Yet another question about OW

[rpayne]

I'm a little confuse about the OW class. Is there a requirement for swimming 600 meters non stop to qualify to do scuba. I had some conflicting reports. Some people told me that resort classes require that and I've also heard they some people didn't have to do anything like that... So which is it?.


thanks

Rob

 

[SterlingDiver]

I'm a little confuse about the OW class. Is there a requirement for swimming 600 meters non stop to qualify to do scuba. I had some conflicting reports. Some people told me that resort classes require that and I've also heard they some people didn't have to do anything like that... So which is it?.


thanks

Rob

......you need to be able to swim reasonably well and to be able to get comfortable in the water. I have never heard of anyone swimming anything close to 600 meters. My SSI OW course had us swim 5 laps in a training pool (about 100 yards) and had us tread water for 10 minutes.

Check with your instructor and see what the requirement is for your agency and course.

Good Luck,

Dave

 

[parrottheaddiver]

wife and I had to swim 200 meters & tread water for 2 min...if you do it with mask, fins and snorkel, our instructor said it would be a 300 meter swim...

best advice is to check with your instructor or your cert agency to see what their reqirements are...

 

[kazinvan]

I had to do 8 laps of the pool and 10 minute thread water.

 

[jbd]

I'm a little confuse about the OW class. Is there a requirement for swimming 600 meters non stop to qualify to do scuba. I had some conflicting reports. Some people told me that resort classes require that and I've also heard they some people didn't have to do anything like that... So which is it?.


thanks

Rob

Most likely you will do either a 200 swim, no time limit, and tread water or float for 10 minutes. You might be given the option to do a 300 yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel.

 

[StSomewhere]

Yes, you should know how to swim. That said, its actually faster and easier to swim 300 yards with fins than it is to swim 200 yards without them.

 

[RonFrank]

200 meter swim, without fins.

10 minute float, no touchee, float.

If you can not achieve either of these I agree with PADI, you should not be diving.

Ron

I'm a little confuse about the OW class. Is there a requirement for swimming 600 meters non stop to qualify to do scuba. I had some conflicting reports. Some people told me that resort classes require that and I've also heard they some people didn't have to do anything like that... So which is it?.


thanks

Rob

 

[Walter]

Swimming requirement vary from agency to agency. Most require a 200 yd swim. NAUI requires swimming, but no specific distance, although the instructor is likely to require 200 yards. YMCA requires 300 yards. PADI doesn't actually require swimming anymore. It has a watermanship requirement. That incluces a 200 yd swim, but if you can't swim, you can substitue a 300 yard snorkel. Other agencies will likely have requirements similar to one of those.

Most agencies also have timed floating requirements as Ron mentioned, varying from 10 to 15 minutes (of those I've seen).

Ron, it seems you don't agree with PADI after all, they changed their swimming requirements about 4 or 5 years ago.

 

[RonFrank]

I took my OW course last november. I purchase my books new from ebay (1998) cause they included the wheel. But I think that water comfort is a big factor if one wants to be comfortable diving. Our OW class required 200M and 10 minutes float.

I grew up in the lakes of OR, and learned to swim before I remember. Based on my limited diving experience water comfort is key. For example I can do the back stroke or side stoke forever. If others can not find their comfort level, then they need to learn to relax and swim in OW.

I did a pool session today just to keep my skills up. I was surprised how much I needed to do this. I mostly spent time on buoyancy. But zero fear of water helps when diving IMO. If PADI has changed thier requiremement in this are I agree, I do NOT agree. Comfort in the water IMO should be a part of diving. I've been caught in rip tids, pulled under, and spent a lot of time snorkeling. Even with this comfort diving is different, and leaning to be underwater is not intuitive even for those that have spent a good amout of time in the water, and ocean.

Ron

Swimming requirement vary from agency to agency. Most require a 200 yd swim. Naui requires swimming, but no specific distance, although the instructor is likely to require 200 yards. YMCA requires 300 yards. PADI doesn't actually require swimming anymore. It has a watermanship requirement. That incluces a 200 yd swim, but if you can't swim, you can substitue a 300 yard snorkel. Other agencies will likely have requirements similar to one of those.

Most agencies also have timed floating requirements as Ron mentioned, varying from 10 to 15 minutes (of those I've seen).

Ron, it seems you don't agree with PADI after all, they changed their swimming requirements about 4 or 5 years ago.

 

[Toadie]

I just did my test today... 4 laps and tread for 10 minutes