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

[REVAN]

Your question wasn't directed at me.

Oops! Sorry about that.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Before you get too carried away, training OW divers without a BC was done for years before the BC was invented, and by some, even after. Training was also done prior to widespread use of the SPG or j-valve, as well, without constant training casualties

Bob,

That's fair. I just had in my mind some of the past students in my open water class whom I did not certify. I'd hypothesize that the average person taking scuba diving back in the day is a bit tougher than the average person today.

 

[Bob DBF]

I don't know about tougher, but a lot more at home in the water before learning SCUBA.


Bob

 

[The Chairman]

I don't know about tougher

It was ridiculous. Push-ups in full gear by the pool, dropping your gear in 30ft of water for you to swim down, assemble, don and then dive. They didn't care how much reef you chewed up, just that you were macho enough to be in their club.

 

[Bob DBF]

Never did the push-ups, and the pool was only 15' for the swim down and don. We walked off the 3 meter board, gear in arms, and put it on on the bottom. I didn't get taught to beat up the bottom in the northeast, but I didn't have the concern I have now, unless I was looking for something on the bottom.

The macho s**t I was not fond of, however the macho club dives were much better than I could pull off on my own. I did learn a lot, however some was crap and some has been superseded over time, the rest has kept me alive and diving.

Times change, I always liked being neutrally buoyant and the BC made it easy. I didn't like the lack of feedback on my air consumption and so I love my SPG. I sometimes dive Old School for old time sake, but it is not my regular kit.


Bob

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Maybe if we had to pass a rigorous selection like BUDS to get a C-card, all of the agency bashing and personal attacks would be replaced by mutual respect and people would be drawn to the tribe rather than get fed up and take up another activity within 5 years.

 

[tilikum]

Mutual respect will never happen. You would still have cross agency bashing and diving style arguments. It is human nature.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Too bad. Mutual respect would cost us so little and gain us so much. We just need a way to earn it as a collective.

 

[tilikum]

Collectivism is a dirty word in the US.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I played attack on my college lacrosse team nearly 25 years ago. My girlfriend and I were renting a car and got an upgrade. The rental agent found out I had played lacrosse because I had sticks in my truck. He upgraded our upgrade. He played in college too for a rival team. That's a pretty typical experience I've seen in lacrosse, rugby, and such. I think pain breeds respect. Maybe Pete needs a new advertising campaign. "I survived posting in ScubaBoard."