Pool water temperature

[freewillie]

For my OW class my instructor encouraged but did not require us to wear our wetsuits. The pool temperature was a reasonable 74 degrees or so but if you were to spend 90 minutes at some point you should expect to get a little chilled. The recommendation wasn't just for the heat, he wanted us to practice our buoyancy and skills wearing the same wetsuit, hood, gloves, and booties we would wear for the open water sessions. It was more of a practical recommendation to get used to the same set of gear in the pool as that we planned to wear in ocean for OW.

 

[TMHeimer]

But...

A.) "Swimming" and "taking a scuba class" are two very different things
B.) What sort of manual dexterity or fine motor skills did you need/evaluate during your swim?

The biggest issue with students getting cold is the impact on the ability to learn. Cognitive function is one of the first things to go out the window when someone gets cold.

I misspoke. Wasn't swimming per se. Just hanging around in the surf (other than bodysurfing the odd wave in).

 

[The Chairman]

I have no idea how cold/warm our Jacob's Aquatic Center is here in Key Largo. My students and I are usually only in our swimsuits and stay 4 to 5 hours a day for two days. Some opt for protection and I don't try to dissuade them. Once a student is cold, their ability to learn is over. I call the session when that happens.

 

[Montana Diver]

I teach a water safety first aid class for my local ski patrol. After the lecture sessionwhich focuses on SCUBA safety and water rescue, we go to the pool to work on patient removal from the water. While the class does not simulate the difficulties of shore exits with high turbidity, it does allow me to reinforce the hypothermia properties of water. My pool is 83 degrees. After standing around with no thermal protection nearly all participants exhibit the shivering stage of hypothermia after 30-40 minutes. Being cold also allows me to debunk the theory of "Reach, Row, Throw and then GO. Increasing the number of victims in the water is dumb, unless it is the love of your life.

My SCUBA instructor uses a pool that is 78 degrees. I always wear a shorty. Besides the warmth properties, it keeps me from falling to the bottom since I use a SS BP/W.

 

[Kronek]

I misspoke. Wasn't swimming per se. Just hanging around in the surf (other than bodysurfing the odd wave in).

We use the same pool, the temperature is closer to 75-80f year round

 

[TMHeimer]

We use the same pool, the temperature is closer to 75-80f year round

You may be right. I was just quoting the thermometer from several years ago--am sure it said 68 then. I notice it's broken (or gone) now.