Dry suit dive traing?

[Northeastwrecks]

I'm NOT advocating the "teach yourself" school of thought. You should seek advice from a pro or from an experienced diver. Regardless of who you pick, make sure that they can teach.

There is a course in long hose use. Its called DIR-F. LOL

 

[quimby]

BTW, quimby, the statement that "dry suit courses are a relatively new "idea/requirement" is not valid. Just ask divers from non-tropical areas

Yeah tropical New Jersey, you know palm trees, mud hole, Hudson Canyon and all that stuff and yeah it is a relatively new idea, if you have been diving for a while.

And only card carrying instructors know how to and should teach, well that opens another ball of wax and we really dont want to go there.

 

[boomx5]

I did a drysuit orientation for an hour in the pool before my first legitimate drysuit dive. It was a little bit helpful but I'm glad I didn't pay for the c-card. The most helpful thing in learning to dive dry is just get out and do it. Of course, I would recommend some time shallow in the pool first but work with someone who knows what they're doing.

By the way, I've had PADI instructors tell me they thought very little of the PADI drysuit specialty course.

 

[OneBrightGator]

So by spending one hour in the pool, you can tell a drysuit course isn't worthwhile? Makes sense to me. A course is what you make of it (as an instructor and as a student), I'm sure divers don't think highly of the drysuit classes those instructors who you spoke to conduct.

Drysuit classes can be helpful, don't immediately write them off.

Ben

 

[Genesis]

My advice:

Ask the prospective instructor if he intends to teach you to use the suit as a BC.

If the answer is "yes", walk out the door.

For me, I got all "yes"es from the local instructors, so I taught myself.

I also have a pool out my back door in which I could work with for a while and get comfortable. You DO need to learn how to do a few things, one of which (flaring out!) should have been but probably wasn't covered in your OW class.

The other stuff is pretty simple, but drysuits can be dangerous if misused, so either find someone who can help you, get lots of practice on your own in a pool, or take a class from someone who will teach you to use the suit for what its intended to do rather than trying to baztardize it into a ersatz BC (which just makes the suit MORE dangerous!)

 

[DEEPLOU]

What you experienced was garbage. Let us know where you are from and I'm sure someone here can recommend a shop that won't give you the run around.

Whether to take the class or simply dive with experienced buddies is up to you. Someone who regularly teaches the course may be able to present the material more clearly and may include some things that you won't get from a non-instructor. However, that depends on the instructor and the experienced diver.

Agree your experience was bogus.

I was a bad boy didn't take a class. However, was mentored by long time dry suit divers (buddies). Took it slow, in pool, in shallow water etc. Also some of my mentors (buddies) happened to be instructors also.

With or without a course, the only way you are really going to truly learn do dive w/dry suit is to do it.

 

[boomx5]

So by spending one hour in the pool, you can tell a drysuit course isn't worthwhile?

I've seen the course materials, and I've talked to other PADI instructors who say the course is not really worth it.

 

[OneBrightGator]

As for other classes, it's the instructor that makes the course, not the agency. If a203diver finds a good instructor who will teach him what he wants he will get more out of it than learning from a buddy, he might not need a drysuit class, but he should definitely look into it.

Ben

 

[Genesis]

If the agencies wanted it to be worth it, they could correct that.

They haven't and that's all 'ya need to know.

 

[boomx5]

As for other classes, it's the instructor that makes the course, not the agency. If a203diver finds a good instructor who will teach him what he wants he will get more out of it than learning from a buddy, he might not need a drysuit class, but he should definitely look into it.

Ben

I was just talking from my experience, but if a203diver feels he needs formal instruction, I'd say go for it.