Swim test with or without gear?

[SNorman]

Although many people refer to the float requirement as a "tread" requirement, it is not so. Your job is to stay afloat for 10 minutes. That can be done in many ways, including (but not restricted to) treading water. Backfloats, drownproofing--all are good. In fact, the primary requirement is that you don't drown for ten minutes. If you drown during this test, you automatically fail the course.

Ah, but are you allowed to retake it?

 

[boulderjohn]

Ah, but are you allowed to retake it?

No. That is the one way you can flunk a scuba test and not get a chance to learn it and try again.

 

[DCBC]

There is no doubt that strong swimmers are more comfortable in the water than people without this skill-set. Higher in-water comfort translates to a higher tolerance to panic.

Diver in-water ability may be attributable to a higher level of physical fitness, although this is not always the case. In any regard, there are few good swimmers who are unfit for diving.

Increased in-water ability also allows that diver to accomplish more by way of diver rescue in various conditions. Obviously if you can only bob around with a BC, you are not as capable as a good swimmer with similar training and equipment.

For this reason, all commercial and military divers must first prove excellent in-water performance. A person never knows when an article of diving equipment may be lost and s/he will have to compensate with watermanship ability.

The only reason that I can see to lower the swimming standards for recreational divers is to encourage people to enroll in an quick and easy program. This is apparently what the market wants. This was not always the way recreational diving was taught.

The recreational diver often faces the same environment as his professional diver brothers and sisters. Somehow it's perceived that the dangers are somewhat less. I can't say that I totally agree.

I can appreciate that a new diver does not need to be subjected to SEAL Hell-Week. I personally require a much higher requirement than the minimum standards in my training programs.

 

[azchipka]

I would suggest swim lessons before you go into scuba diving. Many instructors will not teach people who have trouble with the swim test. There is alot of swimming involved in diving and in the event of an emergency its an essential for you own saftey increasing your swimming ability before dive training is your best bet.

 

[k374]

at least in this case knowing how to swim saved his life:

Lost diver survives after 20km swim to shore | Travel News | News.com.au

guy managed a 20km swim.

 

[divingguru]

To be honest I think you will be fine, but if you do want to wear the wetsuit and fins then you will just need to swim a bit further to satisfy the PADI requirements.

Good luck with it anyway and let us all know how you get on.