"Correct Weighting" Identified as #1 Needed Improvement in SCUBA Diving

[soggybadger]

Weights should be hung astride the fellas "old chap" like saddle bags during coitus. Ladies may prefer the harness configuration as opposed to hanging them by bulldog clips nipped onto the chassis. Unless that's your thing. However you choose to configure your ballast always remember to make sure that they are easily ditchable.

 

[boulderjohn]

All of these special and extraordinary "tricks" are completely unnecessary. It is very easy as an instructor to get students properly weighted and with very decent buoyancy control. All it takes is for the instructor to do it. That is where the agencies come in. I think they have to do a better job of promoting the idea of doing it right from the start.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Nobody likes carrying around heavy things. I guess warm-water only resort divers dont have to suffer that much if theyre just shuffling to the end of the boat. But if a diver knows that they dont really need to carry around all that extra weight, thats pretty much all the incentive they need. So they just need proper training.

As I mentioned before, my OW instructor overweighted me in training -- but he told me I was overweighted and gave me tips and incentive to continually drop weight, which I did. And he taught me (mostly) mid-water, not on my knees. That was enough for me. Some of the instructors here go much further, helping new divers achieve optimal weight from the get go, which is commendable.

But even if the instructor hadnt provided this information, I read the materials and knew about the concept of proper weighing, and how to do a weight check. The manual even covered things like breathing, skulling, and proper emptying of a BC, all things that can lead to overweighing. Took me awhile to put the theory into successful practice -- l longer than my OW dives, but soon enough I did it.

It seems like you need a combination of poor instruction and a complacent diver to result in overweighing. I'm sure that there are plenty of divers overweighed by 4-10 lbs bc of such a combination.

So it seems like the answer is just proper instruction - midwater, off their knees

And if a diver still ends up in the extreme case of being 20+ lbs overweight -- well, you cant fix everything, and folks like this are why they have the Darwin awards

 

[REVAN]

PADI seems to be going through a lot of different owners lately. Maybe we'll get lucky and one of them will institute the mid-water training standards.

 

[soggybadger]

PADI seems to be going through a lot of different owners lately. Maybe we'll get lucky and one of them will institute the mid-water training standards.

Remember the first rule of diving "don't hold your breath '

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Remember the first rule of diving "don't hold your breath '

I think change will come from a growing number of instructors, particularly course directors with large certification counts, pushing for improved standards. It won't happen overnight, but I believe it will happen. People just have to be open minded to improved ways of teaching. Some will never change unless you hold a gun to their heads. I took a FB friend to task who showed proudly DM candidates on their knees. He said that not putting OW students on their knees was "very stupid." Such a person just will not listen no matter of what mountain of evidence sits before them.

 

[soggybadger]

Padi got me into the water and trained me how to not drown now it's my responsibility to become a diver. My goal is neutrality with a touch of zen. Go on scubaboard and talk to people who have their **** together listen learn then practice practice practice.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Padi got me into the water and trained me how to not drown now it's my responsibility to become a diver. My goal is neutrality with a touch of zen. Go on scubaboard and talk to people who have their **** together listen learn then practice practice practice.

You realize you are not the typical OW diver, right? Not many will seek out more information. They will go with what they were taught as it "must be right." Now with social media, (FB, SB), it is getting easier to become aware of better ways of doing things, but it also is easier to reinforce bad habits.

 

[soggybadger]

You realize you are not the typical OW diver, right? Not many will seek out more information. They will go with what they were taught as it "must be right." Now with social media, (FB, SB), it is getting easier to become aware of better ways of doing things, but it also is easier to reinforce bad habits.

I had I idea i was not the norm. I must have spent weeks reading and referencing diving and intended to carry on. Do people really just get the card and that's it off they go? To me that's just crazy/suicidal / dumb. Seriously?

 

[soggybadger]

If folks are really that slack about basic scuba then all the instructors across all the agencies must be doing a bloody good job (on average). If the only training people are bothering with is just getting a card then then they must be otherwise floating bodies would be everywhere?