Buddy up OW course couples?

[String]

We always try to split them into different groups for the very reasons mentioned in the start of this thread. In addition to that talking to a few theyve said theyd rather NOT dive with each other due to distraction/worry and so on.

 

[jbisjim]

We split couples in our classes as well We also split family members as well. We find the couples/ family compensate for each other. We will bring them back together for a later pool dive and or OW dive.

You've probably produced better divers and saved many marriages and relationships

Totally agree....

 

[Firebrand]

In my basic open water training, there was a boyfriend and girlfriend taking the course together. It seemed that whenever they didn't have a regulator in their mouths, they were swapping spit. It wasn't cool, and in my opinion detracted from the class. If they had gone somewhere private AFTER the CW & OW dives were finished, that would have been appropriate.

Also, there were two attractive single girls in my class, and the new, single, male DM wasn't interested in assisting the instructor, but rather wanted to be between those two particular girls. It was one of the most unprofessional spectacles I've seen yet. Scuba training is NOT the place to get distracted by reproductive urges, whether you're going through the class as a couple, or you're assisting the instructor.

 

[friscuba]

Seems like a good idea if you have the luxury of being able to split it up. I pretty much primarily teach couples, so separating them would literally double my workload. I've only had one occasion early on that it was ever an issue and I had to seperate them for the final dives. After that I knew to brief couples/families ahead of time on my expectations as far as self reliance and interaction between the them. It really hasn't been an issue.

I could see it being an issue in larger group situations and how it'd be a good idea to separate them. A bickering couple coud ruin the experience for everyone, a dominate/helpful spouse or family member could hold others back.

Good idea.

 

[STOGEY]

When I did my ow course last year. We had en entire family of four take the course. Two of them took the course then the other two took the course. Then they did their ow dives together. Talk about arguing wow.

But this was alot of entertainment for the rest of us. Specially between the mother and her teenaged daughter.

We'd be worrying about diving when the daughter would be worrying about weather she could have the car for the night.

 

[LakeDragon]

My husband and I took a private class and were therefore buddies the whole time.
Luckily both of us picked up the skills fairly easily and at about the same rate.
We were both very commited to completely learning the skills and not having one
of us dependant on the other. The personal attention of the private class probably helped too.

 

[fast97rs]

Well....

I just got certified (after a 3 month coarse, and a 3 month learning lab (just on the books and nothing physical) at F.I.U.) with complete strangers......

and now have my fiance, father, brother, and cousin that want to get certified through NAUI (as i did)... but they are all aware that they would try to help each other out and thus weaken thier skill as divers....

so what i am doing is taking them into the pool one by one and teaching them the Dolphin Don, mask/snorkle clearing, belt/gear doning, buddy breathing, A.L.E.R.T., how to read dive tables, reg. recovery (both with the arm swing technique and the 1st stage hose technique), as well as swimming without a mask, underwater communications (using NAUI's cave com. number system since i find it easier to learn and easier to read/understand), Boyle's Law, Dalton's Law, Charle's Law, dive injuries, and how to stop them from happening (don't hold your breath... equalize your ears and mask pressure), and emergency swimming accents (at 15' @ 30' per sec.... i know you can go up to 60' per second in an emergancy accent... but don't want to risk it... but they are aware of this).... i was like a god damn drill sergant... and they acted like soldiers and listened to everything i said... never refered to me like family.... never questioned anything unless they did not understand or had a question about what we were doing.... never paniced (even when i put an old mask on them that i spray painted pitch black and put a little compass in it (since wate clarity was good in the pool) and they took off the mask on the surface... got a reading from thier compass, put it back on and swam to within a few inches of were they needed to be).......i am really proud of them..... i thought of everything that i learned and wish i would have spent more time on.... and them put them through the most rigorous coarse that i could... (including a 300 yard swim, 10 min of threading water, and a 30 yard underwater swim....).... they love me for it... and we have all grown becuase of it...

Now that they all know the basic skills... they are all looking for an instructor to sign up for thier OW cert. knowing that they already know thier skills and will not hinder each other by trying to help each other when they are all in the pool together.... know they are just looking for the best instructor we can find through NAUI..... with what they know.... no matter what instuctor they get... i can rest easy knowing that they know what they need to know.... heck... we even memorized the dive charts down to 80'.... LOL

I don't think that couples should be put together in the begining when it comes to the skills area.... but as that area becomes covered... i do think they should be buddied together.... since they will probably need to work together as buddies since they will most likely be buddies... and it will help thier relationship grow.....


