Dry suit specialty course

[mtroadking]

I am new to diving and am up to 15 dives. Recently, I signed up for a dry suit specialty course though one of our local dive shops and am very unhappy with the lack of training that has been provided. Thus far I read the book, took test and went on a dive trip which was supposed to consist of two training dives. Sad thing is the instructor hooked me up with a dive buddy using a wet suit and did not give me five minutes of his time. Lucky for me I am a very quick study and understood the theory very well. I did practice many of the items covered in the book and even made a controlled ascent from 30 feet. I went into the LDS and complained to owner, who also happens to be the instructor, about the lack of training and was told that there is not much training involved. The owners employee has offered to spend an hour or two with me but thus far both dates have been cancelled. Can someone give me more of a run down on what type of drills and or training a dry suit specialty course should consist of?

Thanks

 

[cummings66]

What book do you have?

What you should need to know will be in the book, but for all intents and purposes you need to know how to get out of situations such as a stuck inflator, feet first, can't vent air from the exhaust, buoyancy control, etc.

Basically the drills are you induce the problem and then solve them as fast as you can, especially the ones like stuck inflator and feet first ascents.

IMO you've been ripped by this LDS, especially if you paid for the course. What they've done is kind of sad, yet not totally unexpected. Sure a drysuit isn't complex once you understand it, but it's not a jump in and go for it thing either. You should know how to get in and out of it, clean and maintain it, things of that nature. A lot of that stuff is covered in courses.

Good luck and you might check the exposure suits forum, lots of drysuit talk over there as well.

 

[ppo2_diver]

If this was a PADI course, your first dry suit experience must be in pool like conditions (i.e. visibility and depth). If the instructor did not do this, then it is a standards violation that could have lead to someone getting hurt.

I agree with Matthew, you need to experience those situations in a controlled environment before getting certified.

 

[mtroadking]

The course was through SSI. Even though I am PADI certified, I signed up for the course through SSI because it was the SSI dealer who inspected and assisted me in the purchase of the dry suit. I have contemplated filing a complaint with SSI but did not want to be unreasonable. On the otherhand, it scares me to think they would turn people lose without giving them the proper training.

Thanks

 

[SNorman]

I did most of the skills mentioned above in the PADI class, however we didn't go over a stuck inflator. Would you remove the hose, like you would for a stuck BCD inflator?

 

[ppo2_diver]

That would be the correct method.