Basic open water training fiasco

[Gil57usa]

A friend of mine enrolled in a PADI basic class. He has finished the classroom part and is eager to do the open water dives. Here is the problem. The dive shop won't have their boat in the water until june. My friend has access to a drysuit and is ready to dive now. The dive shop says that if he wants to use the drysuit for his open water dives, he first has to take the drysuit course for additional money or they won't let him do the open water dives. Is this kind of extortion acceptible? I took my advanced class using a drysuit and nobody questioned if I even had taken the drysuit class. Is there some unwritten PADI rule that says you have to have a drysuit cert. to use one? Or is this just more PADI (Put Another Dollar In). Personally I think he should contact another shop to finish up his class. Any comments or ideas?

 

[paolov]

I took my advanced class using a drysuit and nobody questioned if I even had taken the drysuit class. Is there some unwritten PADI rule that says you have to have a drysuit cert. to use one? Or is this just more PADI (Put Another Dollar In). Personally I think he should contact another shop to finish up his class. Any comments or ideas?

no it's not extortion. its about safety

drysuit has potential risks that an untrained user may get into trouble.

if you took your AOW under PADI, your instructor violated PADI standards. he may be in for a Q&A investigation.


the shop of your friend placed safety first in this instance.


.

 

[padiscubapro]

no it's not extortion. its about safety

drysuit has potential risks that an untrained user may get into trouble.

if you took your AOW under PADI, your instructor violated PADI standards. he may be in for a Q&A investigation.


the shop of your friend placed safety first in this instance.


.

actually a drysuit class is just a specialty, there is nothing requiring it.. other than the shop.. the manufacturers don't require it either.. I know of many places where OW students are trained from day one and do their checkout dives in a dry suit..

If its going to be used without a "cert" the instructor should just do a pool checkout and make sure the student is prepared..

The places OW studenst use drysuits are usually trained in the pool using one... I would not allow the use myself unless the initial traing was done in a drysuit there are differences but nothing requires the diver be "certified" in the use of one..

 

[paolov]

i agree it is a specialty. the violation comes if the student was not properly trained to use it -safety issues not certification issues.

the post seems that the risks involved on a dry suit is not that apparent .

I know of many places where OW students are trained from day one and do their checkout dives in a dry suit..

The places OW studenst use drysuits are usually trained in the pool using one... I would not allow the use myself unless the initial traing was done in a drysuit there are differences but nothing requires the diver be "certified" in the use of one..

keyword training. hence the shop may require additional fees for the training. Training for use and safety.

.

 

[TSandM]

I did my OW checkout dives in a dry suit. One of the pool sessions beforehand was done in a dry suit (a warm water experience!) so that I would know the quirks of diving dry, and how to salvage a feet up ascent situation. There was an extra charge for doing the dives in a dry suit -- I think it was $180, which included the pool training and the dry suit rental for two days (which is $60 a day). It was money well spent (although the dry suit they rented me leaked like a sieve, and resulted in my first encounter with diving-related hypothermia . . . but that's another story.)

 

[scubamickey]

To give you something to compare with here is a link to my LDS here in Alaska:
http://divealaska.net/prices.html

All OW courses are done in a drysuit and training is conducted in the pool before the OW dives. $375 covers the course (including boat or shore dives depending on the season). Books and gear rental is extra.

However, you walk away with an OW certification AND a Drysuit Specialty.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Someone with no dives to their belt jumping in the water with a drysuit. Hmmm. I can see a definite safety issue here for the shop staff.

Your friend will already be overloaded just doing the OW drills. It is probably best to learn what to do, and what not to do, in a drysuit, prior to the OW dives.

For divers already comfortable in the water a drysuit course is useful but not necessary – they are tricky to use for the first couple of dives then things fall into place. However for a new diver a drysuit course and some pool sessions would be very useful indeed.

Why not learn to use it properly first time around?

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[Quero]

if you took your AOW under PADI, your instructor violated PADI standards. he may be in for a Q&A investigation.

The Dry Suit adventure dive can be counted as one of the three electives for AOW without violating standards.

 

[rongoodman]

Actually, my PADi OW text mentions in several places that if you will be doing your dives in a dry suit, your instructor will spend time going over the details with you. The clear implication is that it is acceptable to use in the class. OTOH, the LDS might have liability concerns or just want the money.

 

[spectrum]

I see lots of problems here,

First what does this boat thing have to do with anything? Isn't there a beach someplace near the boat?

Why does your friend need to use a drysuit? He may want to but I have buddies going wet all year and will probably kick over to wet myself in a few weeks. I'm in Maine.

I agree that unless pool work was done in the drysuit he has no buisness trying it for the first time on his certification dives. Buck up for the pool class and leverage to towards his AOW cert.

I still don't see how diving a drysuit will get the boat in the water sooner.

I passed on taking a DS course. I did some reading and had a mentor, as well as 70+ wet dives behind me. A DS does add to task loading and while doing check-out exercises he does not want to be learning the DS on the fly.

I agree with the shop's call but if cooler heads prevail a brief class should make for a win win situation.

Pete