Just my $.02

Jorgy

P.S.
I know you guys are gonna kill me for training my family myself.... but i needed to be sure they actually knew what they were doing... and don't trust alot of instructors.... the only ones i trust (after surveying about 30) are the ones that trained me..... so lets see if they will be available to train my family......

 

[RICHinNC]

Just dont pair them up with a hottie of the opposite sex. No need to cause any home problems

 

[friscuba]

This post opens up a whole 'nother can of worms....

It all boils down to one thing, leave the instruction to instructors. You may have done a good job, you may have set them up with some tough to break pre-conceptions, you may be unknowingly subjecting your family members to some risk. I get diving parents who feed their children incorrect or out of date info all the time.

I really mean this in the best possible way, as I know you are trying to help, but if you continue with your diving education, you'll realize just how much you don't know today. This is my 7th year of actively teaching divers and I'm still learning, but I do know not to even attempt to teach anyone anything I have not actually been taught how to teach.

Just a thought,

Steve

Well....

I just got certified (after a 3 month coarse, and a 3 month learning lab (just on the books and nothing physical) at F.I.U.) with complete strangers......

and now have my fiance, father, brother, and cousin that want to get certified through NAUI (as i did)... but they are all aware that they would try to help each other out and thus weaken thier skill as divers....

so what i am doing is taking them into the pool one by one and teaching them the Dolphin Don, mask/snorkle clearing, belt/gear doning, buddy breathing, A.L.E.R.T., how to read dive tables, reg. recovery (both with the arm swing technique and the 1st stage hose technique), as well as swimming without a mask, underwater communications (using NAUI's cave com. number system since i find it easier to learn and easier to read/understand), Boyle's Law, Dalton's Law, Charle's Law, dive injuries, and how to stop them from happening (don't hold your breath... equalize your ears and mask pressure), and emergency swimming accents (at 15' @ 30' per sec.... i know you can go up to 60' per second in an emergancy accent... but don't want to risk it... but they are aware of this).... i was like a god damn drill sergant... and they acted like soldiers and listened to everything i said... never refered to me like family.... never questioned anything unless they did not understand or had a question about what we were doing.... never paniced (even when i put an old mask on them that i spray painted pitch black and put a little compass in it (since wate clarity was good in the pool) and they took off the mask on the surface... got a reading from thier compass, put it back on and swam to within a few inches of were they needed to be).......i am really proud of them..... i thought of everything that i learned and wish i would have spent more time on.... and them put them through the most rigorous coarse that i could... (including a 300 yard swim, 10 min of threading water, and a 30 yard underwater swim....).... they love me for it... and we have all grown becuase of it...

Now that they all know the basic skills... they are all looking for an instructor to sign up for thier OW cert. knowing that they already know thier skills and will not hinder each other by trying to help each other when they are all in the pool together.... know they are just looking for the best instructor we can find through NAUI..... with what they know.... no matter what instuctor they get... i can rest easy knowing that they know what they need to know.... heck... we even memorized the dive charts down to 80'.... LOL

I don't think that couples should be put together in the begining when it comes to the skills area.... but as that area becomes covered... i do think they should be buddied together.... since they will probably need to work together as buddies since they will most likely be buddies... and it will help thier relationship grow.....


Just my $.02

Jorgy

P.S.
I know you guys are gonna kill me for training my family myself.... but i needed to be sure they actually knew what they were doing... and don't trust alot of instructors.... the only ones i trust (after surveying about 30) are the ones that trained me..... so lets see if they will be available to train my family......

 

[fast97rs]

O i agree..... i don't know anything yet..... Not even thinking about tri-mix or deco diving....... but i taught them right out of the book.... and just gave a quick overview on injuries and what not... and told them to be very open minded.... what i really concentrated on was the physical skillls, because that is the area that they will probably try to help each other in, and thus not learn completely..... I also come from a family that has spent life times in the water, fishing, and on boats... at 4 months old i have pictures of myself on a boat..... so the skills was just to make sure that they can do it and to clear up techniques......

Just my $.02

Jorgy

This post opens up a whole 'nother can of worms....

It all boils down to one thing, leave the instruction to instructors. You may have done a good job, you may have set them up with some tough to break pre-conceptions, you may be unknowingly subjecting your family members to some risk. I get diving parents who feed their children incorrect or out of date info all the time.

I really mean this in the best possible way, as I know you are trying to help, but if you continue with your diving education, you'll realize just how much you don't know today. This is my 7th year of actively teaching divers and I'm still learning, but I do know not to even attempt to teach anyone anything I have not actually been taught how to teach.

Just a thought,

Steve