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The 15 cycles are not a test to be passed, they are what NAUI feels a competent instructor needs to decide upon a candidate's comfort in the water and readiness to learn to dive.Pulling from my NAUI materials...Of course, NAUI's standards are *minimums*, and instructors are encouraged to add to them at the instructor's discretion, provided the requirements are documented and explained before the course. You can't do a Columbo and say, "Ah, one more thing...", but you could require a 1-mile freestyle swim, as long as it's there in the pre-sign-up materials so the prospective students know about it.
That is correct, of course. The requirement is not to "complete 15 stroke cycles", but rather, "Demonstrate novice level swim stroke proficiency" (with all that involves and for all that produces).The 15 cycles are not a test to be passed, they are what NAUI feels a competent instructor needs to decide upon a candidate's comfort in the water and readiness to learn to dive.
You all do realize the op, with this first and only post, has not responded, even though the first reply asked the op a direct question (only 9 minutes after the op). Things have been pretty slow since the shark death fury calmed down; sure smells like a troll!
Also, this subject comes up enough that a search would answer the question.
I'm very much interested to get open water certification. Is it possible for me to dive even though I don't know how to swim?
30 years ago I would have said no way. But todays gear has become so reliable and user friendly it is a benefit to the non or poor swimmer.
Gary D.