Does this sound right?

[otisbirdsong]

Alot of good information that you all gave me....

I really do appreciate it....it's a whole new world and I'm interested in learning about it but am still very green!


todd

 

[Fly N Dive]

your welcome, have fun, be safe, and make bubbles!!!!!!

 

[metridium]

The shop where I took OW rented us all the gear: mask, fins, snorkel, booties, everything. It was a great way to try out different models and brands of gear with no chance of "buyer's remorse".

 

[scubawife]

I was required to buy mask, snorkel, fins (and booties) and a wetsuit for my OW classes. The shop supplied the BC, reg, tanks and weights. Even in the pool the wetsuit will make a difference for weight. It makes sense to learn with the gear you plan to dive with, and, if you're getting certified you'll probably be being this stuff soon anyway. As for the wetsuit, don't kid yourself, even 80 degree water gets cold when you're in it for a couple hours straight. As for buying from the LDS or shopping online, I went with the LDS because I knew nothing about fit or brands. The shop also had a policy that if you decided during the training that scuba wasn't for you, they'd take your stuff back and refund you 90% of the cost.

 

[gzscuba]

norcaldiver once bubbled...

Some of you said or made it sound like you did the pool without a wetsuit, then rented the suit when you did you check out dives. Why weren't you in the pool with the exact same equip you would be doing you OW dives in? Seems to me that doing the pool in swimming trunks, then going to the lake with a 2 piece 7mm suit would just be a big pain for bouyancy.

Well, my confined water dives were in a pool ~80 F. My checkout dives were in a ~50F lake in May. If we had worn full exposure protection during the pool dives we would have probably overheated badly. Those suits are also rather constricting, so I think it was good to first learn the skills when you've got a better range of motion. Since we're in WIsconsin, and the lakes are pretty chilly, I doubt that it makes financial sense for the LDS to have loaner 3 mm suits for just pool sessions.

 

[norcaldiver]

I understand that logic and appearantly everything worked out for you. A couple of things tho.

I'll use mask clearing. You learn to remove, replace and clear you mask in the pool, that's great, but I'd rather have the students learn to do it with hood and gloves on because that's how they'll do it in the ocean/lake. I'd don't want the students getting all frustrated or panicy and bolting because the 1st time they did it with hood and gloves and they can't get the seal is in the ocean.

With bouyancy. You get weighted in the pool with no suit, then go to OW with 14 mm. Yeah, you can guess-timate, but it's just easier to have that stuff figured out before hand. I mean, here the student use the full suit in the pool and we have to adjust when we go to the ocean because now it's salt water....add 3 or 4 lbs. We still end up with student that have gernades hangin all over their bc.

With me, it's kind of a "be prepared" thing....like when people show up for the 1st pool session..."oh, I need to rent my reg and get tanks still"....Dude! you've had all weekend, the Instr said on thursday in class to get your stuff BEFORE you show up at the pool on tuesday.

I also wear a 2pc in the pool, 78 degrees. I have never been too warm. I do vent the collar to let water in from time to time tho.

Hey, whatever works for ya, tho, right?

 

[another mike]

Just an idea but if and when you're planning to buy a wetsuit for cold water; spend the extra $100 or so for a custom fit and zippers on the ankles. Price Club type stores typically stock cheap shorties if you think you'll be cold in the pool......


good luck!

 

[CuriousMe]

Hello,

I dive in the Caribbean and Mexico most of the time, for a two tank dive, I only wear a wetsuit if it's below78 - 79 degrees.....I'm not chilled at all by the second dive....oh, and if I wear a suit...it's a full 3/2 mil...basically because it's the only one I own

But you need to know yourself, are you someone who gets cold easily?

Peace,
Cathie

 

[gzscuba]

Hi Norcal,

I can certainly understand where you're coming from, in terms of wanting to make things in the pool similar to the OW experience. OTOH, as has been pointed out countless times on the basic scuba forum, a lot of the skills are performed when you're negatively buoyant. Not really representative of the whole stay-neutral-and-keep-off-the-reef diving that your supposed to be doing. I'm pretty sure that I was finning to keep myself up at the end of my last cert dive (I've got a feeling a lot of new divers do).

It took me about 5 or 6 dives in a weed bed at a local lake (~20-25 ft deep) before I started to get the hang of buoyancy control so that I wasn't dredging the bottom or shooting to the surface every time I needed to add or vent air from by BC. Once I had that mostly working, I tried to mask-clear while neutrally buoyant. It worked, but I found myself almost at the surface (good thing I was only a few feet under at the time).
I guess the moral of the story is that there are a lot of "gotcha's" associated with learning to dive. In order to truly get a diver through all of these little problems, a LOT more pool and OW time would be required.

 

[MaresMan1]

Good point gzScuba. Can't tell you how many times I have seen divers either over or under weighted, trying to figure out bouyancy. Not easy to do and some never get it (don't dive enough).

Norcal has a point too. You must be familiar with the equipment you are using and the wetsuit/drysuit is another piece of that equipment. Problem is that this can be a little overwhelming for a new diver.

This is why I stated that rental might be the best thing as it allows the newbie to experience the whole package at a minimal cost. But as Norcal said, it's important to start this from the very first pool session. You learn what you like/don't like and get a little experience. With that done, you are better prepared to make purchasing decisions.

By the way gzscuba (not picking on you) but if you tried mask clearing and found yourself at the surface, you were positively bouyant. It's all a matter of proper weighting and breath control. If you were breathing out to clear you mask, you should not have been rising. You probably took a big breath to clear your mask, this started your ascent. Then the air in your BC started to expand continuing the problem.

If you are properly weighted, you do not need much air (if any) in your BC. This is part of the great learning experience with diving.

Enjoy the ride
:mean: