Diver wannabe can't swim

[costi]

Ok, I know it sounds a bit odd, but a lifelong friend of mine just posed a question to me that I honestly didn't know the answer to. He has had a lifelong passion for the water. As kids, he would always jump off the docks, spend a little time underwater and return to the float. Around the pool he dives in and glides to the opposite side rather than hanging in the middle. It never dawned on me until later in life that I never witnessed him swimming on top of the water. He has always been very athletic. He also claims that while in colllege he took a class in hopes to learn to swim. His attempts failed and says that there is something in his body makeup that won't allow him to float. I don't know of the validity of the statement but it is what he has claimed for years.
Anyway, the other night we were discussing what's new in our life and of course diving came up for me having just been certified in April. He state how he had always wanted to pursue diving but he didn't think that his "handicap so to speak" would allow him to get certified. After thinking about it for a couple of thoughts came to mind. 1. a 7mm wetsuit is extremely buoyant, 2. one wears a bc or other.
I realize that in a warmer climate a lighter or no suit may be substituted for the 7 mil, but one will still have the bc assuming that the bc is functioning.
My question is this: Are or can provisions be made for a nonswimmer to safely dive ?
Sorry for the length of the post......bob

 

[The Chairman]

You don't have to "float" in order to swim. I would suggest that he try learning again. No need to be out in the water without being able to swim a bit.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Most organizations that I'm aware of require a basic ability to swim, float, tread water etc. unless there is a physical disability that prevents one from doing so. As you know most people can stay afloat at the surface if swimmimg with fins. inertia helps this. the tread water or survival float is another matter. check with instructors in your area to be sure.And you actually posed a question that would support this. what happens if the bc is not functioning and the exposure protection being used provides no buoyancy? Provisions can be made for non swimmers with physical disabilities(see matthewonderboy). I believe simply not knowing how to swim is another matter but again check with instructors in your area.

 

[Mantasscareme]

Personally, I'd be a bit reluctant scuba diving before I learn to at least tread water comfortably. On one occassion, I used up all of my air (I know I should have surfaced at 500psi, I miscalculated) and had to do a long surface swim without enough air to fill my BC. I agree with NetDoc, tell your friend to try to learn to swim again.

 

[doole]

Not really - he'll have to pass a swim/tread test before anybody real will give him a card. I've had one or two very heavily muscled people have trouble with this because of their dense body mass, but as a rule they're in such good condition that they find a way to just sort of hack their way through it.

If he's really serious, it would be best to go ahead and spend a couple of months learning how to swim, however. No reason to fail at it, with the right instructor.

 

[verybaddiver]

"and had to do a long surface swim without enough air to fill my BC"

can't you just of used the oral inflator?

 

[String]

I used up all of my air (I know I should have surfaced at 500psi, I miscalculated) and had to do a long surface swim without enough air to fill my BC.

... which is why every basic course teaches oral inflation of a BC and why all BCs (included the dreaded HUB!) have a method of doing so.

 

[jeckyll]

"and had to do a long surface swim without enough air to fill my BC"

can't you just of used the oral inflator?

I was thinking that too ... Seems to me that establishing buoyancy at the surface (orally or other wise) was a skill that you had to complete to get a c card

 

[radinator]

When I got certified 10 years ago the hardest part for me was the treading water for 10 minutes. I was literally going down for the third time when that 10 minutes ran out, so I barely made it.

I'm a sinker. When I first told my GF while we were in the pool she didn't believe me. She said "Just do this." and held her breath and stopped paddling. I did the same thing - and promptly spent the next 30 seconds walking along the bottom of the pool, after which I looked up at her and shrugged.

I was terrible at distance swims because I had no endurance. I was spending 90% of my energy just staying at the surface, so I ran out of energy quickly and could never make any distance.

None of this (except the initial swim test) got in the way of my scuba diving. Once I had a wetsuit I could stay on the surface with no effort.

Lately I spent a lot of time in the pool working on breath-holding skills and swimming endurance. I have gotten to the point where I can float. For a while. If I have to. But to do so I must inhale and inflate my lungs to the point where it is painful and I have to concentrate on not coughing. Then I can float for a bit. It is not relaxing or comfortable, and I really don't like doing it.

I'm much more comfortable just popping up to the surface, taking a breath, and then relaxing until about 30 seconds later I need another breath. I seem to hover just under the surface if I stay relaxed with a deep breath, so it's not all bad. But I still feel like a sinker...

 

[m3830431]

) and had to do a long surface swim without enough air to fill my BC. .

What no oral inflate?

If he has an obnormality with his body that does not allow him to float he still should be able to rise to the surface and swim with more energy than would be required by someone else.

If he shows ability and a doctors explaination I do not see why he would not be able to take a class and at least demonstrate the skills if not for the required time.

As for diving it would be a bonus because less weight would be required to go down