I've found this article Eight changes in training that can’t come soon enough
Somehow, I found it's right on many aspects.
Any thoughts?
Somehow, I found it's right on many aspects.
Any thoughts?
8 changes...
- Thread starter rabe
- Start date
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CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
I think he's wrong on the weight belt. It took some time for me to see the light, but once getting some real world diving experience, those harness weight pockets were replaced by a rubber freediving belt and hard lead. Some designs will stand the test of time.
Consider this. A basic open water skill is to be able to doff and don your rig at depth. That is pretty easy for the brand new diver because most dive shop training facilities have their students wearing weight belts. Now, here's where I agree with his point. Right after training the damn shop will try and sell the student a weight integrated BCD.
And yes, the student will probably never really practice the skills they learned using that BCD. Consequently when that new diver really does have to doff his rig at depth, say because he's entangled in fishing line, he may have a really hard time keeping his body with his BCD.
So, what's the answer? IMO, stop selling and promoting weight integration rather than promoting the end of weight belts (Fat chance, I know). Weight belts are a far superior ballast system. Not to mention, anyone who has to pull up someones rig over the gunnel all day will agree with me.
Consider this. A basic open water skill is to be able to doff and don your rig at depth. That is pretty easy for the brand new diver because most dive shop training facilities have their students wearing weight belts. Now, here's where I agree with his point. Right after training the damn shop will try and sell the student a weight integrated BCD.
And yes, the student will probably never really practice the skills they learned using that BCD. Consequently when that new diver really does have to doff his rig at depth, say because he's entangled in fishing line, he may have a really hard time keeping his body with his BCD.So, what's the answer? IMO, stop selling and promoting weight integration rather than promoting the end of weight belts (Fat chance, I know). Weight belts are a far superior ballast system. Not to mention, anyone who has to pull up someones rig over the gunnel all day will agree with me.
What’s a weight belt?
CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
I'm not sure i want everyone else to teach like I do!
FWIW, I teach the 1/4 back turn for safety reasons. Off and on feel the same when you lock them. 1/4 off feels differently than those two and I like that. What I don't like is a DM turning my air off as he's checking it. That's happened three times now and I have learned to get to the back of the boat while keeping the DM in front of me and away from my tank. Three breaths and I fall back into the water frustrating their attempts to assassinate me.
What would I like to see changed? STOP THE SHAMING!!! There is no need to dis your fellow instructors. So, you don't like the way they teach? Don't teach that way. It's unprofessional to keep acting like they are doing things wrong.
FWIW, I teach the 1/4 back turn for safety reasons. Off and on feel the same when you lock them. 1/4 off feels differently than those two and I like that. What I don't like is a DM turning my air off as he's checking it. That's happened three times now and I have learned to get to the back of the boat while keeping the DM in front of me and away from my tank. Three breaths and I fall back into the water frustrating their attempts to assassinate me.
What would I like to see changed? STOP THE SHAMING!!! There is no need to dis your fellow instructors. So, you don't like the way they teach? Don't teach that way. It's unprofessional to keep acting like they are doing things wrong.
Some of these are just style changes and some of them have nothing to do with training divers.
#8, 7, 6 are reactions to outdated training paradigms. Standards have been improved and there are actually few instructors these days who have kept pace with developments in training and still do this. In other words, his 8, 7 and 6 have already been tackled.
#5 is an integral part of training.
#4 has pros and cons. I like this because it's easier to "feel" if a tank is open or closed. I appreciate that mistakes can be made but in the self check or the buddy check it's important to be able to *feel* if the valve is open or closed. Personally I'm a fence sitter on this one.
#3 ridiculous. In the tropics it may be achievable but in most of the world a weight belt is a necessity in order to distribute weigh in such a way that it makes sense and doesn't hurt. end of discussion. Moreover, the distribution of weight can have an effect on trim and trim is important for comfort and for safety. Categorically banning the weight belt as an option is short sighted, to say the least.
#2 Snorkels have a function. This is a style issue. It makes no sense to elevate a personal option to a policy.
#1 This is something I actually really do believe in. PADI standards, at least, have been improved since this article was written and my hope is that more and more instructors will start taking this idea seriously moving forward.
R..
#8, 7, 6 are reactions to outdated training paradigms. Standards have been improved and there are actually few instructors these days who have kept pace with developments in training and still do this. In other words, his 8, 7 and 6 have already been tackled.
#5 is an integral part of training.
#4 has pros and cons. I like this because it's easier to "feel" if a tank is open or closed. I appreciate that mistakes can be made but in the self check or the buddy check it's important to be able to *feel* if the valve is open or closed. Personally I'm a fence sitter on this one.
#3 ridiculous. In the tropics it may be achievable but in most of the world a weight belt is a necessity in order to distribute weigh in such a way that it makes sense and doesn't hurt. end of discussion. Moreover, the distribution of weight can have an effect on trim and trim is important for comfort and for safety. Categorically banning the weight belt as an option is short sighted, to say the least.
#2 Snorkels have a function. This is a style issue. It makes no sense to elevate a personal option to a policy.
#1 This is something I actually really do believe in. PADI standards, at least, have been improved since this article was written and my hope is that more and more instructors will start taking this idea seriously moving forward.
R..
CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
Yes. It is an essential, basic underwater skill. Being able to free yourself from line, netting or kelp is pretty important. Fixing your tank that may have slipped from the tank strap is important.
The purpose of scuba training is to teach people skills to safely handle just about any situation under water while diving without the assistance of an instructor or DM.
Although hand holding seems to be the direction of scuba. Maybe this is the future of diving...
I use integrated weights. Practiced a doff and don with them. The key is I take the weight pockets out and put them into my wetsuit or wetsuit pant pockets so the weight is on the wet suit before taking off BCD. I do not have much waist and do not find weight belts all that secure. Couple times I have encountered line I had no trouble getting out of it without removing BCD. Key is to stop and take your times and figure out what the issue is.
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