A question for SSIGuy...
- Thread starter The Chairman
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I believe if I had a free flowing regulator as an open water diver I could switch to my safe second and make a safe assent at 30' feet per minute and even do a safety stop if my air supply allowed me to do it. I believe that is why we have back up systems and buddy teams....
Unless the free flow was caused by the fail safe in the first stage. Then both would be free flowing.
OP
Unless the failure is WAY catastrophic, the free flow will only be through ONE reg. Of all of the free flowing regs I have seen only ONE blew through both hoses, and it also blew through the first stage diaphragm. New reg and it happened as I was about to enter the water. The sound was cacophonous.
Firewater K
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I was recently taught at a SSI dive shop and we did do the snorkel and 4 ow dives. Also, the dive instructor did teach all in the class in the pool how to breath off a free flowing regulator. This is kind of funny because I live in Florida. Goes to show how some instructors take pride in well informed students
I'm not a historian but I think John Gaffney founded the National Association of SKIN Diving Schools in 1961 and then changed the name to National Association of SCUBA Diving Schools in 1967. I could be wrong, but that may be were the dates got mixed up.
I think your right about this as well, but I think Bob Clark helped design it and he was the president of SSI and that may be where the credit comes from.
I, of coarse, could be completely wrong about both.
I cannot compare SSI with other agencies because I have always been an SSI intructor. What I can say is the SSI is very helpful when it comes to ordering supplies or just needing some clarification on a subject. Being affiliated with a store is actually a blessing. Why you might ask? If you were an independant instructor you would have to provide all the SCUBA equipment to your students. Working through a store you can use it's equipment. I am happy where I'm at with SSI and since I starte teaching in 99 I have SSI grow really fast.
In my earlier post I stated that L.A. County and Naui still "uses" free flow regulators as a skill and yes it is true it is NOT required by Naui they are allowed. I have since done a little research in my area to see who is teaching what skills both required and those that pertain to diving in Southern California.
What I found strange is that Instructors that have been at it for 10 years or more still teach free flowing regulators, skin diving skills and in most cases kelp awareness. What bothered me is that too many of the "newer" Instructors don't teach skills they themselves aren't comfortable with or will only teach as their guidelines describe. I called one store and asked about equipment removal and free flowing regulator skills stated that I had taken a class many years ago and thought those skill were very hard. They told me that those skills are outdated and their agency (Padi) does not allow them to teach those skills. (Both required by Padi) In hopes this was just one individual mistaken I called another location of the same company and in a round about way told that it was not used by them per the corporate office. I also found that it is common practice for a class to have one Instructor in the class room, another in the pool and a third in the ocean, and in some cases the instructor in the ocean had never met the student before. VERY SCARY.
Not to get off track, I think the point is the Instructor makes the course and it is his/her responsibility to make sure any skill needed to dive safely must be taught, agency requirement or not, making sure the "finished product" is the safest most comfortable diver possible. Instruction isn't about "selling" more classes or equipment to each person but if the course is complete and the Instructor does a good job the end result will make for greater purchases and more continued education by default.
Again, only my 2 cents worth and with only 29 years of teaching diving, manufacturing diving equipment and owning a store I am far from knowing it all. But I'm willing to learn........
What I found strange is that Instructors that have been at it for 10 years or more still teach free flowing regulators, skin diving skills and in most cases kelp awareness. What bothered me is that too many of the "newer" Instructors don't teach skills they themselves aren't comfortable with or will only teach as their guidelines describe. I called one store and asked about equipment removal and free flowing regulator skills stated that I had taken a class many years ago and thought those skill were very hard. They told me that those skills are outdated and their agency (Padi) does not allow them to teach those skills. (Both required by Padi) In hopes this was just one individual mistaken I called another location of the same company and in a round about way told that it was not used by them per the corporate office. I also found that it is common practice for a class to have one Instructor in the class room, another in the pool and a third in the ocean, and in some cases the instructor in the ocean had never met the student before. VERY SCARY.
Not to get off track, I think the point is the Instructor makes the course and it is his/her responsibility to make sure any skill needed to dive safely must be taught, agency requirement or not, making sure the "finished product" is the safest most comfortable diver possible. Instruction isn't about "selling" more classes or equipment to each person but if the course is complete and the Instructor does a good job the end result will make for greater purchases and more continued education by default.
Again, only my 2 cents worth and with only 29 years of teaching diving, manufacturing diving equipment and owning a store I am far from knowing it all. But I'm willing to learn........
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