PADI Wreck Specialty

[divermike1989]

I am very interested in becoming a wreck diver and am looking at the wreck specialty from PADI. Once completed what does that cert allow for???

 

[fire_diver]

Sadly, nothing. Initially, I had wanted to take this course too. After discussing it with others, I found it teaches little to nothing. From my conversations, the only thing it "teaches" is how to swim around the outside of wreck and draw a picture of it.

If I am wrong, someone here will surely correct me. Once again, I HAVE NOT TAKEN this class. YMMV.

I see that you already have Adv and NitrOx. I assume that you want to learn to conduct wreck penetration dives. My suggestion for future courses would be:

Advanced NitrOx with intro to deco.
- this will get you on your first step.

Extended range. (or what ever the agency you choose calls it)
- this is your full deco course. Now you can actually go visit some interesting wrecks and stay down long enough to fully examine it.

Lastly, find a GOOD local wreck instructor who can teach you how to safely plan and execute penetration dives.

The road you're on is a long and expensive one (I'm on the same one) and should not be taken lightly. A very large number of diving deaths come from untrained people trying to make penetrations.

FD

 

[ppo2_diver]

Sadly, nothing. Initially, I had wanted to take this course too. After discussing it with others, I found it teaches little to nothing. From my conversations, the only thing it "teaches" is how to swim around the outside of wreck and draw a picture of it.

If I am wrong, someone here will surely correct me. Once again, I HAVE NOT TAKEN this class. YMMV.

Not true. The benefit of the class will depend on the instructor. The first thing I go over with my students is buoyancy. That is the biggests skill that must be mastered along with proper wreck diving fin kicks. I also cover equipment, gas planning, and redundancy. Yes, the PADI course does go over how to map a wreck, but we can also teach line handling and penetration techniques. We can even take students into a wreck. If you get a good instructor who dives wrecks for his/her own recreation, then you can definately get your money's worth out of the class.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

So are you talking the course standard or your extra's?

Once again we are confusing the course standard outline and the individual instructor POV.

Bottom line, 9 times out of 10 this thing, just like most of the other specialties, IMHO are nothing but a pointless cash grab because you'll most likely get little more than the standard, and that's exactly how the agency suggests the instructor does it.

Personally, if you're not positive of what you're going to get in terms of going above and beyond the standard, I wouldn't waste my money if I were you.

Padi, for one, does it's level best to remove the instructor from the curiculuum entirely, which is why they state (quite correctly most of the time) that their courses are the same world wide regardless of the instructor.

If you want to take a wreck course, take it from a real diver who actualy does it regularly. You'll find it's probably not your local recreational instructor with nothing but recreational training of his own.

Either that or find a good mentor to work with.

Regards

 

[TheRedHead]

I took the SSI wreck specialty with an instructor who was also a tech diver. He probably taught beyond the course standards. I learned to shoot a DSMB and use a reel, both of which are valuable skills.

But I agree with Fire Diver in that Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures are more valuable courses for deep diving. Those would prepare you for Extended Range/Trimix and then Advanced Wreck. NDLs and narcosis are the bane of recreational wreck divers and if you are serious, I would take the tech courses.

 

[fire_diver]

Not true. The benefit of the class will depend on the instructor.... If you get a good instructor who dives wrecks for his/her own recreation, then you can definately get your money's worth out of the class.

You sound like a good instructor who teaches a class worth taking. Care to share some details on your wreck class? Length, cost, your expected pre-reqs, etc. Do you take students on a "REAL" wreck?

I just might drive up there for a class.
You can send me a PM if you want, but I think some others might benefit also.

FD

 

[Divin'Papaw]

You sound like a good instructor who teaches a class worth taking. Care to share some details on your wreck class? Length, cost, your expected pre-reqs, etc. Do you take students on a "REAL" wreck?

I just might drive up there for a class.
You can send me a PM if you want, but I think some others might benefit also.

FD

I'd also be interested in hearing more from pp02_diver about his wreck diving course.

 

[ppo2_diver]

You can PM me your email addresses and I will send you more details. I can't post to much as it isn't copyrighted yet.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

You can PM me your email addresses and I will send you more details. I can't post to much as it isn't copyrighted yet.

PM sent.

Thanks.

 

[LG Diver]

I'll just echo the sentiment that it really varies based on the instructor. I'm working with my instructor to put together the plan for the wreck specialty, which will include reel work in a pool and penetration on the Yukon, however this is above and beyond the PADI curriculum. This instructor is also a tech instructor, so there may be a common theme here.