind of rings a bell about being unsinkable.
Gary D.
halocline
Contributor
I honestly can't imagine anyone who can't swim or keep themselves on the surface without a big effort wanting to dive. Don't non-swimmers tend to avoid the water?
If you can swim, but really can't swim 200 yards due to poor conditioning, well, that's probably a good indication you should improve your stamina regardless of diving. If I were an instructor I'd never consider taking someone diving that was literally unable to swim that short a distance. Maybe I'm just a meanie, but how about telling those people who fail the swim test to spend a little time in the pool before resuming an OW class?
If you can swim, but really can't swim 200 yards due to poor conditioning, well, that's probably a good indication you should improve your stamina regardless of diving. If I were an instructor I'd never consider taking someone diving that was literally unable to swim that short a distance. Maybe I'm just a meanie, but how about telling those people who fail the swim test to spend a little time in the pool before resuming an OW class?
427Dave:And a word from the old geezers, sonny. I have you know when I was a kid we had to swim to school, both ways, In the winter, up hill(both ways), with ice and snow knee deep. Therefore all should have to swim, but we did snorkel also.
I think we went to the same school. Weren't you the kid who always had trouble with your eyebrows getting all iced up?
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