DM blew me off

[hdndrgn]

Could some explain to me why experienced DMs or instructors intentionally overweight divers? I mean, is there not a procedure (at least in my OW manual) to determine the proper weight? If I were the OP at that boat, and when a DM added more weight to me, as a new diver, I would trust the DM who is far more experienced than I am and dive with too much weight.

 

[diverrex]

Could some explain to me why experienced DMs or instructors intentionally overweight divers? I mean, is there not a procedure (at least in my OW manual) to determine the proper weight? If I were the OP at that boat, and when a DM added more weight to me, as a new diver, I would trust the DM who is far more experienced than I am and dive with too much weight.

Not saying I agree with the practice but I think they overweight to solve the problem of new divers having problems descending. But then the over weighting creates a whole bunch of additional problems.

 

[Nylorac]

I agree - a year or so ago I was tooling around just under the area of a ladder to a dive boat, having completed my safety stop at about 625psi; I then got distracted shooting photos of barracuda and other divers that were also hanging under the boat, looked down and my air integrated Suunto Cobra showed 275 psi, then suddenly 0. I did a classic double take and stared at the computer for a moment or two as the reg still breathed normally. Needless to say I climbed the ladder and have never tried such a foolish thing again. 10 bar or 145 psi would also read as 0 I am sure. That by itself might cause panic for a lot of newer divers, regardless of still having (some) air in the tank.

Yes - I have been there - no need to panic, just climb the ladder if need be. Thanks for the reminder to pay attention to air consumption while reinforcing that safety stops are just that - added protection for extra safety but not mandatory within no deco. When on dive trips with multiple dives each day I like to do 5 minute safety stops and practice skills using the free time but I have no problem forgoing a stop if necessary.

 

[hdndrgn]

Not saying I agree with the practice but I think they overweight to solve the problem of new divers having problems descending. But then the over weighting creates a whole bunch of additional problems.

Got you. Thanks. That is what I thought; though, how does a diver get certified if he/she can't descend? It was forever and ever ago I had my very last dive (just coming back to it) and I remember it was a bit of struggle at my first few dives but it didn't take much time to figure out once I got to certain depth it wasn't difficult. Anyway, this is probably off the topic. Thanks again.

 

[TSandM]

hdndrgn, when I got my OW certification, I had never successfully completed a descent without hanging onto my instructor's BC -- and if I didn't, I fell on my back until I hit the bottom.

Standards can be applied in interesting ways.

 

[halocline]

Got you. Thanks. That is what I thought; though, how does a diver get certified if he/she can't descend?

Good one!

DMs at tourist destinations like Cozumel routinely have to babysit divers that passed OW at their local shop but are in no position to actually manage their own dives. Why? Ask the instructors who have to pass said divers so they can become customers at the shop where they are teaching. If you owned a shop, and one of your instructors actually flunked divers that had paid for class and were looking to buy dive gear.....well you get the idea.

The dive gear/instruction business is all about creating a market, unfortunately. Instructors (and dive shop owners!) are well-meaning of course, but the economics do dictate the educational outcome at times.

 

[Oldbear]

Good one!

DMs at tourist destinations like Cozumel routinely have to babysit divers that passed OW at their local shop but are in no position to actually manage their own dives...

This is my driving force to become a good instructor. I was one of those students who took a local course, waited 6 months to take the OW Referral dives while on vacation in Mexico, then spent the next three years really learning how to dive...and I am still learning

 

[Peter69_56]

Aren't we all still learning. I think I will learn new things until I cant dive anymore, and even then the learning goes on, but perhaps in different ways.

My favourite saying for this is "Only stupid people will tell you they have nothing more to learn, the smart ones just quietly soak up all the information and move on. The stupid ones get on their soap box and tell all and sundry how brilliant they are and how they know everything, not realising no one is really listening but just being polite”.

 

[supergaijin]

... how does a diver get certified if he/she can't descend?....
It was forever and ever ago I had my very last dive (just coming back to it) and I remember it was a bit of struggle at my first few dives but it didn't take much time to figure out once I got to certain depth it wasn't difficult.

I believe that I teach effectively. The students I certify have grasped the basics of diving. They have reasonable trim for beginners and are not grossly overweighted.... but they are still overweighted, and they will sometimes have trouble descending, and their trim will still be affected; simply because they are beginners and are yet to fully grasp the intricacies of diving.

How can they when they are excited just by the prospect of breathing underwater?

I also believe that my students (the same ones that I spent hours with going over theory and practical skills) will almost certainly be 'bad' at diving if they don't dive for a year or two. 25 hours of OW instruction can simply not resist the tyranny of 'a normal life'.

Anyway, this is probably off the topic. Thanks again.

After the best part of 200 replies, I reckon the original topic is ready to be morphed by now....