Brand New Divemaster, need a suggestion as to a BC for work and play!!

[MSilvia]

Anyone know someone that uses one for OW teaching?? Just curious.....

Yes, and I know of OW students that have been taught in them.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2334920&postcount=5
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2336071&postcount=10
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2337197&postcount=15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2337282&postcount=16
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2337662&postcount=18
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2341718&postcount=31
etc...

Still, as has been suggested many times already in this thread, don't buy anything to teach in until you know who you'll be teaching for, and what they want you to use.

 

[ClayJar]

Yep, I know someone. One of the instructors at my local shop. He's full cave, I believe. He dives a BP/W while teaching and doing checkouts, and if the water's below the 70s, he's in a drysuit, too. On checkout trips, he dives doubles (looked like 120s, I think). He explains his gear to his students (and why he dives it), and I don't think I've seen anyone cowering from his 7' hose or harness.

Frankly, I imagine *any* scuba gear could look intimidating to new students. I've been in classes with everyone from the lady who did the first giant stride into the pool and had to be rescued from the bottom to buddies who could teach the divemasters a thing or two about good form. Not once have I ever seen someone cowering away due to someone else's gear configuration. They either don't really care, or they're curious (and if anyone has an environment where a different type of BCD causes wetsuit flushing, I really wouldn't want any of my topside friends coming to them for training).

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Did I say people cower??? Thats a completely different word than intimidated...your right, I would imagine them asking questions. Again, as I said, My instructors, who dive both, PREFER a Jacket style BC....this has nothing to do with wetsuit flushing or any environment, it comes down to instructor preference.....thats all

 

[MSilvia]

Frankly, I imagine *any* scuba gear could look intimidating to new students.

Good point. A new student isn't likely to have a bias as to what "typical gear" is. It's only intimidating to those who have enough experience to think it's strange.

 

[ClayJar]

I didn't mean literally in abject terror or anything, although when we did rescue, O2, CPR, and first aid, that was occasionally the case. (Hehe, if you're not knocked down a few pegs there, you're not getting the full experience.)

They really aren't that different, being intimidated and cowering. It's just a matter of degrees, and having a background in drama has given me a presentation style that occasionally involves exaggerated motions. Nobody would see a strange-looking BCD and cower away from it like Gollum facing a white-hot angry Sting-wielding Samwise Gamgee, but some of us may be intimidated in a miniscule fraction of the same way. Presenting a caricature of the response just brings it into focus more (or at least, that's the teaching style of all the great teachers, professors, and instructors I've had).

I suppose it's a bit difficult to get the flambuoyant broad-brushed aspects of it across as successfully in an often all-too-adversarial setting (such as any thread on ScubaBoard where the BP/W comes up), but I'll have to keep working on that. Of course, please don't hate me for trying to be a bit less dull than I could be. If you want to hate me, hate me because, for a time, I was actually a mime.

(Note: I was ***NEVER*** one of those pathetic, annoying, irritating imitate-you-in-the-park mimes. I loathe them too. Still, I did dabble in mimery, so I suppose I can't wash my hands... er... face?... of that. )

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Nah....I understand what your saying...this is the problem with the forums....things can be taking the wrong way when you dont know someone or how they are meaning what they type......Great way at not being dull it did make me laugh

Mime huh.....

 

[ClayJar]

Mime huh.....

Actually, I like to think that was preparation for being a diver. If you can survive that, looking like the creature from the black lagoon isn't that big a deal anymore. Oh, and it's also excellent for learning non-verbal communication skills.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

LOL... Great points

 

[terrasmak]

I would talk to you instructor first ....Some instructors dont always want the DMs in BP/w because they can look intimidating for new students. On the last dive it might be OK....but at the beginning, they might not like you to wear it. Also, if your a DM and want to be an instructor, a BP/W, in my opinion is not what you want to wear... You will want a Jacket style BC for instructing due to the extra weight, constantly going up and down, being on the surface alot, big pockets.....etc. I honestly havent meet a single instructor that uses a BP/W unless they are teaching a tech class or similar.......Anyone know someone that uses one for OW teaching?? Just curious.....

japan-diver on here uses one, so does dtb1981.
Im lost about you saying you want a jacket for the big pockets and the extra weight. Why do you need the pockets???? Why would you want the extra weight that you need to carry when diving a bouyant jacket bcd???
I also think the other aspect of being a DM is being overlooked, the part about being a guide/working on a boat. Why wouldnt you want a DM in a BP/W for that ???

 

[Mafiaman]

Big pockets to carry flash cards and extra weights, often when check out dives move from pool to saltwater Instructors and DM's carry a little extra weight so they can add or remove from a student underwater. Keeping students slightly negative during their first check out dives has advantages. Time is often a factor particularly with resort certifications.
Another thing I like about my Probe is the shoulder straps have quick buckles which makes it easier for me to get in and out of (I have broad shoulders) (This may be available in bp/w webbing also)