Unhappy with my training

[iguana751]

I have been reading this forum for some time but just become a member this week. It is a great source of information and I have yet to see the kind of ignorant people that populate so many forums.

Now I need some advice.

I got my SSI Open Water Diver card in 2004 but did not dive since 2005. I was going to Mexico this winter so I went to my local SSI for a Scuba Skills Update course. I reviewed my old student manual before the course. The instructor spent about ten minutes on equipment and about one hour in the pool. No update on knowledge.

Later I checked the SSI website which says that this course covers; Knowledge, Skills and Equipment. I felt good with my skills in the pool but should I have received a better update?

I also took a dry suit course from the same shop. I studied the manual, went over each chapter’s questions with an instructor and passed the written test. We spent about one and a half hours in the pool practicing to control buoyancy with the suit and drills on what to do in case of going feet up. We covered nothing else. I feel that I am missing something in both these courses and am thinking about going somewhere else but the next closest shops (padi) are about 2 ½ to 3 hours away.

I like the people in the shop and they are good to dive with. Am I too picky about my training?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Talk to them to resolve this and you wil have your close shop still at hand.



Happy Diving

 

[Karibelle]

<snip>

Am I too picky about my training?

I don't think it's possible to be "too picky" about your training. If you have questions, or thought that things should be included that did not end up taking place, ask your intstructor to review the course outline with you. If you thought there should be a knowledge refresher, ask. If you find that it is not included, but you want it anyway, ask for that.

I'm not sure how it works with SSI, but I am a PADI instructor, and give my students the phone number at PADI and tell them that if they have any questions or concerns about their training, they are of course free to ask me, or if they like, to call and ask PADI. I encourage my students to be picky. It's what makes them better, safer diver, and makes me a better instructor.

good luck!
-kari

 

[scubafanatic]

1) how much did you pay for the 'training' ?
2) how much did you reasonably expect to achieve in a pool anyway ? They can't exactly teach you how drift dive in Cozumel at 100' deep in a pool, can they ? I would think, unless it's a 'special ed' situation, and hour tooling around in a pool as a bouyancy control/gear set up refresher should be sufficient, unless you demonstrated to the instructor any special nervousness/phobias/learning disabilities requiring additional 'training'.

 

[RU4SKUBA]

"I feel that I am missing something in both these courses and am thinking about going somewhere else but the next closest shops (padi) are about 2 ½ to 3 hours away."

That's an awful lot of effort to avoid a dive shop that sounds like they delivered their marketed product. Although I'm not SSI-affiliated, I took a drysuit course that sounds similar to yours but included at least one OW dive at a quarry. The refresher probably has some standards, too, but I think refreshers can vary considerably.

I'm curious what you paid for the courses...

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If you concern is simply knowledge retention and you have no learning disability, I would think you could simply re-read the book, re-do the quizes and then if you feel deficits remain, maybe ask a few questions here or at the shop?

If you are certified, you exhibit good skills in the pool etc. I don't think it is reasonable (or necessary) to expect a refresher session to totally re-evaluate all academic subjects.

 

[tbone1004]

That sounds normal for a drysuit course, not a whole lot else they can do other than just spend more time in the pool. Basic OW courses are hard at dive shops because the pool time is limited. Your expectations aren't necessarily too high for an OW course, however if the shop doesn't have it's own pool, or the people in your class aren't at your level they're in a bind. What you may want to do is talk to your instructor and confront him about the problems you have, and he may be able to help you out with whatever problems you have.

 

[Garrobo]

If I was in your shoes and could afford it, I'd take a flight to somewhere like Fort Lauderdal, hook up with a local DM or instructor and spend a few days diving some reefs. It's well worth the money and could save your life.

 

[BoltSnap]

iguana751,

You seem to imply that the refresher work in the pool was OK but you were expecting something more in the classroom part. If this is what you are saying, I don't see the point of extended classroom work if you already read the textbook you had from your basic course. There is no an "update" as such since there is really no new information at the entry level course. From my days as an SSI instructor, SSI had a "Refresher" package where you needed to watch a video and read a small booklet with quizzes at the end to measure your current knowledge. I added table problems and quick review of the major diving issues with the student.

If you still feel that you need more review in knowledge, I would suggest that you read your textbook again, compile a list of questions on the material you don't understand or remember and go back to the shop with this list to review it with the instructor. You need to make sure that you understand tables very well at an entry level.

Don't be bashful about talking to your store about your concerns and/or special needs. I don't see anything serious form their part for you to start thinking about jumping ship. The other brand store(s) that are hours away from you may not offer you the same service. Give your local shop a second chance (you do need to be specific about your needs and concerns including your reading the book and having a complete list of the parts that you don't remember and/or understand).

 

[BoltSnap]

Duplicate post monster strikes again. Sorry!