sambolino44
Contributor
My dive buddy recently asked me the best way to hold the console over the 1st stage when opening the valve. My attempt to explain got the sore retort, "I don't have time for a long explanation, just tell me what to do!" I was, however, able to prevail enough to get her to listen to what's going on when you open the valve.
I was taught that pressure gauges have been known to explode when pressurized, so you should make sure that the face of the gauge is pointing in a safe direction when you open the valve. Apparently, her O/W instructor teaches students to hold the pressure gauge face down over the top of the 1st stage reg when opening the valve. Now, that can have the effect of pointing the gauge in a "safe" direction, or it can mean that you'll blow the shrapnel into your hand instead of your face. Or, in this case, it could mean that you mistook the depth gauge for the pressure gauge on your two-sided console, and it IS pointing toward your face. I guess her instructor feels that she's also providing cover for if the O-ring blows, but if you ask me, why put your hand anywhere near it if you don't have to?
I was also taught to open the valve slowly, and that if you do that, it's unlikely that the gauge will explode anyway. Not only that, but it's easier on your regulators.
But the point of this post is not about holding the gauge or opening the valve, it's about how we are taught, and how we learn things.
I understand that we're all busy people and don't have enough time. I understand that the dive education industry puts a premium on getting new divers into the sport at the expense of providing adequate training. But it drives me crazy when people forget the reason why we do things and remember only the mnemonic device they crammed into us in O/W class.
Call me naive, but I feel that the basic concepts are not that hard to grasp; most people can get it if they just put a little effort into it. Sure, those rules of thumb can be handy, but how many times have we heard somebody who obviously does not understand the underlying concept spout off some rule that may be appropriate most times, but not THIS time. And you're put in the position of having to go into some long explanation that should have taken place two years ago by their instructor.
We're all looking for the easy, quick, simple answer. Don't bother me with the details, just give me the bullet points. Well, in my opinion, the bullet points are worthless if you don't understand the details behind them.
So what's the solution? I guess this post is really just a rant, because I have no suggestions for improvement. Other than changing the focus from getting more new divers into the sport and focusing instead on thorough (read: expensive) training, I don't see much hope.
I was taught that pressure gauges have been known to explode when pressurized, so you should make sure that the face of the gauge is pointing in a safe direction when you open the valve. Apparently, her O/W instructor teaches students to hold the pressure gauge face down over the top of the 1st stage reg when opening the valve. Now, that can have the effect of pointing the gauge in a "safe" direction, or it can mean that you'll blow the shrapnel into your hand instead of your face. Or, in this case, it could mean that you mistook the depth gauge for the pressure gauge on your two-sided console, and it IS pointing toward your face. I guess her instructor feels that she's also providing cover for if the O-ring blows, but if you ask me, why put your hand anywhere near it if you don't have to?
I was also taught to open the valve slowly, and that if you do that, it's unlikely that the gauge will explode anyway. Not only that, but it's easier on your regulators.
But the point of this post is not about holding the gauge or opening the valve, it's about how we are taught, and how we learn things.
I understand that we're all busy people and don't have enough time. I understand that the dive education industry puts a premium on getting new divers into the sport at the expense of providing adequate training. But it drives me crazy when people forget the reason why we do things and remember only the mnemonic device they crammed into us in O/W class.
Call me naive, but I feel that the basic concepts are not that hard to grasp; most people can get it if they just put a little effort into it. Sure, those rules of thumb can be handy, but how many times have we heard somebody who obviously does not understand the underlying concept spout off some rule that may be appropriate most times, but not THIS time. And you're put in the position of having to go into some long explanation that should have taken place two years ago by their instructor.
We're all looking for the easy, quick, simple answer. Don't bother me with the details, just give me the bullet points. Well, in my opinion, the bullet points are worthless if you don't understand the details behind them.
So what's the solution? I guess this post is really just a rant, because I have no suggestions for improvement. Other than changing the focus from getting more new divers into the sport and focusing instead on thorough (read: expensive) training, I don't see much hope.
