Failing the OW check out dives

[Scubamedicjoe]

well LUBOLD8431 your second post is allot better you didnt state any of that in your first post you made it sound like you just let them go , thank you for explaining and clearing this up much better this time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jeblis]

In my original OW class the people who weren't comfortable dropped out before the open water dives.

Is it really common for people to get through all the classes and not have the skills/comfort to do the open water dives?

 

[PinkPADIgal]

I have never "failed" anyone either. However, I typically won't let any OW student into the open water until I am comfortable that they feel confident in the pool.

I have had at least one student "panic" in each class. Some finish and some don't. It all has to do with their comfort level in the water.

I have had a couple of people not able to do skills in open water. I talked with them one-on-one at the surface and we repeated the skills on the next dive.

Because diving in the PNW can be very dangerous and scary, I spend a lot of time training in the pool. I also have all my students practice skills on the last night with 5mm gloves on. It makes a huge difference in open water and my students are prepared.

Amy

 

[Barriecuda]

you can't look at it as failing, you have to look at it as you need more training with someone that is patient and willing to work with you till you are more comfortable.
I had a bad experience on my OW dives. My pool sessions were all fine and I had no problems at all with any of the skills. When it came time for the OW dives. ( Have to account for the open area no pool walls in sight, deeper depth, excitement etc.) I was able to do all my skills up untill the buddy breathing, I don't know what happened but I inhaled water instead of air. I started chocking and had the feeling that I was going to die. I was ready to start an ascend, but my instructor held me with down with one hand and jestured to slow and calm myself. I was able to stop chocking and calmed down for a few seconds. After about 1 min. I started to hyperventilate and signaled that I was having a problem and wanted to surface. We surfaced and while on shore I said that was the end I didn't want to dive again. My instructor told me to sit and relax and we discussed what happened. He saw that I was feeling better and had calmed down alot. He asked if I wanted to try the next dive. He said we would only go as deep as I felt comfortable, or just stay in about 10 feet of water. If I wanted to end the dive that was okay as well. we would just do a dive and not worry about the skill. I said that I would give it a try. That dive was the best dive I ever had (well being only the second dive and no problems I guess it would be good) Half way through that dive I felt comfortable enough that I wanted to do the buddy breathing, which I did with no problem. On the 3rd dive my instructor did the skills with me one more time and agian I had no problems.
I think if the instructor wasn't pateint with me I would have ended my diving after the first dive.
The following year I did my AOW.
This past weekend I have completed my nitrox course.
Some people just need more time and an understanding instructor.

Safe diving
Barriecuda

 

[highvoltagegr]

I took my first diving class at 14. I passed the pool and class work with no problems. I flunked my open water. At the time I was a cocky swimmer. I was ranked third in the state, had been swimming since 8 yrs old, and swam circles around everyone in class. Trouble was, I could not stay neutral, and spent too much time proving to the class that I was a better swimmer than they were. So the instructor flunked me. He told me stop swimming, and just dive. Well, I retook the class, passed, and have been friend with last instructor ever since. Sometimes flunking is not all bad. If you are not ready, your not ready. relax, and just enjoy the ride.

 

[Wyno]

I never had a problem with the skills in pool or my OW but there was someone in the class that had problems clearing the mask and they recommended that they not take the OW but they did anyway and was able to do the required skills in OW. I still have my doubts that this person could do it again.

I think some are past that should not be, at least in my experience, as little as that might be but just an observation on my part.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I'd like to see more flunk actually

I saw a woman pass her open water where the instructor had to hold her down because she kept popping up to the surface. She was scared and needed a lot more pool time.

So she passed anyway, went on one boat dive, got scared doing a giant stride and has never dove since. But at least the shop sold her 2000 dollars worth of gear.

 

[MikeFerrara]

PinkPADIgal once bubbled...
I have never "failed" anyone either. However, I typically won't let any OW student into the open water until I am comfortable that they feel confident in the pool.

I have had at least one student "panic" in each class. Some finish and some don't. It all has to do with their comfort level in the water.

I have had a couple of people not able to do skills in open water. I talked with them one-on-one at the surface and we repeated the skills on the next dive.

Because diving in the PNW can be very dangerous and scary, I spend a lot of time training in the pool. I also have all my students practice skills on the last night with 5mm gloves on. It makes a huge difference in open water and my students are prepared.

Amy

Interesting. Out of the hundreds I've tought I've only had two students panick. One was a rescue student and the other an OW student.

My attitude has changed over the years. I used to pride myself in being able to "pull" any one through the class. Of course that's how I was tought to teach. But after some of the things I have seen and hear about you have to wonder if "pulling" some one through the class is doing them a favor. Over time I have certainly learned some little tricks to make learning to dive easier and more fun but at the same time I'm now of the opinion that there are a fair number of folks out there that would just be better off not diving.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I'm now of the opinion that there are a fair number of folks out there that would just be better off not diving.

I have two sons. One is a fine diver. The other I have encouraged to not consider diving. I have taken him on an introductory dive and he had tons of trouble. His eyes got bigger around than my butt. He has a personality that lends itself to panic under many different circumstances.

On the other hand my younger son is very relaxed and comfortable in the water. He is also a good listener as compared to my older son who already knows everything.

 

[diverbrian]

I remember breezing through pool and nearly pulling a "choke" job in the open water. To this day, those two days of diving are the worst dives that I have ever done. I live in Michigan which means cold water gear. My mask would clear because it didn't get put under my hood. Then I lost a weight pouch. I could go on and on....

The instructor got me through and I got my SSI AOW no more than a few months later. Less than a year later, I have seventy dives and will have my IANTD Advanced Nitrox at the end of the month (skills complete/ waiting on two dives with the instructor) and my Dive Control Specialist shortly after that.

I have seen the same instructor that worked with me run a lady through two classes of pool sessions to get her ready for open water. I have heard of students not completing open waters on a single time with both our instructors, but they are always offered the chance to do more pool work and try again later. They do not consider it "failure." It is just that the student isn't comfortable enough yet. The best divers at our shop seem to be the ones that took the most work on everybody's part to get certified.