At what level (if any) can scuba be self taught?

[jbtut]

I'm by no means an expert diver. I do have a technical background in physics. I'm fairly certain with the right tools the right books and enough time I could build every part of a dive system from the tank to a dive computer. Even a re-breather system.

Unfortunately I don't have the time, and fortunately many others have done that work already. So I simply find it most practical to rely on the experiences and work of others for a small fee rather than spend the time, effort, and risk doing those same things myself.

So while I think most anyone could potentially learn everything themselves in all aspects of the sport, it's just easier and safer to learn most things from someone who's done what you'd like to do a few times before. Pretty much exactly what Teamcasa said.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Mentoring would be the optimal way to learn, but if you don't live near a sufficient body of water, mentoring really doesn't exist. Even the classroom/check-out dive seems woefully inadequate for true learning. Just because you can pass one compass course dive, or deep dive to 130' once with an instructor doesn't mean you are truly formally qualified. This is where the personal initiative, thoughtful planning and attention to detail allow you to grow as a diver. OJT, if you will.

 

[diver 85]

IF you can read, it can be done thru AOW anyway......btw, that's the way it used to be so nothing new...Kinda like learning to drive a car, not many here took driving lessons from an instructor..

 

[TSandM]

I think virtually all of the intellectual material of diving can be self taught -- diving medicine, decompression theory, a lot of rescue concepts. It really depends on how quickly you grasp things. The one advantage to a formal setting is getting some kind of evaluation to make sure you understand stuff as well as you think you do.

Some diving skills really HAVE to be largely self-taught. I believe you can give someone a lot of tips on buoyancy control, for example, but the diver has to go out and do the dives and make mistakes until the cues become obvious and how to dose the interventions becomes clear.

I put myself into doubles (with a bit of help from some friends who were already there) and learned to do my own valve shutdowns. I wasn't a total novice when I did it, and I had access to a lot of teaching materials to help me. I made some mistakes that I wouldn't have had to struggle with, if I'd had a good instructor from the beginning, but we got those corrected eventually.

The instructor whose name is on my OW card dove for three years before getting certified, so it is clearly possible to learn to dive without instruction at all. I wouldn't advise it, though.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I believe there is this sliding scale ranging from self taught to "don't even think about doing it without formal training"

I would put navigation in the (particularly in a quarry) as something one can self teach.

I would put rebreathers in the "don't even think about it".

My first drysuit was from when they were invented. It was neoprene, it had an integrated hood (neck seal, and face seal), and mitten gloves that sealed the arms.

You got it in the box with about two pages of directions. The most important was that in the event of an overfilled, upside down situation, you were to cut the suit around the ankles to let the air out. A stuck inflator would result in the suit eventually blowing up (if not disconnected). It turned out that if the suit got inflated too much, there was no way to get to your knife or to your leg. People died using them, and today, they don't make suits like that. I dove with one for years, and one had to teach themselves speed, something that was not in the 2 pages.

I would guess that most diving skills/knowledge can be self taught, but as the potential danger goes up, one should consider the price that making a mistake will cost.

I think virtually all of the intellectual material of diving can be self taught -- diving medicine, decompression theory, a lot of rescue concepts. It really depends on how quickly you grasp things. The one advantage to a formal setting is getting some kind of evaluation to make sure you understand stuff as well as you think you do.

Some diving skills really HAVE to be largely self-taught. I believe you can give someone a lot of tips on buoyancy control, for example, but the diver has to go out and do the dives and make mistakes until the cues become obvious and how to dose the interventions becomes clear.

I put myself into doubles (with a bit of help from some friends who were already there) and learned to do my own valve shutdowns. I wasn't a total novice when I did it, and I had access to a lot of teaching materials to help me. I made some mistakes that I wouldn't have had to struggle with, if I'd had a good instructor from the beginning, but we got those corrected eventually.

The instructor whose name is on my OW card dove for three years before getting certified, so it is clearly possible to learn to dive without instruction at all. I wouldn't advise it, though.

 

[RJP]

I never certified beyond open water, but I can use a compass to follow a dive plan.

Was that not covered in your OW class?

 

[Charlie99]

Formal learning just speeds up the process, reduces mistakes and the sharing of information simpler.

That pretty much sums it up. Whether it is best to learn something on your own or to seek more formal instruction depends a lot upon how difficult it is to learn, and how costly/dangerous mistakes will be.

 

[Charlie99]

Some diving skills really HAVE to be largely self-taught. I believe you can give someone a lot of tips on buoyancy control, for example, but the diver has to go out and do the dives and make mistakes until the cues become obvious and how to dose the interventions becomes clear.

It is useful to keep in mind the distinction between "being taught" and "learning". A teacher can make available knowledge, but nothing happens until the student puts in the effort to understand and learn.

My fastest way of learning is to pick the brains of an expert.

 

[*dave*]

Formal learning just speeds up the process, reduces mistakes and the sharing of information simpler.

IMO, safety would be the biggest advantage of professional instruction.

Thinking about it, there's only two reasons I can think of for seeking professional instruction: Safety and efficiency of training.



Crap, I forgot Certification.... That's three reasons.


For some, I suppose social interaction might be a reason, but they might be better served by joining a knitting circle. Yep, three reasons.

 

[DevonDiver]

Formal learning just speeds up the process, reduces mistakes and the sharing of information simpler.

This sums up my feelings.

Yes, you can self-learn pretty much anything in scuba diving. However, being formally instructed, or informally mentored will help mitigate the risks involved and undoubtably speed up the process.

RISK
Each individual skill or activity has a different level of risk. Self-learning is essentially a process of trial and error. In some activities, an error can lead to harm. Be sure to understand the risks involved in the skill or activity and then make a mature, ego-free assessment about whether it would be safer for you to get proper supervision and guidance. Be aware that you might not comprehend the full risks. If in doubt of the dangers involved - ask!

SPEED
Trial and error can be a slow learning process. If you have an instructor or mentor then they can provide instant critique and feedback on your performance - along with remedial corrections. This vastly improves the efficiency of your practice.