In OW I didnt in the pool and i thought we did in the ocean dives. Now looking back it does seem like I had at least 1500 left in the al80 after each dive and could have gone longer. I guess we didnt get our tank worth. I hope i do on the AOW cousre
Dive class - did you get your tank's worth?
- Thread starter fisherdvm
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Danninella
Registered
On my OW dives we usually did dives at a maximum of 7 metres for a maximum of 30 min. We only did the excercises and did not swim around much.
On my AOW we usually where under water until someone reached the lower limits.
On my AOW we usually where under water until someone reached the lower limits.
Dive definitions (for PADI):
For training purposes, an open water dive is a dive during which a student diver spends the majority of time at a depth of at least 5 metres/15 feet
and:
a. breathes at least 1400 litres or 50 cubic feet of compressed gas.
OR
b. remains submerged for at least 20 minutes.
For training purposes, an open water dive is a dive during which a student diver spends the majority of time at a depth of at least 5 metres/15 feet
and:
a. breathes at least 1400 litres or 50 cubic feet of compressed gas.
OR
b. remains submerged for at least 20 minutes.
fisheater
Contributor
I got my tank's worth on all my OW, AOW and specialty cert. dives. I never felt a dive cut short by any instructor.
Night before last, I was finishing up my Night Diver course after a weekend of lots of diving. The water was 50, but I was getting really darned cold. Viz was 3-6 feet and I got bored, tired, cold and wanted to turn the dive. Instructor signaled with his light (I couldn't really see much of him, even though we were almost touching) if I was OK. I felt bad wimping out, but signaled to turn the dive. When we made it back to shore, he apologized for turning the dive. Seems that I'd misread his signal! I explained that it was a good dive when both buddies try to turn it at the same time!
Night before last, I was finishing up my Night Diver course after a weekend of lots of diving. The water was 50, but I was getting really darned cold. Viz was 3-6 feet and I got bored, tired, cold and wanted to turn the dive. Instructor signaled with his light (I couldn't really see much of him, even though we were almost touching) if I was OK. I felt bad wimping out, but signaled to turn the dive. When we made it back to shore, he apologized for turning the dive. Seems that I'd misread his signal! I explained that it was a good dive when both buddies try to turn it at the same time!
Buoyant1
Contributor
For OW class the instructor limited the dives to 30 minutes, and I usually had a few psi over 500 left (using 80's)
for my AOW class, I used my own tanks, (st119's) and ended up using the same cylinder for NAV and PPB, then used my second tank for the night dive....then the next day I used one for deep and I think I had enough for a short dive left, and could have used it for S&R, but just swapped out tanks anyway, and used that one for another dive the next Wednesday night.
for my AOW class, I used my own tanks, (st119's) and ended up using the same cylinder for NAV and PPB, then used my second tank for the night dive....then the next day I used one for deep and I think I had enough for a short dive left, and could have used it for S&R, but just swapped out tanks anyway, and used that one for another dive the next Wednesday night.
piikki
Contributor
Our OW dives were 20 minutes, 2 dives a day. Both days we used only one tank and at least I had plenty of air left after two dives, and none of the other students were the reason to call the dives.
On AOW we got a whupping 25 mins per dive except for night dive that was 50 minutes (partly because our buddy pair dragged the behind nice and slow). Again the dive-length was dictated by the instructor.
Not counting in a couple of dives that have been aborted due to conditions in the beginning stages, the cert dives are among the shortest dives I have ever made.
On AOW we got a whupping 25 mins per dive except for night dive that was 50 minutes (partly because our buddy pair dragged the behind nice and slow). Again the dive-length was dictated by the instructor.
Not counting in a couple of dives that have been aborted due to conditions in the beginning stages, the cert dives are among the shortest dives I have ever made.
My OW dives were all pretty short, ranging from 15 to 28 minutes.
I didn't feel short changed, though. Conditions were awful, 58 F water, 5ft. visibility, nothing to see anyway. Some of the less cold tolerant divers were more than ready to surface after 10 minutes.
Also, I saw my OW more like the road test for your driver's license. It wasn't about having fun, and you should have already learned what you needed beforehand. It was a test to make sure you were ready to go out and dive without direct supervision.
So I was more that happy to set up my gear, do my skills, and call it a day.
I didn't feel short changed, though. Conditions were awful, 58 F water, 5ft. visibility, nothing to see anyway. Some of the less cold tolerant divers were more than ready to surface after 10 minutes.
Also, I saw my OW more like the road test for your driver's license. It wasn't about having fun, and you should have already learned what you needed beforehand. It was a test to make sure you were ready to go out and dive without direct supervision.
So I was more that happy to set up my gear, do my skills, and call it a day.
- Messages
- 1,066
- Reaction score
- 1
When I certified in 78', our dives were at least :30. When I recertified in 04', :15 was about the max. It was March and temps were low 40's.
As an instructor, I try to stretch the dives as long as possible and encourage Winter students to do checkouts when conditions will allow for longer BT.
Last weekend, students logged :40 minute dives, for the most.
As an instructor, I try to stretch the dives as long as possible and encourage Winter students to do checkouts when conditions will allow for longer BT.
Last weekend, students logged :40 minute dives, for the most.
PvtStash
Contributor
I got certed last weekend... quarry diving... Instructor had me changing my tanks @ 1100 psi, and 1000 psi ...
I think thats being a lil' Overboard on the side of caution... I mean come on... we're diving 30-40 feet... no deco obligations... no entanglement/overhead situations... even in the event of a total OOA scenario all I would have to do is suface... now, I'm not saying its ok to breath it down that far even in those Extremely Safe conditions... but 1100 psi ? besides having to pay for 2 tanks and only use half the air, it just didnt make any sense, and I think, foments a lil' disdain for the overzealousness of the safety guru... 500-800 psi would have made alot more sense.
I think thats being a lil' Overboard on the side of caution... I mean come on... we're diving 30-40 feet... no deco obligations... no entanglement/overhead situations... even in the event of a total OOA scenario all I would have to do is suface... now, I'm not saying its ok to breath it down that far even in those Extremely Safe conditions... but 1100 psi ? besides having to pay for 2 tanks and only use half the air, it just didnt make any sense, and I think, foments a lil' disdain for the overzealousness of the safety guru... 500-800 psi would have made alot more sense.
- Messages
- 1,066
- Reaction score
- 1
I'm not clear on what you are posting here..... Are you saying he had you end the dive at 1100psi or are you saying you should have been allowed to use the tank @ 1100psi to start a training dive?
I have students bring four tanks for four dives. Some people finish a training dive with close to 2000psi, but they have to swap out tanks for the next dive as that is a required part of the training. I would never allow a student to begin a training dive with less than a 90% fill.
While I prefer students get as much BT on training dives as possible, BT is usually limited by the student with the highest SCR or the student with the least tolerance for cold. We could exit with one student @2100psi and another @ 800psi.
I have students bring four tanks for four dives. Some people finish a training dive with close to 2000psi, but they have to swap out tanks for the next dive as that is a required part of the training. I would never allow a student to begin a training dive with less than a 90% fill.
While I prefer students get as much BT on training dives as possible, BT is usually limited by the student with the highest SCR or the student with the least tolerance for cold. We could exit with one student @2100psi and another @ 800psi.
Similar threads
