geogator
Contributor
Here's a question for the group:
When I took my AOW training (via PADI), 2 of my 5 specialties were boat diver & drift diver. However, in the PADI curriculum for both of these specialties there apparently is not instruction included in the proper deployment of a SMB, particularly at depth & using a spool. Since this is a valuable skill to know when diving in the ocean (from a boat or drift diving), I'm curious to know if any instructors teach this as part of their training, or how many divers have been taught this skill in conjunction with either of these specialties?
Although there are numerous youtube videos out there which show how to/not to do this skill (some are quite entertaining), it does take some instruction & practice to be able to do this without either damaging/destroying your equipment or possibly injuring either another diver or yourself. As such, I'm going to be getting some formal hands-on instruction in this skill very soon with an instructor, but am curious as to how/when the folks that can do this skill were taught. It would also be interesting (or scary, actually) to know what percentage of people who dive in the ocean (say from a charter) & carry a SMB/spool (which is required by many boats), actually know how to use it, correctly, if they had to.
When I took my AOW training (via PADI), 2 of my 5 specialties were boat diver & drift diver. However, in the PADI curriculum for both of these specialties there apparently is not instruction included in the proper deployment of a SMB, particularly at depth & using a spool. Since this is a valuable skill to know when diving in the ocean (from a boat or drift diving), I'm curious to know if any instructors teach this as part of their training, or how many divers have been taught this skill in conjunction with either of these specialties?
Although there are numerous youtube videos out there which show how to/not to do this skill (some are quite entertaining), it does take some instruction & practice to be able to do this without either damaging/destroying your equipment or possibly injuring either another diver or yourself. As such, I'm going to be getting some formal hands-on instruction in this skill very soon with an instructor, but am curious as to how/when the folks that can do this skill were taught. It would also be interesting (or scary, actually) to know what percentage of people who dive in the ocean (say from a charter) & carry a SMB/spool (which is required by many boats), actually know how to use it, correctly, if they had to.