DukeAMO
Contributor
I just thought I'd throw out a few ideas on how to improve OW training, especially in low visibility, from another thread.
Teach divers how to get the attention of everyone else when something's not right. For example, show where you can attach a carabiner so you can reach it and bang on your tank, and practice that so it's automatic when you're under stress.
Put (non-blinking) tank marker lights on the buddy teams (blue team, red team, green team) so it's easier to identify your buddy in a group of black-clad divers.
Give divers more training in buddy formations. Too often in classes you end up with an amorphous group or with a line of ducklings. I'm no expert, but here's what I've gathered from trial and error: one diver behind the other doesn't work if the person in the back has trouble. One diver holding on to the other's upper arm works great, especially when the vis is terrible or when one diver's concentrating on the compass, but it's annoying. Side by side is good but takes practice, and with a frog kick you have to be more than an arm's length apart. One just above the other is OK, but makes it hard for the person who's lower down to check on their buddy (slightly better than one behind the other, since you're at least closer together).
Thoughts?
Teach divers how to get the attention of everyone else when something's not right. For example, show where you can attach a carabiner so you can reach it and bang on your tank, and practice that so it's automatic when you're under stress.
Put (non-blinking) tank marker lights on the buddy teams (blue team, red team, green team) so it's easier to identify your buddy in a group of black-clad divers.
Give divers more training in buddy formations. Too often in classes you end up with an amorphous group or with a line of ducklings. I'm no expert, but here's what I've gathered from trial and error: one diver behind the other doesn't work if the person in the back has trouble. One diver holding on to the other's upper arm works great, especially when the vis is terrible or when one diver's concentrating on the compass, but it's annoying. Side by side is good but takes practice, and with a frog kick you have to be more than an arm's length apart. One just above the other is OK, but makes it hard for the person who's lower down to check on their buddy (slightly better than one behind the other, since you're at least closer together).
Thoughts?