Is it OK for a non instructor to do a refresher?

[boulderjohn]

It is extremely unlikely that anything bad would happen to you if you couched everything in the terms of "Hey, we're all going to go to the pool to practice our skills," even if something did go wrong. I don't think you should instead say, "Come with me to the pool and I will see to it that your skills are properly refreshed." I personally would probably do it if it were I (and I am no longer an active instructor).

But you can never be too sure. A few years ago I was conducting a weekend of technical diving training at a challenging dive site, and on the third day, I got sick and could not dive. The students wanted to do a dive on their own. I made them sign a statement saying they were doing an experience dive that was not part of the class, they would dive within the limits of their current certification, and I had no responsibility for them during the dive.

My thoughts go to an incident a few years ago in which one of the world's most famous divers/dive photographers died during a dive, and an investigation found that he himself was to blame in several ways. Possibly because he did not have life insurance, his wife sued everyone who was even the most distantly related to event. She lost, but it took years and lots of attorney work.

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah 20 years he was a solid 6 footer, fit capable hands on guy like you Eric
So he'd had a sinus op a year before, and wanted me to keep an eye on him
But he's a pushy results guy so a scallop dive from a boat in 14m it was to be

And so we threw a great party and ate scallops


I've been lobbying the Govt to build a big wall right down the middle of the Pacific to keep out the pollution
But they go and buy nuclear submarines, instead

Subs are great the pollution I'm taking about aint

 

[Edward3c]

Well, unfortunately the legal landscape is imbedded in our modern lives and is responsible for so much being shut down and taken away. Suing people is a huge multi billion dollar industry that has placed a huge burden on society in so many negative ways, except for those that benefit of course. So yeah, it’s always in the backs of our minds and we try to not let it bother us, but it still does and still affects our decisions.

It’s not the two you’re looking to go in with, but their surviving relatives looking for financial security. These are the people that could financially ruin you, if they claim you were running a refresher session.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’m kind of thinking now that the first guy would be a yes and the second guy would be a no.
But the second guy is the one with the pool.

 

[happy-diver]

Come on, ab diver, with a pool, you bring the gear the other guy brings the beer

and you're all, let's say, older, excuse me, experienced in life


and if you weren't on a forum, exposed to rubbish news or mind numbing tv
you would not even know about the ridiculous things other people get up to

 

[Caversluis]

It is a good question. I see 2 angles to the question.

1) Is it OK to do the pool dive to practice techniques?

This has already be commented a lot, so I won’t comment on this

2) Would you be OK to dive with them, after the pool dive?

Several dive locations require that you take a refresher course if your last dive was more than 6 months ago, DAN recommends a refresher course after longer time of inactivity (even though they are not specific). If there is a liability concern on the pool dive, the concern should be much bigger on a open water dive.

Personally, I would be OK with the pool dive, but I would be concerned anout taking them out on normal dive without an official refresher course, in particular for the guy who did not dive for 20 years.

It is not only a matter of liability, but also a matter of your safety. In the case that you get into serious problems, you are dependend on your buddy to help you.

 

[Pressurehead]

I would tell the 2nd guy to hire an instructor with paid up insurance for a one on one refresher.
There is 'an off chance he could accidentally lean something' insert sarcastic emoji

I am being sarcastic, but, hell, do the refresher, it is worth it.

They are in an area where liability is a BIG concern , a case of beer is ' not going to cut it'.

 

[TMHeimer]

After I completed the Rescue course I was diving with my OW certified buddy and showed him a couple of things to do should I ever become unconscious or otherwise in trouble. I wasn't concerned about not being an instructor, but about my own safety.

 

[Doc]

What could it hurt?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

What could it hurt?

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A Cressi poodle Jacket? Come on! She needs a polished Freedom Plate.