Does the instructor have to cover everything in the PADI confined water dives?

[leapfrog]

I would always recommend talking to your instructor before thinking about contacting PADI. I get the feeling that there is a lack of empathy with your instructor and that probably has a lot to do with the "pool cram session". OWD should go at a reasonable and steady pace.

 

[ScubabunnyCR]

As mentioned by Dive Doggie this should be an issue that you mention to your instructor and dive shop because it is a standards violation. All confined dives should be completed in order and all skills should be completed by each student. Skills should be completed in Confined water before being practised in Open Water. Take note that all of these skills will not be repeated in Open Water, only a few, for example some of the mask skills.

 

[scubapatton]

I would certainly touch base with the instructor and escalate only if unsatisfied with the responses. Any word on this? The original post was late April - and it sounded like the dives were that upcoming weekend... Also, was the class a semi-private? If there are only 2 divers, then it is feasible (although not recommended by me) to do all that work in one day. If you removed gear and it was a weight integrated BCD, then you completed the CW5 skills. If he was playing around with you and watching you in the water carefully, I suppose it is feasible that you completed the hover without explicitly being told to do so. Also, sometimes the sessions can go so fast that you do skills even explicitly without even realizing it. The instructor should have gone over (verbally) everything you did after you surfaced to make sure there were no questions, and also make sure they personally hit the skill hit list, but that is a case by case call.

I also would wonder about the no mask swim and a few of the others. The buddy breathing (alternating using the same regulator) is in fact the only "optional" skill. I also wonder how you exited the water. Was it always from the shallow end? And how did you enter the water? Was the gear always setup for you sitting in the pool? Pulling the weight and re-inserting is a quick easy skill. Not sure why some of these skills were "skipped".. again assuming you did not do it and just did not realize it... You would be surprised how easily you can get students to do skills without even realizing it.. not that that is a good thing - as seen by your post.. you feel cheated to some extent and therefore feel like maybe you did not get the full experience... I would (as noted earlier) recommend bringing up these concerns with your instructor directly... The instructor may have thought they covered it. Even a mediocre instructor will give you the time and day to at least explain.... I would think...

 

[m.hamner]

Well I've completed my OW certification with this instructor and we ended up doing all the drills. He waited until open water to complete some of them. For instance- full flood mask, removal, and replacement was done on dive 4.

Here's what I've concluded about the experience, but I have yet to act on it because I want to do it tactfully and gracefully and i'm still trying to decide how to do it. I need some input.

The man knows his stuff. He is a science and chemistry wiz and an ex almost seal who broke his foot during hell week. He's got the qualifications. He keeps an eye on you at all times.

However, I've never seen a man lack more emotional intelligence than this man. The instructor is about 60 years old and can't control his mouth, especially around the ladies. He still believes he can beat up anyone who challenges him and You can't tell the man anything about what you think because he thinks it's stupid. (Never mind he might end up saying the exact same thing you've said later on; because you said it, it doesn't count.)

At my pleading request, my wife came with me to start her open water dive 1 and decided against it after she realized this guy just lacked every social skill in the book. She felt very uncomfortable around him because of how rough his "put-on" demeanor was followed by his sudden flirtatiousness with my wife. He was defiantly one of two extremes.

I found out later that a lot of his female trainees end up getting referrals, something my wife is doing as well.

How should I proceed in this? You can't tell the man anything. He's complete unapproachable.

 

[grazie42]

The man knows his stuff. He is a science and chemistry wiz and an ex almost seal who broke his foot during hell week. He's got the qualifications. He keeps an eye on you at all times.

I´m sorry but I think the fact that he felt compelled to tell you this speaks of insecurity, IMO. That´s like you saying you´re an "ex almost rocket scientist" except you never got into MIT...

If both you and your wife have issues with his teaching, you should talk to the shopowner about it and explain that his attitude made you uncomfortable breaching the subject with your instructor (which is something of an indictment in and of itself) and see what the shop does about it...you are basically an unsatisfied customer and any shop that doesen´t try to comp you in some way doesen´t deserve your money, IMO...

 

[Boxcar Overkill]

You know, the type of guy you're describing is exactly the type of guy who, at 60 years of age, would go around telling people he was almost a SEAL. That's classic.

If I were you I would find an instructor on this board that's from your neck of the woods and send him a p.m., asking if he's ever heard of your almost SEAL. See what they think.

 

[knotical]

Congratulations on completing your certification under trying circumstances.

Mask removal and replacement in Open Water Dive 4 is appropriate. However, you should have previously done the 50-foot underwater swim without mask in confined water (pool), along with the dozen other skipped skills you identified in your first post. It would be interesting if you provided a similar accounting for the Open Water skills. Note that some of the confined water skills (such as the no mask swim) are not repeated in open water. Others (like compass skills) are added.

You could do this guy a favor by helping him understand that he is putting himself at liability risk by not properly following an accepted training protocol. Whether this means reporting him to PADI, or using some other means must be your call.

From your more recent post, it sounds like he is anything but a professional. At a minimum, I’d give him no more of my business.

 

[leapfrog]

This "ex almost SEAL" who broke his foot during Hell Week sounds like fun. Just ask him what BUD/S Class he was in. You could also ask him about his basic rating training before BUD/S and what he did after breaking his foot.....

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

So congratulations anyway. You know, just like with anything else, there are always places and people that are not right for you. This guy definitely was not. And you must look at him and if he is a true reflection of the shop. If he is teaching like this, does the shop not realize it, or do they know and let it slide... Either case needs to be addressed.
And lastly, you are in a great place for diving. Shop around and find the right dive shop and group for for you and your wife. There will be that place that is the perfect fit and feels like home. Safe and right. Keep looking and keep diving. It is one of the truly great things in this world.