Swim Test?

[easyrider003]

Just wondering if anyone had to take a swim test before they could take a certification course? A guy that I work with at the F.D. said that he got certified without having to take a swim test. I took my class with a guy who is a lawyer. I told that guy that I had to take one and he told me I was lying. I'm thinking "ok stupid whatever you say, you sound smarter with your mouth shut" I told him I would call my lawyer if he thought I was lying. LOL!!! I was just wondering if anyone else had to take a swim test. Mine constisted of a 500 yard swim tread water for 15 minutes and float either on your stomach or back for 10 minutes..

 

[scubaren]

We had to swim laps around the pool and then float for 10 minutes. This was a part of the PADI OW certification. No prior testing was done.

 

[H2Andy]

i guess it would depend on the agency protocols and how good the instructor is (i.e. how well he or she follows that protocol) ... so it is conceivable some people get certified without doing a swim test

however, most (if not all) agencies i am familiar with require a swim test as part of the certification process. not sure about SSI


i think i swam the pool back and forth and then treaded water for 10 minutes for my test (PADI)

 

[easyrider003]

I am SSI certified

 

[Warmwater Wank]

PADI has a 200 yard free swim or 300yds with fins requirement (and 10 minutes treading water). On a dive trip on Roatan we were headed back in when they stopped the boat. Guy jumps off the back with no tank, mask etc. and we take off. DM comes forward and says "One of my people just needed to complete their open water swim." Sure looked like a further back than 200 yards to me--and no one ever looked back, we just cruised in. Always wondered if the guy passed. // ww

 

[Web Monkey]

Mine constisted of a 500 yard swim tread water for 15 minutes and float either on your stomach or back for 10 minutes..

That sounds a lot like someone just wanted to make you "work for it".

Some agencies have swim requirements, but 500 yards, 15 minutes of treading water and a 10 minute float doesn't sound like any recreational requirement I've heard of.

Terry

 

[Garrobo]

For SDI cert my instructor wanted 200 yards any way you can do it and a 10 minute float test. I did the 200 partly on my back, in a crawl and freestyle. I did the float test on my back just paddling with my feet. Suited him, suited me.

 

[amascuba]

i guess it would depend on the agency protocols and how good the instructor is (i.e. how well he or she follows that protocol) ... so it is conceivable some people get certified without doing a swim test

however, most (if not all) agencies i am familiar with require a swim test as part of the certification process. not sure about SSI

i think i swam the pool back and forth and then treaded water for 10 minutes for my test (PADI)

SSI requires a 300 yard mask, fin, snorkel swim. It's all untimed so when I worked as a Dive Con I would use the skin diving pool session to do the 500 yard swim. I just had them do a casual swim around the pool. They also require a 10 minute water tred.

Per the SSI Training Standards for a recreational scuba diver on page 18:

Students in the Open Water course are to demonstrate effective watermanship and comfort in the water with a watermanship evaluation that includes a 200-yard surface distance swim or a 300-yard surface distance swim using a mask, snorkel and fins and a 10-minute survival swim/ float without the use of mask, snorkel, fins or other swimming aids.

 

[Walter]

Some agencies require swimming, some don't. PADI, SSI and prehaps others have made swimming optional. If you don't swim 200 yds, you can snorkel 300 yds instead. NAUI requires swimming, but does not require a specific distance. Instead they require a certain number of strokes (12? I can't remember). They once required a 225 ft swim. YMCA requires a 300 yd swim. Most (all?) agencies require a float/tred of 10 minutes, some (YMCA) require 15 minutes. Some agencies (NAUI, YMCA) require an underwater swim of 50 feet. PADI has no requirement for an underwater swim, I don't know what other agencies require with regard to an underwater swim.

Standards vary greatly from one agency to another.

 

[spectrum]

Standards vary greatly from one agency to another.

And instructor to instructor and it's not always above and beyond the agency requirement.

Pete