OW classes - Things I wish I learned ?

[ozziworld]

Though the OW course of the different agencies cover buddy breathing, emergency ascents, mask clearing as basic skills. What skills are not given emphasis enough?

I know this varies from instructor to instructor, but based on the manuals, Are there skills or emergencies that should be given more attention or need to be introduced as part of OW?

In other words. How did you feel about you confidence in handling emregencies right after the OW class vs. your you feel about your abilities after several years of diving and the skills you think you should have but did not learn in OW?

 

[Sas]

I was pretty happy with my OW course - I did a longer than normal one so I got extra time to work on things as I struggled in the beginning. However a few things I wish I had been taught more about:

-weighting myself correctly (both placement and how much lead). I had trouble descending and my instructor kept adding weight until I sunk but did not tell me about how often people fin subconsciously when they descend as well as hold their breath (this was my problem). I came out of OW 2.5kg overweighted and did not solve that problem for a fair while. It is amazing how much more comfortable it was just dropping a couple of kg in weight!
-different fin kicks. I do a bit of photography and in the beginning I'd be silting up the place spoiling my pics a bit not knowing how to frog kick. Though I asked him to teach me during my Deep course so I learned then, just would have been nicer earlier I still suck a bit at it though!
-different gear configurations for different types of diving. The shop I did the course with caters mainly for vacation divers so I did not learn about the type of gear I should be getting for the long term diving I want to do (local wrecks and caves in cold water). Also the stuff they sell does not seem to be the most durable on the market so it is also inappropriate given I dive each week locally. I did ask what would be most appropriate but they don't really specialise in that gear so I did not get particularly good advice (and I suspect because I was terrible in OW they did not take my long term goals seriously )

 

[TravelDive]

My training went something like this:

1. OW
2. ADV (which is not really advanced)
3 Nitrox
4. Rescue
5. Advanced Nitrox
6. Deco Procedures
7. MOD1
8. And I am still learning, there is always more!

I don't want to put OW down, but looking back I did not feel that my skills training had taught me enough self rescue skills till after my Advance Nitrox course completition. It was the first course that really taught me anxiety management underwater. And if you want to experience that, imagine choking on water, at about 40 metres and your there. It's the killer, it's the thing that make you do things that might kill yourself and unless you experience it under test conditions you cannot predict it when it happens in real life.

A good example is the choking UW experience, in the course the created certain events which would cause this, at 10 metres. To see how you will react, to see if you can control the sensation to bolt to the surface. This was a really important test but I did not realise at the time. Not to spoil this surprise, you end up choking, no regular in your mouth and no mask on. So your half blind, unable to breath and pretty freaked.
I managed to hold it together, mask back on, regulator back, lungs empty of water after some hyperventilation.

Now it was not but a weeks later, I was switching gas at 34 metres, I purged and breathed (silly habit) and got a lung full of water instead. Now I had a deco obligation, I could not breath for ***** and I was looking up thinking, I am fuc**d. But the training kicked in, the memory of the training and getting through it. And I did. I kept composure and all was well.

Alan

 

[Alex777]

I took the classic 2 1/2 day Caribbean PADI OWD course which is heavily marketed to tourists. We spent about 1 day on the academics (no one had done any pre-reading), had 1 long pool session, and 4 shore dives. Two of the students were obviously present because others had pressured them into it; they just weren't interested. They passed the written exam by copying the answers on other students' papers. In answer to your question, "What skills are not given emphasis enough?" , I would say ALL of them. The course was very rushed.

Afterwards, I spent about 1 hour/day for the next 2 weeks in the pool practicing the skill set. I also purchased the video & watched it about 5 times right through. I bought the equivalent NAUI manual from someone & read that too. Essentially, I gave myself a more rigorous course covering the same material. I told an Instructor what I was doing and he laughed, saying it was unnecessary and a waste of time. IMHO, this was the BEST decision I ever made regarding diving. Within 2 - 3 weeks, I felt comfortable - the way a student should feel at the end of the OWD course.

If you were a victim of one of these quickie courses, I strongly recommend taking responsibility yourself for learning (over-learning, really) the skill set and academic material. It's a question of safety, and pride in what you're doing.

