How much should I be spending on PADI training?

[boulderjohn]

My friend recently went through the e learning and after completing the course she really did not know much about diving. I guess the new course does not teach dive charts. She relies on the dive master on the boat trip to tell the group when to do the decompression stops.

Interesting comments.

When e-Learning first came out, the shop where I was working refused to have anything to do with it for a long time. They eventually gave in at the management level and allowed a pilot program for a few divers. The instructors were enthusiastic about the results, so they opened it up as an option for everyone. I think I was on maybe my 12th OW student before I had one of them miss a question on the exam. The results were so universal that the shop totally reversed its original refusal to use it and made it the only way they did it.

You say that this person does not know much about diving and has to rely on a divemaster to tell the group when to do decompression stops. I find that interesting as well, since that level of diving does not do decompression stops.

 

[Diverlady13]

I guess the new course does not teach dive charts. She relies on the dive master on the boat trip to tell the group when to do the decompression stops. But it could be different for everyone based on what number dive it was.

When I did the course in 2019, the chart portion was optional on the e-learning. (IIRC that was on the OW e-learning rather than the AOW, but I could be misremembering.) I did that section and "told" my husband to do it as well. I was glad we'd done it because our dive instructor went over the charts quite heavily as well. We did use computers on the dive, but she made sure we knew how to use the tables. Even with most people using computers, it's a good thing to learn and understand.

 

[TMHeimer]

When I did the course in 2019, the chart portion was optional on the e-learning. (IIRC that was on the OW e-learning rather than the AOW, but I could be misremembering.) I did that section and "told" my husband to do it as well. I was glad we'd done it because our dive instructor went over the charts quite heavily as well. We did use computers on the dive, but she made sure we knew how to use the tables. Even with most people using computers, it's a good thing to learn and understand.

Agree with you on learning tables too. For several reasons, but mainly in case your computer dies ("well, buy a backup computer"....) Tables also spell out what your computer is telling you, giving you a better understanding of the physics of it. And you can use them for square profile dives without risking flooding your (relatively) expensive computer, and have one less thing to rinse. Be it good or bad, I think very few divers trained in recent years can do tables.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

The good thing about frequenting favorite or common dive sites is that you can soon develop very safe profiles without needing to constantly reference your computer or resort to tables. With experience this knowledge can also be carried on to other sites and stored on a slate or in your head in case of failure, or to free yourself up to enjoy your dive more

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

Dangerous nonsense.

 

[Tracy]

Agree with you on learning tables too. For several reasons, but mainly in case your computer dies ("well, buy a backup computer"....) Tables also spell out what your computer is telling you, giving you a better understanding of the physics of it. And you can use them for square profile dives without risking flooding your (relatively) expensive computer, and have one less thing to rinse. Be it good or bad, I think very few divers trained in recent years can do tables.

Do you teach people to use a slide rule so they know what their calculator is telling them?
I don't understand clinging to the past solely because "I had to do it."

 

[Marie13]

Agree with you on learning tables too. For several reasons, but mainly in case your computer dies ("well, buy a backup computer"....) Tables also spell out what your computer is telling you, giving you a better understanding of the physics of it. And you can use them for square profile dives without risking flooding your (relatively) expensive computer, and have one less thing to rinse. Be it good or bad, I think very few divers trained in recent years can do tables.

If someone is worried about flooding their computer, perhaps they’re in the wrong sport. They should stick with snorkeling.

Tables, schmables!

 

[boulderjohn]

Agree with you on learning tables too. For several reasons, but mainly in case your computer dies ("well, buy a backup computer"....) Tables also spell out what your computer is telling you, giving you a better understanding of the physics of it. And you can use them for square profile dives without risking flooding your (relatively) expensive computer, and have one less thing to rinse. Be it good or bad, I think very few divers trained in recent years can do tables.

Decompression theory and the way you manage decompression are two entirely different things. Mark Powell wrote an entire book (two editions) on decompression theory, and he never once mentioned how to use tables. With scuba instruction, a student should receive thorough instruction on decompression theory, after which he or she should be taught how to manage it, be it with tables or a computer.

As I have written many times before, if you did a a multi-level dive before your computer conked out, the tables will be pretty much useless to you as a backup, because your dive will likely have exceeded the limits.

 

[tursiops]

Decompression theory and the way you manage decompression are two entirely different things. Mark Powell wrote an entire book (two editions) on decompression theory, and he never once mentioned how to use tables. With scuba instruction, a student should receive thorough instruction on decompression theory, after which he or she should be taught how to manage it, be it with tables or a computer.

As I have written many times before, if you did a a multi-level dive before your computer conked out, the tables will be pretty much useless to you as a backup, because your dive will likely have exceeded the limits.

It is the old Objective vs How to Do It disparity. Decompression theory is about an objective -- you need to manage the nitrogen in your body -- and why you need to do it and perhaps the consequences of not doing it. But HOW you manage that nitrogen is another matter, and can be done with tables or computers or intelligent guesses like Ratio Deco or really bad guesses like "my gas is low, I think I'll surface." Some can learn the HOW by rote, as a recipe -- as many did with tables -- without a clue as to what they are doing. It is certainly possible that the HOW -- especially with tables -- can help one understand the theory, because there is a visual representation of what is happening...you can see the depth/time increase and the PG go up, and see the PG decrease as the SI increases. Nice. Not so obvious on a computer.

 

[boulderjohn]

It is certainly possible that the HOW -- especially with tables -- can help one understand the theory, because there is a visual representation of what is happening...you can see the depth/time increase and the PG go up, and see the PG decrease as the SI increases. Nice. Not so obvious on a computer.

You can see depth/time increase on the tables if you have an instructor explaining those relationships--otherwise, it is a jumble of letters and numbers. An instructor working with a computer can accomplish the same thing, especially when working with a simulator.