Question for active DMs and Instructors ...

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CAPTAIN SINBAD

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How many of you can swim 400 meters with no fins in under 10 minutes? How does this relate to your daily work as an instructor or DM? Thanks.
 
I can.

Marginally, as sometimes you need to swim the trail ball or tag line to a tired diver. Or just swim to them and keep them company on the swim back to the boat. Or swim a cold student to shore after their skills are complete and the instructor has brought them to the surface, and you will swim them in one at a time, resulting in you doing 10-12 swims back to shore. Or any number of things.
 
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I'm a triathlete so that's a piece of cake, for my DM students that aren't swimmers it's a bit tougher. The requirement is for competency in the water, the rescue performed after is an exercise in ability under physical stressors.

Doesn't often come up when not teaching, I don't lead too many dives anymore.
 
I'm 67 years old, and work on a dive boat as DM, and I still can. Had to do this and more to become a NAUI DM and Instructor. I feel obligated to to keep up my skills and physical abilities. Wookie makes it clear why this is important.
 
How many of you can swim 400 meters with no fins in under 10 minutes? How does this relate to your daily work as an instructor or DM? Thanks.
Where does the "under 10 minutes" requirement come from?
 
Whilst working in Thailand years ago, I had to swim at least that far to rescue a female Japanese snorkeler that was isolated and in severe distress. It was quite critical and I only just got there in time.

Other than that example, I can't think of another time where I've 'had' to swim somewhere fast.

However, there needs to be a benchmark for fitness though, so why not set it there? What I've always wondered is the point of a fitness assessment on entry, but not over the following years. If you need to be fit to become an instructor, then surely you need to stay fit to work as an instructor?

Swimming though.... when I'm working intensively, the last thing I want is more time in the water. If you're a busy instructor, it pays to stay dry when you can... so wounds can heal, skin doesn't completely dry out etc etc
 
i'm 57, work as an instructor and DM and yes, i can.
the requirement is more of a general fitness and water skills test than it relates to actual skills. I don't necessarily fail someone who does it in 12 minutes as long as they meet the other requirements.
 
SDI Divemaster requirement. I believe PADI has it too. No?

No. Points are assigned based on time. 8:40 to 11 minutes would score 3 points for the 400 meter swim. The candidate must score a minimum of 15 points. Other than the equipment exchange there is no "passing" score as long as you score 15 points or higher for all 5 waterskills exercises.
 
SDI Divemaster requirement. I believe PADI has it too. No?
SDI:
1. Snorkeling skills – Minimum equipment: mask, fins, snorkel and additional equipment as required
a. 800 metre swim with mask, snorkel, and fins non-stop without the use of arms in less than 17
minutes
b. 400 metre swim on the surface, non-stop, any stroke, without the use of swimming aids, in less
than 10 minutes; swim goggles permitted
2. Scuba skills - minimum equipment: all equipment required for a SDI Dive Leader
a. In water, transport another diver in full scuba equipment at a quick pace for 4 minutes
b. Demonstrate a complete rescue scenario satisfactorily
c. Perform underwater skills with and without a mask
d. Swim on the surface, in full scuba equipment, using the snorkel, 100 metres
PADI:
Have candidates complete five waterskills exercises, earning a combined exercise score of at least 15. Candidates must
score at least a 3 in the equipment exchange; there is no passing score for any other single exercise.
Exercise 1: 400-Metre/Yard Swim
Swim 400 metres/yards nonstop, without swimming aids and using any stroke or combination of strokes.
Exercise 2: 15-minute Tread
Tread water, drown-proof, bob or float using no aids and wearing only a swimsuit for 15 minutes, with hands (not
arms) out of the water during the last two minutes.
Exercise 3: 800-Metre/Yard Swim
Swim 800 metres/yards face down, using mask, snorkel and fins, nonstop, without flotation aids and without using arms to swim.
Exercise 4: 100-Metre/Yard Inert Diver Tow
Tow (or push) a diver for 100 metres/yards nonstop, at the surface, without assistance – both divers equipped in full scuba equipment.
Exercise 5 — Equipment Exchange
In confined water, demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to an unusual circumstance underwater by exchanging all scuba equipment (except exposure suits and weights) with a buddy while sharing a single regulator second stage earning a minimum score of 3.

You get 1-5 points on each of the exercises, depending on how well you do them. "3" for the 400yd swim is less than 8 minutes, "3" for the 800yd snorkel run is less than 15 minutes."3" for the 100yd diver tow is less than 3 minutes. Most folks get 5 points on the tread, and 3-4 points on the tow, and 2-4 points on the swim and the snorkel run.

For both SDI and PADI there are more things, too, but this was to give a comparison.
 

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