 

[don Francisco]

My only problem with OW classes is that many give the impression that after completing them one is a diver. I wish that they'd tell students that they basically have a "learners permit" or a limited student card. When friends start diving after their OW classes, I recommend that they do their first 10-20 dives under supervision, such as on Divemaster led trips, or buddied with an experienced diver.

Far too many dive accidents occur when two relatively new divers buddy up and decide to their own dive, not knowing they lack the skills, experience, or judgement necessary to deal with problems that may arise.

There is lots that can be added to typical OW courses, and greater emphasis could be given to issues such as bouyancy and trim, but there are practical limitations.

From a teaching standpoint, there's the risk of overload where so much info is emphasized that the student cannot retain it all. In that situation the important gets forgotten along with the clutter of the less important. Also some things like bouyancy/trim require a number of dives to dial in, and I don't think a 10 dive course is practical.

The agencies have a dual mandate, both to introduce new participants into the sport, and to ensure that they have the basic skills to stay out of immediate danger. If they push too hard in either direction they risk compromising their efforts in the other.

In a perfect world with me in charge students who complete the OW would be given a temporary card, and told that if they do 10 supervised dives within a year it would be exchanged for a permanant c-card. I don't want to start a major debate here - there are practical issues, it isn't a perfect world, and I'm not in charge (damn it), I'm just tossing something out as food for thought.

In my not so humble opinion, diving can only be mastered with a mix of formal training, experience, and a good learning attitude.

 

[Scott M]

I feel pretty lucky with my OW class. My buddy and I did it with just the two of us, we had to pay a little extra but it was well worth it. The instructor gave us a lot of hands on training and made sure we could do the skills before moving on. When it was all said and done he told us we were now able to start learning to dive. I took it very seriously, my buddy not so much and now I find myself having to find new buddies to dive with since I am looking to do more challenging dives and his skills are just not there. He is fine with that and has gone as far as he wants to with diving. We still do the warm water vacations together with a great group of divers so it's all good but thankfully I have found some avid divers to take it to the next level.

It all starts with a good foundation and you get out of it what you put into it.

Regards

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

I would have liked to spend more time on ascending. More specifically, the proper rate.

 

[MtnPlayVA]

In a perfect world with me in charge students who complete the OW would be given a temporary card, and told that if they do 10 supervised dives within a year it would be exchanged for a permanant c-card. I don't want to start a major debate here - there are practical issues, it isn't a perfect world, and I'm not in charge (damn it), I'm just tossing something out as food for thought.

In my not so humble opinion, diving can only be mastered with a mix of formal training, experience, and a good learning attitude.

I would love to see something like that - I'm new to this, have taken OW and AOW, total of 16 dives and just now starting to really feel comfortable and relaxed in the quarry I dive at. Put me in the ocean and we start all over again. I'd even like it to go so far as 10 supervised dives in varying circumstances (boat, shore, lake, ocean, etc). I know it is asking a lot of the dive shops and agencies to keep track of, but it seems like it is so easy now to get a lifetime c-card.

My 2 cents....

 

[NadMat]

When I got my OW in 77, they covered most of AOW skills as well, and was a month long class at minimum. I was told when I got my card that it was my 'license to learn to dive', and that what they had taught me was just enough to learn where my current limits were and to safely develop more experience and capabilities as a diver. When asked about the 'next class' I needed they said just go out and dive some with more experienced divers until 'I' knew what class I needed next.

I believe a lot of todays ow instruction is lacking on buoyancy and equipment instruction and discussion and is oriented toward selling that 'next class'. However the agencies are not entirely to blame, the consumers are the one that keep wanting a 'quicker certification' and are glad to pay for the minimal instruction that can be given in the shortened timeframe.

JMHO,YMMV

 

[spectrum]

My only problem with OW classes is that many give the impression that after completing them one is a diver.

They should be divers capabale of making novice dives with peers. If they are not then they got short changed.

Obviosly there is a world or room to grow as a diver and experience is a huge part of where growth will come from. Training will also broaden horizons but it is the idvidual, diving with a spirit of continuous improvement that will advance.

That was the message from our OW instructor.

Pete