Need instructor to work on buoyancy and trim

[Rabbitson]

I just took my OW course in Curacao. I got sick halfway and could only complete part of the course, so I came home with a PADI Scuba Diver certificate, instead of the OW one.

I feel I'm miles away from getting a handle on buoyancy. Right now I don't care much about certification, I just want to learning buoyancy skills. I would like recommendations on instructors or dive shops that are good at teaching buoyancy. I'm willing to pay for private sessions just focusing on this before moving on to finish the OW course. I'm not in a rush.

I live in Montreal, Canada. Although a recommendation close to me is most convenient, I'd be very happy to fly south as well.

Thanks for your help!

Linda

 

[Marie13]

Just a general type suggestion: contact some of your local dive shops and see if you can work with an instructor in the pool over the winter. Pool practice has been very valuable for me.

 

[ljpm]

I bought some tanks from ScubaSurface in Repentigny. Being from Ottawa, I have only been in there a couple of times but they
have an active program. If you are close enough give them a call. Bienvenue - 450-932-6688

 

[Dogbowl]

@Rabbitson , if you haven’t finished your OW course and you are already concerned about buoyancy and trim, that indicates to me that you are a certain type of student, that you want to learn well, comprehensively and with a good teacher. I had no idea about buoyancy at that stage nor did I care. So, based on that info, I would consider contacting a GUE instructor in your area and completing Rec 1 with him. That way, you’d get the OW certificate and at the same time, learn buoyancy and trim. I understand there’s a GUE instructor in Ottawa, Steve Blanchard. I don’t know anything about him, just know that he’s in Ottawa, when I was researching GUE instructors.

http://www.explorationdivingservices.com/site/mobile?url=http://www.explorationdivingservices.com/GUE_Training.html#2783

 

[DevonDiver]

As per the post above, I'd suggest investigating if there's a GUE or UTD instructor within range. Those agencies have some very good programs that quickly develop fundamental skills to a competent level.

Failing that, find an instructor who's reputably technical diving qualified... and see if they'll run a coaching type clinic format for you.

There's some very good videos on YouTube you can search for. Familiarise yourself with what good buoyancy, trim and propulsion actually IS... because you need to find an instructor who actually HAS good buoyancy, trim and propulsion themselves before they can hope to teach you properly. (sadly, many instructors aren't as good at this as a novice diver might imagine).

 

[yle]

I just took my OW course in Curacao. I got sick halfway and could only complete part of the course, so I came home with a PADI Scuba Diver certificate, instead of the OW one.

I feel I'm miles away from getting a handle on buoyancy. Right now I don't care much about certification, I just want to learning buoyancy skills.

If your OW course is done correctly, you will feel like you have decent buoyancy control skills when you finish the course. The key issue is the amount of time spent in the pool, because even while performing other necessary skills you are continuously learning about buoyancy when you're underwater.

For your scuba diver cert, an appropriate amount of pool time should have been about nine hours. If you spent much less than this amount of time in the pool, then it's simple: you need more pool time.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Fred Page in Montreal is UTD. I'm in the 1000 Islands on the USA side.

 

[flyboy08]

Do it right, do it once...go to Florida and see the Chairman

 

[rx7diver]

Rabbitson,

Is there a pool nearby where you can snorkel in its deep end, under the watchful eye of a lifeguard? If so, then wearing only mask, fins, snorkel, weight belt, and light exposure wear (e.g. 2 mil neoprene jumpsuit), you can practice your buoyancy, on your own, inexpensively, without the "distraction" of a BC, cylinder, regulator, and gauges.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[Neilwood]

Personally I would wait until the course is over - I certainly felt I was all over the place half way through mine but I was a lot better by the end.

A lot of it comes down to time in the water (and not just in a pool). Buoyancy control gets a lot easier as depth increases.

I have to say my preference with regards to practising it would be using the equipment I would be diving in - that way you are trimmed and weighted the same.