Advice

[Newbielady0101]

I have done my book work and pool work. They did not size me correctly and when I went for open water today my wetsuit was two sizes too big. It was huge. They said it would be fine. The water was cloudy and I was struggling to find my gear in the water. I told the instructor my BCD did not feel adjusted right and I was struggling with getting my alternate air, etc. He said we could adjust it on the platform underwater. I panicked and decided to be done for the day. I was worried I would not be able to find my stuff and be safe. When I took my gear off, they also gave me a medium BCD instead of a small. My question is, is it that big of a deal to be overwhelmed with oversized gear or should I give up trying to get certified in scuba diving and just stick with snorkeling.

 

[gfaith]

NBL .. Here is my take on this. My wife/buddy is very small lady 5'2" (maybe) 105 lbs. New divers need to fitted properly in their BCDs, masks and fins. You will be task loading enough with just doing the skills required, and you do not need to be fighting with over-sized gear. Talk to the instructor and explain your situation or find another shop.

 

[gfaith]

NBL .. Here is my take on this. My wife/buddy is very small lady 5'2" (maybe) 105 lbs. New divers need to fitted properly in their BCDs, masks and fins. You will be task loading enough with just doing the skills required, and you do not need to be fighting with over-sized gear. Talk to the instructor and explain your situation or find another shop.

By the way welcome to the board.

 

[Newbielady0101]

NBL .. Here is my take on this. My wife/buddy is very small lady 5'2" (maybe) 105 lbs. New divers need to fitted properly in their BCDs, masks and fins. You will be task loading enough with just doing the skills required, and you do not need to be fighting with over-sized gear. Talk to the instructor and explain your situation or find another shop.

 

[Newbielady0101]

Thanks!

 

[fmerkel]

Rental gear is.....well, rental gear. Shops simply cannot afford to have the 'best' and all sizes of everything to rent. My wife and I are both small. A good portion of diver are ....not small. This sport does not favor small people, especially cold water. Some shops may be better that others, but when you start you don't know what you don't know. A lot of it is on faith of other people.They may even have good intentions but not able to fill your requirements.....which you don't yet fully understand.

I froze my first day (Puget Sound in Feb.), so asked to bring my winter windsurfing drysuit the next day. It's not like a diving drysuit, more like a wetsuit with seals, and it was much better. The regulators were OK. The BCD in retrospect were pretty poor.
After OW1 (cold, saw nothing much but mud) I decided I'd pretty much had it with the sport, but the whole process was to go diving in Bonaire with 2 friends that were already certified. Bonaire changed my mind about diving, easy, pretty, warm, WAY less weight.

Coming back to cold water and dealing with rental gear made both of us realize we got our own stuff or we quit. It's a BIG commitment to get a whole cold water kit for 2 people but it made the difference. 20 years later we are still active divers.

Insists the stuff fits and have it explained in terms you can understand why it does or does not. Don't dive with equipment that makes you uncomfortable, understanding that the very act of diving in of itself is a strange thing to do and it's pretty normal to have a little warning going off in your head.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Stick with it. Sounds like your shop is more of a mill concerned with numbers instead of training. I understand the investment that a shop would have to make to have every possible diver the correct size....the soLuton might be to schedule a morning and afternoon class so the small BC and wetsuit get used twice that day. There is a relatively steep learning curve staring out, making it more difficult on the first OW dive does no one any good. A wrong size wetsuit, wrong size BCD, poor vis, cold conditions and taking several divers to a platform is a recipe for disaster.

Good call on canceling your dive when it didn't feel right. Most dive accidents are a combination of factors that end in disaster. Listening to that inner voice is often hard to do but may have saved your life.

Have a talk with the shop. Arrange for the right size equipment. And take another run at it. Maybe another pool session in correct fitting gear will help as well. Your first drop into Chrystal clear, warm, tropical water will reward you in ways that words alone can not describe!

Welcome to the addiction!

Jay

 

[RainPilot]

I get so disheartened when I hear of stories like this (all too often).

Like almost any technical hobby, the correct gear is the difference between fun and fear almost always. PLEASE don't let the negative experience discourage you, it WILL be worth it and you WILL look back on this one day and laugh, probably while sipping a cold beverage in a beautiful location while flicking through the pics you just took on an epic dive.

Just take some time before going back in to really find your correct size, especially with wetsuits. I almost always recommend my students buy a wetsuit of their own before starting the course, I assist with choosing. It makes all the difference once you are comfortable in the water.

Also, good job on calling the dive! Its rare that a new student will do that, what with peer pressure and uncertainty. Bodes well for your future diving, when in doubt, get out. (Of the water, not the sport!)

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

*edit* just read the previous post properly, so forgive the repetition

 

[Newbielady0101]

I get so disheartened when I hear of stories like this (all too often).

Like almost any technical hobby, the correct gear is the difference between fun and fear almost always. PLEASE don't let the negative experience discourage you, it WILL be worth it and you WILL look back on this one day and laugh, probably while sipping a cold beverage in a beautiful location while flicking through the pics you just took on an epic dive.

Just take some time before going back in to really find your correct size, especially with wetsuits. I almost always recommend my students buy a wetsuit of their own before starting the course, I assist with choosing. It makes all the difference once you are comfortable in the water.

Also, good job on calling the dive! Its rare that a new student will do that, what with peer pressure and uncertainty. Bodes well for your future diving, when in doubt, get out. (Of the water, not the sport!)

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

*edit* just read the previous post properly, so forgive the repetition

Rain pilot,

I called and got some heat from an employee at the dive shop. When I called and talked to the owner he was very nice and reasonable. He is giving me my money back. The question I have for you is I am going to Hawaii in October. The main island and Kawai. I wanted the certification for that trip. I was wondering what your thoughts are on getting certified there, making that my dive when I go. I am just wondering if I should do that or make plans here with another shop.

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome from south Florida.....sorry for your bad experience......you can do the e-course and do your dives in Hawaii if you have the time........good luck with your adventure.