Fundamentals 1 & 2?

[eelnoraa]

I think classes in Monterey has generally been splitting up into two part already. In my class, the first portion was 3.5 days. Then 2nd part was 2 days. there were two weeks between the two portions. Students got a chance to practice in between and sink in stuff learned in the first 3.5 days. It worked out very well for myself. If not for the two weeks down time, I don't think I would have passed.

 

[KevinNM]

I did a 2 day primer in January, then a 5 day fundamentals class last month. Being able to do correctly (mostly) the kicks and buoyancy was really helpful. We had one person in the class who hadn't taken primer and he struggled more, but got it in the end. However I had a lot more bad habits embedded, so I don't' think I would have done as well.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

a 5 day fundamentals class last month.

What is the current standard for fundamentals classes? I think mine was 2 days. Thursday evening, all day Saturday, and a half a day on Sunday.

 

[KevinNM]

What is the current standard for fundamentals classes? I think mine was 2 days. Thursday evening, all day Saturday, and a half a day on Sunday.

Normally 4 days, with 6 dives. We did 5 days with 8 dives. Given the weather it was just as well that we had the extra days. It also allowed a bit slower approach the the academic material, which was useful as one person joined the class two days before it started and had issues with the academic material that the other two of us had had a few months to read.

 

[WhiteSands]

What is the current standard for fundamentals classes? I think mine was 2 days. Thursday evening, all day Saturday, and a half a day on Sunday.

Mine was 4 full days (with 1 added day). It was already super hectic in that 4 days, it's hard for me to imagine being able to cram the curriculum into 2 days.

We started at 7.30am or 8am everyday and on some days ended way past our bed time (at our request, to complete all the theory, guess our class asked lots of questions). Day 1 was full day of theory, day 2 was equipment setup, swim test, pool session plus theory after dinner, day 3 was full day in the pool from morning till late afternoon, followed by theory after dinner, and day 4 was open water dives / evaluation, theory and results/debrief.

We extended 1 more day for fun dives, but in reality it was more like a continuation of the course because we had further refinement on team formation diving, team communication, ascents and smb, with a full video review after that.

 

[KevinNM]

We ran from 8am or so to 6 to 7:30pm (varied). I understand there were significant changes made over the years to what the class teaches. Heck, I was looking at old Quest issues and there was a big photo showing someone doing an s-drill holding the reg backwards to the way it is taught today (donating diver was holding the reg itself instead of holding the hose at the base of the reg).

 

[TSandM]

My Fundies was 2 1/2 days, but they were very, very LONG days, and the class didn't include Nitrox, or any Rescue skills.

 

[nadwidny]

As one of those who has been around since before DIR/GUE existed, and then watched its' birth and evolution from the sidelines and then on the playing field, the sad thing about this is that the original Fundies came about because the skill level of divers who went through the usual ABC School of Diving back then was so low that they needed to be checked to make sure they had the skills necessary to properly challenge a GUE Tech1/Cave 1 program. Thus the birth of the Fundies program.

Flash forward 15+ years and it seems that the skill level of the ABC divers hasn't changed much and they still need a 5 day program to tell them they suck

 

[Bak]

Hmm... a lots of divers have been trained through Fundies though...either GUE member or not. Other agencies have set up courses of the same type (Intro to Tech...)... and by the way, Fundies was never set for the ABC Diver...but for people willing to put up the efforts needed...and those will always be in the minority I'm afraid...

 

[LiteHedded]

good move by gue. that primer class was a bit silly. a fundies class for a fundies class is taking it too far and this is a much better alternative.