Things Scuba Instructors teach that are either bad or just wrong.

[boulderjohn]

You don't need a class, you can learn everything you need to know on internet forums.

Then you get people who start teaching with this information.

Here is the typical logic you see on this topic in ScubaBoard threads. The people who believe what I am about to describe never put those thoughts into one package--they argue each point separately, but they believe all of them.

1. Pretty much all the divers you see suck because they had very poor OW instructors.
2. Pretty much all OW instructors suck, so once you get your OW certification, you are better off seeking further instruction from a Mentor who is not an instructor.
3. You can pretty much use any certified diver as a Mentor and count on them being better than an instructor. (See #1 above.)
4. If one of these highly skilled Mentors decides to become an instructor, they will then suck and be part of the system that creates all the sucky divers mentioned in #1.

 

[DirtFish]

Just recently my wife and I were at the dive shop indoor pool practicing skills for an advanced tech class. We were setting up our equipment and as I opened my tank the SPG glass shot off hitting my wife, who was bent over setting up her gear, in the ass. She jumped up with a scream knocking the fully clothed instructor into the pool.
I thought I ruptured something internally from laughing so hard that snot was coming from my nose.
So yes they can blow off. And yes I did end up sleeping on the couch that night. Making me laugh just thinking about it.

 

[Bigbella]

Just about my sole complaint— aside from so-called “technical” divers incapable of carrying their damn trove of gear while on land or "turtled" in the surf —has always been about the trend of overweighting students -- and that hasn't really changed. I routinely see students with their BCs inflated almost to the point of bursting and sinking, as described in an earlier thread, like mob informants, upon deflation.

It is, after all, scuba diving not sinking. We always had to swim down a bit . . .

 

[boulderjohn]

My complaint has always been about the trend of overweighting students -- and that hasn't really changed. I routinely see students with their BCs inflated almost to the point of bursting and sinking like mob informants upon deflation.

It is, after all, scuba diving not sinking. We always had to swim down a bit . . .

It is my biggest complaint as well.

It is a natural consequence of teaching skills to students on their knees. If the students are not overweighted, they will be very tippy and off balance. If you want them to perform the skills easily, you need to pile on the lead.

When I posed for the pictures for the PADI article on teaching neutrally buoyant students, I had not taught on the knees for a couple of years. I had to pose for pictures doing skills while neutral/horizontal and while on the knees for contrast. I was wearing a shorty in a pool, and I customarily was intentionally overweighted with 6 pounds--I could dive a shorty in fresh water with no weight. When I was done with the first neutrally buoyant skill, I tried to go immediately to doing it on the knees, but I couldn;t--I was too "bouncy." I did all the neutral pictures first with 6 pounds and then took it up to 12 pounds for the pictures on the knees. In summary, I had to be 12 pounds overweighted to do the skills on my knees.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

It is my biggest complaint as well.

It is a natural consequence of teaching skills to students on their knees. If the students are not overweighted, they will be very tippy and off balance. If you want them to perform the skills easily, you need to pile on the lead.

When I posed for the pictures for the PADI article on teaching neutrally buoyant students, I had not taught on the knees for a couple of years. I had to pose for pictures doing skills while neutral/horizontal and while on the knees for contrast. I was wearing a shorty in a pool, and I customarily was intentionally overweighted with 6 pounds--I could dive a shorty in fresh water with no weight. When I was done with the first neutrally buoyant skill, I tried to go immediately to doing it on the knees, but I couldn;t--I was too "bouncy." I did all the neutral pictures first with 6 pounds and then took it up to 12 pounds for the pictures on the knees. In summary, I had to be 12 pounds overweighted to do the skills on my knees.

Try screwing one of these into the sea floor that is a mix of gravel, rocks, and mud while neutrally buoyant!

I can assure you, you don't get very far.

 

[boulderjohn]

Try screwing one of these into the sea floor that is a mix of gravel, rocks, and mud while neutrally buoyant!

I can assure you, you don't get very far.

View attachment 739504

I was not aware that doing so was a standard part of OW instruction. What agency teaches that skill?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I was not aware that doing so was a standard part of OW instruction. What agency teaches that skill?

Woosh!

Nothing related to open water. Something I was tasked to do "Hey! You are a diver, can you screw this into the ground for me?"

I gave it the good ol' college try.

 

[MichaelMc]

Try screwing one of these into the sea floor that is a mix of gravel, rocks, and mud while neutrally buoyant!

I can assure you, you don't get very far.

View attachment 739504

Thats why you bring two. You use the first one to give you leverage to screw in the second.

(I've screwed them into sand while actually underweighted. Yes, not the easiest to do.)

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Thats why you bring two. You use the first one to give you leverage to screw in the second.

(I have screwed them into sand while neutral. Yes, not the easiest to do.)

I tried bringing a bar. Little important detail. I got it about 6 inches in the ground. After that, nothing.

Usually these are drilled into the ground with a large machine. Something not picked up at Harbor Freight.

 

[MichaelMc]

The "bring two" was a joke. You screw in the first, and use that to screw in the second.

The one I did was a scuba sand screw, so different. But something like a spiked crowbar could help. Slam short end in to the side, use it as a drag anchor to rotate, lift up and slam in again to repeat. Lots of work even if it worked.