I'd have taken GUE fundies before going pro.
Does RAID have an equivalent to GUE's Fundies? If not, maybe their DM course is the closest thing, and that's what the OP's favorite dive center offers.
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I'd have taken GUE fundies before going pro.
Oh, if he's going with RAID, as opposed to any other WRSTC member, I think he'll be in good hands. Given that RAID has objective standards, and every single video I've seen of RAID instructors has been solid, I'm going to assume he's going to be taught to perform at the fundies rec level, if he isn't already there.Does RAID have an equivalent to GUE's Fundies? If not, maybe their DM course is the closest thing, and that's what the OP's favorite dive center offers.
I didn't want to turn this into an agency discussion much, but the direct answer is no, RAID doesn't have a fundies type of course.Does RAID have an equivalent to GUE's Fundies? If not, maybe their DM course is the closest thing, and that's what the OP's favorite dive center offers.
I didn't want to turn this into an agency discussion much, but the direct answer is no, RAID doesn't have a fundies type of course.
I'd have taken GUE fundies before going pro.
The DM course is much less about diving as it is about how to make money, how to deal with people, etc. It's not designed to make you a better diver.
This is super disappointing to read. I thought RAID would require instructors to teach trim and buoyancy throughs the course. There is no reason students should ever be placed in the knees. It slows learning.I completed my Open Water with RAID and was taught some things resting on my knees in the pool. If I think back to the Open Water dives on the course, i.e. where the theory was put into practice, the drills weren’t conducted with knees or feet on the bottom/silt, however they weren’t conducted in trim either. Buoyancy control was mentioned as important, as it was when I did Perfect Buoyancy with SSI, but I really didn’t comprehend the importance that GUE put on it, until doing Fundies. The RAID online you tube videos on buoyancy are of high quality, but that level of skill wasn’t required to pass open water, nor probably should it be, in my opinion, most beginners don't have 10 weeks to practise hovering. I have watched the documentary on GUE.tv about the GUE rec 1 course, the divers are alot better than I was when finishing RAID OW, but they practised a lot longer too, in my opinion.
This is super disappointing to read.
Oh absolutely agreed. A ways back I asked on the instructor to instructor forum about fun ways to have buoyancy skills and use some of the ideas I received. But again, I have found great success, even with difficult student, to never place them on the knees. There are the skin diving exercises first to build confidence and make accomplishments. There are a number of things that can be done at the surface. Then weight them gradually so they slowly start to sink (just takes a couple minutes).We are all kids at heart if you make things too difficult, kids can get dis-heartened and give up. If you make it fun so that they feel like they are learning something or accomplishing something new, more people are likely to continue.