So what is NOT covered in open water cert that should be?

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

The first bit of advice is to be more selective in the training agency you choose and the instructor.

In PADI Confined water dive 1 you would have been taught how to remove the BCD inflator hose from the BCD. The purpose of this exercise is exactly for the reason you mention, a stuck inflator. You probably did the exercise without being given a thorough understanding of why you were doing it, without that explanation you are only getting half the value out of the exercise.

A couple of things here. I did like my instructor. Very nice guy.

What my real concern here is what is left out SDI training. Now that I have learned more, SDI seems to be a quick easy way to turn out divers. When I was looking for a cert agency the advice I got was go with an instuctor that you like--at OW they are all about the same. Well, I really did like my instructor and think he a nice guy and was nice to the class and seemed to take time with everyone.



You say I probably learned it but forgot it. NOT TRUE!!!! The stuck inflator was not taught at all, never mentioned, not once. We did take gear off and on in the water, but the inflator hose in all cases was always connected to the bc and never added or removed expect when we were setting up and breaking down gear for the day. I read my book several times. I did not miss ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TEST.


Well, sorry if I am coming off a bit touchy. Having bad week here in the south. My cat was just diagnosed with diabetes--let me know he was sick by peeing all over me twice--once to let me know to take him to the vet and then again while I was sleeping in bed to let me know what the vet recommended was not working. That was unpleasant!!! So now we are doing insulin shots. Then yesterday my radiator on my truck went out---getting ready to tear it apart and fix it myself as soon as I pick up all the stuff. And then last night a friend called and her car broke down. I went to help her and I guess when I bent over the seat of my pants rippped all the way out! :shakehead :shakehead Did not know until I dropped her off at the Sears repair shop and said I was going to walk around inside for a bit. She called me back and said she really needed to tell me something. I wondered why a couple of guys gave me a really strange look.

Anyway back to the thread. I really want to learn where I am lacking and during these colds months beef up my knowledge. I also want to learn more so that in the future when I do take more training I take training that will really be of some benefit. After all as a diver my safety and body of knowledge is my responsibility completely.:10:

 

[Patty]

The most important skill that I didn't have at the end of my OW was general watermanship.

These skills will probably be out of left field for many but:

- Reading and interpreting weather reports
- Skindiving
- Bodysurfing/dealing with swells
- Swimming!

 

[Thalassamania]

Research Diving Course Outline

 

[SDAnderson]

Alot of instructors do teach you to pull dump in that situation. Disconnecting the inflator hose is NOT an option since under pressure many will not uncouple.

If the quick disconnect on the hose won't work under pressure, that's a mechanical problem that needs to be addressed. Better maintenance or a new hose will resolve the problem.

If the inflator sticks, the volume of gas entering the BCD can easily exceed your ability to dump it through the exhaust valves - even if you have three hands. It's important to shut down the air supply to the BCD immediately. Options include disconnecting the inflator, cutting the hose (some divers up here in the cold carry a big hook knife for exactly that reason) or, if you're diving doubles, shutting down the appropriate post. Using the QD on the LP is a skill that needs to be practiced, just like so many others - and a good way to waste a few seconds during your safety stop.

 

[Thalassamania]

If this inflator sticking problem is as much of a problem as folks here seem to think it is, I am amazed that no one has installed a small 1/4 turn ball valve, rather easy to do.

 

[MikeFerrara]

If this inflator sticking problem is as much of a problem as folks here seem to think it is, I am amazed that no one has installed a small 1/4 turn ball valve, rather easy to do.

I don't know how frequent it is but it's one of those things where once might be more than enough.

For a while we had it happening very often but it was with a specific inflator and they usually didn't get stuck wide open though tey did a few times.

We had a bunch of zeagle bc's in rental. I don't know what they use for inflators now but those just had a bent washer for a return spring. The grease would gum up and the spring just wasn't strong enough to return the inflate button. After having inflators stick on students a bunch of times and on a few folks who had purchesed zeagle bc's from us and after going back and forth with zeagle on the issue for a while we finally tossed all those inflators in the garbage and replaced them with after market inflators which never stuck.

In the case of the diver I mentioned earlier who got the ambulance ride because of the stuck inflator, I have no idea what kind of valve was on his bc or why it stuck.

Interstingly, not one of those divers ever responded correctly and arrested their ascent. In the case of our students I stopped all but one. The one I didn't stop was an advanced nitrox student doing a shallow skills dive and it caused him to blow a mock 20 ft stop.

 

[get10wet]

I would have liked a bit of basic hands-on equipment maintenance/repair. Having used well-maintained rental equipment for all of my open water dives, I had no idea how to fix it when an o-ring on my brand new reg popped. Now I realize this is a simple fix, but at the time, it was very frustrating.

 

[stardust]

What would you substitute?

It's worked for me coming up with 500 in open water or maybe 800ish in the Cooper River just in case there are lots of boats. I might die but I think there are greater risks to me than this policy. When I just started I prlly came up with more like 800-1000.

 

[String]

Alot of instructors do teach you to pull dump in that situation. Disconnecting the inflator hose is NOT an option since under pressure many will not uncouple.

Immediately go back to the shop the inflator was bought and demand a replacement. Its not fit for purpose and is faulty.

ALL inflator hoses on the market are quick release and can all be released under pressure. There is no application for a non QR connection on diving gear and i dont know of a single manufacturer that doesnt use the standard hoses or connectiors.

Pull dump is useless - not all BCs can dump quicker than they inflate and certainly on most the speed of dump is similar to inflate so once you start to rise you cant ever get enough out to stop the rise by the time you add increased rate due to expansion.

Inflator release with the rig under pressure is on most (all?) basic open water courses im familiar with. BC and drysuit if applicable and wearing gloves/usual gear.

 

[mudhole]

Leah. . . You've begun a great thread for all of us to consider. When I started diving there were no instructor agencies in my state, I was certified a year and a half later. The class was 5 hours a night, two night a week for 6 weeks. And still it didn't cover everything you need to know. 36 years later, most classes are taught in a weekend. "The new divers won't pay for longer classes." You're doing the right thing by educating yourself, reading and starting good threads here on ScubaBoard. The open water classes only prepare you for the simplest diving conditions, and blowing bubbles. Use your early diving experience with no more demanding conditions than blowing bubbles and learning to be comfortable in the water. When you are comfortable with your equipment, and learn all the tools available, then proceed to acomplish more demanding tasks. Join a dive club, or start your own with the local divers. Don't go on a dive that is uncomfortable to your skill level. When the dive conditions require new equipment, or skill, proceed slowly until you are comfortable with the changes.

In the navigation bar there is an area for "Articles" I have several there refering to bubbles, that might give you some directions for reading this winter. I proceeded slowly when I started diving with club members. As I progressed, the more advanced club divers took me on more and more advanced dives, as I progressed. I hope you can follow this same training path, and love this sport.