I'm being referred to a different SDI training facility.

[Jim Lapenta]

Don't know if it is true with all DMT but from my experience neither PADI nor SDI trainers reveal to students what skills have accomplished and what skills need to be done before OWC.

I was surprised by how little amount of skills iI accomplished during the time I was with my former dive shop trainer. I replaced my BCD, mask, fins, found correct buoyancy weight, tried shop dry suit, bought my own dry suit, tried back-inflate BCD, decided it wasn't for me, bought a Hollis HD 200, difficult to make trim at surface due to over inflation just couldn't get it right.

Bought a Mares Prestige SLS BCD scheduled for delivery today. I hope the sides and back bladder feature will keep my upright rather than pushed forward as the Hollis HD 200 did.

My students know every skill they have completed and get feedback on all of them as they do them. Those instructors who don't shouldn't be teaching.

 

[rhwestfall]

Those instructors who don't shouldn't be teaching.

substitute "aren't" for "shouldn't be"...

 

[tridacna]

This all sounds like a bunch of horse manure, of course of course.

 

[Marie13]

This all sounds like a bunch of horse manure, of course of course.

Wilbuuuurrrr!

 

[Mr. Ed]

I assume because 5 slots were checked off for contained water dives I reached my limit as far as time spent in training? After reading several responses I’m at the conclusion my former dive shop wanted to be rid of me perhaps from lack of qualified instructors.

I resume training 01/29/2022 at a different SDI dive shop. Long distance travel is not an option for me. Therefore to complete OWC I will have to wait until nearby lakes warm up in the spring.

Using the Hollis HD 200 BCD was difficult for me. Perhaps because of weight distribution and back inflate buoyancy control? I’m certain managing the BCD a without proper instructions using a dry suit added to the problems I experienced. I didn’t have a choice in using a dry suit, all students and staff were required to wear a dry suit in the pool. At least two times my dry suit squeezed my legs causing me great pain and restricted use of my legs. The good news is I’m not required to wear a dry suit at the new dive shop.

It does no good blaming anyone for current circumstances, process if you must and get on with what’s important. Scuba diving is important to me so until I decide otherwise I will make every effort to get what I want.

 

[Eric802]

I didn’t have a choice in using a dry suit, all students and staff were required to wear a dry suit in the pool. At least two times my dry suit squeezed my legs causing me great pain and restricted use of my legs. The good news is I’m not required to wear a dry suit at the new dive shop.

Ok, it's been 30 years since I took an OW course and I'm a pretty inexperienced diver, but this sounds really weird.

 

[ginti]

At least two times my dry suit squeezed my legs causing me great pain and restricted use of my legs.

How deep was the pool? Was it a neoprene drysuit?

 

[Belzelbub]

Ok, it's been 30 years since I took an OW course and I'm a pretty inexperienced diver, but this sounds really weird.

This whole situation seems really weird.

I assume because 5 slots were checked off for contained water dives I reached my limit as far as time spent in training? After reading several responses I’m at the conclusion my former dive shop wanted to be rid of me perhaps from lack of qualified instructors.

This is the real weird part. Those 5 slots shouldn't have been checked off until all those skills were successfully completed and the instructor is comfortable with the results. If it takes more pool sessions, then that's what it takes.

My youngest daughter had a bit of a gap in her training. She went through the pool sessions initially, then had some trouble with the Open Water. This put several months in between. Even though the pool sessions were already complete, the instructor wanted to see her in the pool again. After the initial evaluation, he wanted her to do some more pool sessions. By the 2nd one, it had clicked and the instructor then gave the green light for Open Water checkouts. All of this was done without any additional cost, but it was clear that the shop was willing to put forth the effort in making sure she was able to perform all the skills as needed.

I do think you are right that the instructor wanted to be rid of you. Not sure why. Students learn at different paces. It sounds like they just wanted to instruct those that don't have any trouble with the skills, so only require a quick demo. Sounds like they didn't want to put in the time to figure out why you were having trouble. As said above, insisting on drysuit for the pool sessions just seems like a lot, and can be overwhelming. When there are too many new skills all at once, it can be tough to figure out where the problem is. Buoyancy is usually one of the hardest skills to learn, and that gets much harder with a drysuit.

I resume training 01/29/2022 at a different SDI dive shop. Long distance travel is not an option for me. Therefore to complete OWC I will have to wait until nearby lakes warm up in the spring.

Good for keeping up with it. I'm sure many may have just gotten frustrated and decided it wasn't for them.

 

[60plus]

From what I read on Scubaboard about poor instruction and weird goings on during training some of you would be far better travelling to the Canary islands (just off coast of Morocco) to get your training and certs. Some of you seem to spend thousands of $ to achieve less than you would on a €60 try dive session.

 

[pauldw]

You will learn from Scubaboard in particular that there are zealots who follow an equipment worshiping religion, and there is only one true form of equipment. If you like that religion, more power to you. Wear your BP/W with its holy one continuous length of webbing. But if on the surface you like to float high in the waves because that's less anxiety producing, then your jacket BC should serve you well.

Any air bladder you have on your back will, when inflated, push your face forward. That's just a fact. Sort of like, a law of nature. That said, you shouldn't have to inflate any bladders very much at the surface, because you should be very close to neutrally buoyant, and only need a bit of additional air to keep your face above the water. It's when you are overweighted that you need to blow those bladders up to compensate, and that's when something on your back will pitch you forward. Lots of instructors do overweight students, because it's easier to make sure they'll go down, and then just use their BC like an elevator. But that's poor diving. On the surface you add a little air to keep your face out of the water, but you should not need to blow air in until the exhaust valve pops open.