Couple more questions on PADI certification

[Derek M.]

Hey guy's. I haven't been on for a while but I'm back with more questions for PADI. First off I emailed the guy at my local dive shop and he said we had to swim a few laps and tread water for a couple minutes. Does anyone know the exact amount of yards we need to swim and how long we need to tread water. If anyone could shine light on this I would be very grateful.

 

[Bogie]

200 yard swim any style you choose, 10 minutes treading water.

 

[hypertech]

Do you actually have to tread water? I'm pretty sure you can float if you want. You just have to be in the water and at the surface.

 

[TMHeimer]

We were not allowed to just float. We had to tread (some shops permit the float). But we got to do 300 meters with mask, fins & snorkel instead of the 200 swimming. It seems to vary from shop to shop. A standard requirement would seem to be better, IMHO.

 

[iztok]

10 minutes swim/float w/o using any swim aids

200m/yard continuous surface swim or 300,/yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel

that is the standard.

 

[TMHeimer]

10 minutes swim/float w/o using any swim aids

200m/yard continuous surface swim or 300,/yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel

that is the standard.

Yeah, I thought that was what it was. I used poor wording. I meant it would be a good idea if all PADI shops followed the standard, ei: you get a choice of the 200 or 300 (we did not, we had to do the 300 MFS, which was easier anyway) and you are allowed to float for the 10 minutes (we were not, you specifically had to tread and not float).

 

[jrhudson]

When I did open water we had a 200m swim stroke of your choice, ten minutes of treading water, and just for good measure our instructor had us do a ten minute float, so I guess we got the best of both?

 

[Derek M.]

10 minutes swim/float w/o using any swim aids

200m/yard continuous surface swim or 300,/yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel

that is the standard.

Are goggles considered swim aid?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

No. Goggles are ok a mask is not.

 

[Derek M.]

Ok thank you everyone. I hope to get certified when it's not as cold (around february or march)