To those considering an OW class...

[balance]

My brother just signed up for the "other" shop's 2+2 course. I'm really curious to hear what he thinks of it. He's already into it for about $700 in course+basics and hasn't even hit the pool yet.

I'm TravisD's brother and just completed my Open Water certification dives this weekend. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with the two day course as long as you get a good instructor. I still have several things to work on, but I feel I'm safe and comfortable enough underwater to get experience without requiring a dedicated dive master or instructor just for myself.

Like a lot of people here have said, the value of the course definitely depends on the instructor (and the students). I had a great instructor and while I still have many things I can work on, I feel like I learned a great deal.

 

[TheRedHead]

What things do you feel you need to work on, balance?

 

[balance]

Primarily, buoyancy control. I'm not terrible, but it could be better.

Additionally, little things like a more thorough gear check before getting in the water. At least twice I've had something important caught in my BC and had to fish it out at the right before I get in the water.

 

[Penguinboy]

I did the PADI OW class and I found it very extensive and well-prepared, but that's just me. It was 6 days (3 weekends in a row) with two of the Sundays starting at 5am and all lasting until 4pm - we covered most of the stuff here, like putting all the gear together from scratch before the dive (including dry suits - 4°C in april!), buoyancy control (fin pivots, hover etc), buddy skills, rescue and emergency (2 different tows, CESA and alternate air source swimming), and all the basics, in the pool at 3m followed by in Stoneycove at 7-10m. The length of the course also gave us time after a skills dive to have a bit of a swim and practise buoyancy around the 10m of the Quarry I trained in, so top marks Cost me £300, so about $500-600, not too bad at all and hot drinks were thrown in free at regular intervals!

I feel it prepared me very well, but then I am still fairly amateur. I think proficiency with the skills above is about practise and actually doing them (although maybe not with CESA's!), less the course. I found things a lot easier the 2nd or 3rd time

 

[TheRedHead]

Primarily, buoyancy control. I'm not terrible, but it could be better.

Additionally, little things like a more thorough gear check before getting in the water. At least twice I've had something important caught in my BC and had to fish it out at the right before I get in the water.

How about buddy skills and handling emergencies? Do you feel prepared?

 

[balance]

How about buddy skills and handling emergencies? Do you feel prepared?

I feel pretty good. I don't think it's possible to truly simulate serious emergency in training without a bit more risk than any instructor would really want, but I think the instructor drilled on basic procedures enough that I'm comfortable. I.E. get control, don't panic, don't do anything stupid.

And, also, I think I know that I'm not ready to dive beyond limits at the moment and would be quite happy getting more experience at the 40-50 range.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I feel pretty good. I don't think it's possible to truly simulate serious emergency in training without a bit more risk than any instructor would really want...

It is possible. I wouldn't go to that extreme in an OW class, there's enough going on that basic problems are enough to present to the student divers. But in our Rescue course, we put on some scenarios which simulate pretty real emergencies.

 

[TheRedHead]

It is possible. I wouldn't go to that extreme in an OW class, there's enough going on that basic problems are enough to present to the student divers. But in our Rescue course, we put on some scenarios which simulate pretty real emergencies.

I think they would lose confidence when they saw how badly they fall apart under that kind of stress. I know I would have and I had an exceptional 4 week class.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I think they would lose confidence when they saw how badly they fall apart under that kind of stress. I know I would have and I had an exceptional 4 week class.

OW or Rescue?

 

[TheRedHead]

OW or Rescue?

OW was 4 weeks. Rescue was more like 6 weeks, but fewer class and pool hours. We were encouraged to practice the skills in between classes in both cases. The LDS has a pool and there is always a DM or instructor with student(s) in it. What I mean to say was that I was unprepared after OW for real rescue scenarios and some of the things I have encountered in my diving.