Tidy equipment

[Xanthro]

Why or why do OW courses not teach basic equipment tidyness?

My brother is now getting his certification, his first OW dives were last Sunday. I want to watch from the beach.

The class was huge, 8 students, 1 instructor and 1 divemaster.

Naturally, all the students were in rental gear. Not one rig had a method of securing either the octo or the spg. They were flopping around, falling out, hitting the ground, dragging on the sand. People were trying to stuff hoses in pockets and the way the gauges were "secured" I doubt if any student ever read them.

Plus, their first dive was nothing more than sitting on the bottom for 20 minutes, not diving, no skills, no exploration. This means no fun and no skill increase. Their second dive, they didn't even descend, because visibility was too poor. Maybe had they not spent the morning on a skindive, optional in Padi, they could have gotten in two actual scuba dives.

What's weird, is he went through the same company I did, though different area, and I was taught all things things, and how important they all were.

Xanthro

 

[gfisher4792]

Well, my class touched a little on "no danglies." But everyone had consoles, and no real talk about alternative setups (i.e, wrist gauges, etc.). Seems like a simple thing to introduce, yes?

Plus, their first dive was nothing more than sitting on the bottom for 20 minutes, not diving, no skills, no exploration. This means no fun and no skill increase. Their second dive, they didn't even descend, because visibility was too poor. Maybe had they not spent the morning on a skindive, optional in Padi, they could have gotten in two actual scuba dives.

What's weird, is he went through the same company I did, though different area, and I was taught all things things, and how important they all were.

Xanthro

Wonder what "poor" visibility is considered by them. My first OW dives, we had no better than 2' vis. I didn't care too much, I was diving! Seems like a missed opportunity to show some divers what "bad vis" is all about. Maybe the instructors were worried with that many people to watch.

 

[Xanthro]

Poor visibility was 5 or 6 feet, not exactly the worst in the World by any means.

At least you could have them hover and experience the joys of diving that don't require sightseeing. The feeling of weighlessness itself is enjoyable, but you don't get that sitting at the bottom.

Plus, everyone was overweighted, but I expected that. Two of the divers took 15 minutes just to get down to 20 feet, and that's with 26lbs on a 110 lb women.

Xanthro

 

[MikeFerrara]

Why or why do OW courses not teach basic equipment tidyness?

My brother is now getting his certification, his first OW dives were last Sunday. I want to watch from the beach.

The class was huge, 8 students, 1 instructor and 1 divemaster.

Naturally, all the students were in rental gear. Not one rig had a method of securing either the octo or the spg. They were flopping around, falling out, hitting the ground, dragging on the sand. People were trying to stuff hoses in pockets and the way the gauges were "secured" I doubt if any student ever read them.

Plus, their first dive was nothing more than sitting on the bottom for 20 minutes, not diving, no skills, no exploration. This means no fun and no skill increase. Their second dive, they didn't even descend, because visibility was too poor. Maybe had they not spent the morning on a skindive, optional in Padi, they could have gotten in two actual scuba dives.

What's weird, is he went through the same company I did, though different area, and I was taught all things things, and how important they all were.

Xanthro

We see this alot and I don't understand why the agencies don't address it. Just about all of them have a statement somewhere in their standards requireing "streamlined" equipment so it is a standards violation.

I've always said they could get rid of a large percentage of the lousy instructors in one swoop just by touring the popular training sites once on a Sat and jerking cards from all the instructors who take students in the water dressed this way.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

When I did my pool dives my instructor taught us to put all our octos/gauges in the clips or attatchments so they were out of the way. He really reinforced that ("I see gauges loose, no one gets in the pool until they're sorted."). He had a nice way of teasing us, but making us listen and learn.

Having seen other divers trained with different instructors, I see a lot of trailing gear. Poor crabs getting bashed on the head with SPGs and the like. Terrible. I always make sure my gear is tidy and clipped, but within reach. I'm always frightened my instructor will sneak up behind me and yell in my ear!

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Why or why do OW courses not teach basic equipment tidyness?

My brother is now getting his certification, his first OW dives were last Sunday. I want to watch from the beach.

The class was huge, 8 students, 1 instructor and 1 divemaster.

Naturally, all the students were in rental gear. Not one rig had a method of securing either the octo or the spg. They were flopping around, falling out, hitting the ground, dragging on the sand. People were trying to stuff hoses in pockets and the way the gauges were "secured" I doubt if any student ever read them.

Plus, their first dive was nothing more than sitting on the bottom for 20 minutes, not diving, no skills, no exploration. This means no fun and no skill increase. Their second dive, they didn't even descend, because visibility was too poor. Maybe had they not spent the morning on a skindive, optional in Padi, they could have gotten in two actual scuba dives.

What's weird, is he went through the same company I did, though different area, and I was taught all things things, and how important they all were.

Xanthro

I would say it's an instructor thing. I know that most instructors I did my apprenticeship with had "no danglies" policies. Those that didn't had no objections to my "tidying up" their students before we hit the water. I carry a buttload of assorted clips and octo holders in my save-a-dive kit for just that reason.

It is important to teach students good habits right from the get-go ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[simbrooks]

I carry a buttload of assorted clips and octo holders in my save-a-dive kit for just that reason.

Must cost a small fortune to keep giving that stuff away!

 

[FatCat]

I would say it's an instructor thing. I know that most instructors I did my apprenticeship with had "no danglies" policies. Those that didn't had no objections to my "tidying up" their students before we hit the water. I carry a buttload of assorted clips and octo holders in my save-a-dive kit for just that reason.

It is important to teach students good habits right from the get-go ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Actually, this is another thing for which I'm butting heads with LDS owners. I teach for two shops, neither of which provides clips with the rental gear.

Still, over time I have become quite creative in finding ways to streamline equipment without using clips.

SPG hoses can be tucked away underneath a BC strap and octo hoses can be looped and threaded through a D-ring. Granted, it isn't the best way to do things, but those buggers keep nicking my clips.

 

[Mako Mark]

We see this alot and I don't understand why the agencies don't address it. Just about all of them have a statement somewhere in their standards requireing "streamlined" equipment so it is a standards violation.
.

Yep, PADI has requirement that there are no dangling hoses during the open water course.

Dangling hoses are a standards violation, and those instructors that do not teach students to clip them up, should be referred to QA dept.

I often heat the excuse "my dive store owner wont buy the clips".. this is complete garbage as m our rental gear has no special clips and we manage to clip everything up. The SPG goes under the chest strap, and the ocky hose gets bent into the shoulder strap pocket. Contrary to the belief that this shortens the life of the hose, it doesnt, I have been doing it for years and the hoses always wear out in the same place (by the first stage where the crimping is) as any other setup.

SO

NO EXCUSES!!!

CLIP UP THE HOSES!!!

 

[FatCat]

I often heat the excuse "my dive store owner wont buy the clips".. this is complete garbage as m our rental gear has no special clips and we manage to clip everything up. The SPG goes under the chest strap, and the ocky hose gets bent into the shoulder strap pocket. Contrary to the belief that this shortens the life of the hose, it doesnt, I have been doing it for years and the hoses always wear out in the same place (by the first stage where the crimping is) as any other setup.

SO

NO EXCUSES!!!

CLIP UP THE HOSES!!!

Yep, that's what I do. Because if I lend them my clips, the buggers'll nick 'em.