PADI confined water depth

[craig chamberlain]

Hi

I am starting to prepare for my idc and i have the following question.

i thought that confined water was either a swimming pool or confined open water which i believe to be correct. i also thourght that confined water was 6m maximum, looking through the PADI instructor manual i found the definition in the general standards and procedures section not to include a maximum depth, also looking through this section i found under open water it says have the majority of the dive deeper than 5m, now i thourght that open water was 6m or deeper.

if someone could clarify that would be great. Also, why do PADI not have the max and min depths under the definitions in the instructor manual?

cheers
Craig

 

[Hawkwood]

There is no defined confined water depth. You have certain skills that must be conducted in "in water too deep in which to stand". Why a need to define it further?

As to Open Water, some dive-flexible surface skills have to be conducted in "in water too deep in which to stand".

On Dives 1 and 2, students can only be taken to a maximum depth of 12m/40ft. Obviously 18m/60ft is the maximum depth you can take students on Dives 3 and 4.

With regards to the CESA done after Dive 1, you have to conduct it in a minimum of 6m/20ft (with a maximum depth of 9m/30ft).

Therefore minimums and maximums "depend" on what dive you are on, as well as what skill you are working on....it varies.

 

[Bubble Junky]

Open water training dives have the 'general standard' of "minimum depth is 5 metres/15 feet" too... Skill assesments must therefore be conducted at this depth or deeper during course dives.

 

[Hawkwood]

Open water training dives have the 'general standard' of "minimum depth is 5 metres/15 feet" too... Skill assesments must therefore be conducted at this depth or deeper during course dives.

Thanks, I missed that in my post...Page 18 in the IM.

 

[Peter Guy]

Open water training dives have the 'general standard' of "minimum depth is 5 metres/15 feet" too... Skill assesments must therefore be conducted at this depth or deeper during course dives.

I wish this wasn't so. For example, in my favorite training site, I'd love to be able to do the UW nav exercise for OW in shallow water -- 5 - 10 feet. There are a couple of reasons for this, not the least of which is that maintaining one's buoyancy control in shallow water is harder! But, alas, I can't (I suppose I could request a special dispensation but it isn't that important).

A NAUI instructor friend does his "simple skills" -- mask flood, reg recovery, etc., in very shallow water at the same training site. Again, there are significant benefits at this particular site but....

 

[RJP]

Open water training dives have the 'general standard' of "minimum depth is 5 metres/15 feet" too... Skill assesments must therefore be conducted at this depth or deeper during course dives.

Is that stated somewhere specifically, or just an assumption? (That skill assessments must be conducted at 15ft or deeper.)

 

[Hawkwood]

Is that stated somewhere specifically, or just an assumption? (That skill assessments must be conducted at 15ft or deeper.)

Page 18 in the IM (2012) - General Standards and Procedures.

We have one site where it means a significant surface swim to get out there.

 

[RJP]

Page 18 in the IM (2012) - General Standards and Procedures.

We have one site where it means a significant surface swim to get out there.

My manual - 2009 in fact - is on a computer that died. Can you share a bit of the citation itself?

 

[Bubble Junky]

The IM doen't specifically state that skills must be conducted at this depth, but during the IDC this is covered during one of the presentations...

You can download the IM from the PADI Pro's site for free as a PADI DM...

 

[Hawkwood]

My manual - 2009 in fact - is on a computer that died. Can you share a bit of the citation itself?

Sure:

Open Water Dives

Requirements

2. Minimum depth is 5 metres/15 feet.