First PADI Recreational Backmount Doubles Certification Issued

[wetb4igetinthewater]

This was my first set-up (which I still possess), fresh out of the "Y" -- a Cyklon 300, attached to an Aqua-Sport - Poseidon double manifold, with the old "Start / Dive" and "Reserve / Fill" settings -- fully a year or two before I ever had the chance to use a single cylinder.

As a teenager, they first gave me a couple of 72s, attached to a rigid backplate that would have made Torquemada blush.

That this is now, somehow, a PADI specialty class, oddly reminds me of just how few are now capable of operating a manual transmission . . .

I think the capabilities of the average diver from decades ago is different than that today.

 

[p_kos]

This was my first set-up (which I still possess), fresh out of the "Y" -- a Cyklon 300, attached to an Aqua-Sport - Poseidon double manifold, with the old "Start / Dive" and "Reserve / Fill" settings -- fully a year or two before I ever had the chance to use a single cylinder.

As a teenager, they first gave me a couple of 72s, attached to a rigid backplate that would have made Torquemada blush.

That this is now, somehow, a PADI specialty class, oddly reminds me of just how few are now capable of operating a manual transmission . . .

Beautiful setup!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Ooh, semantics.

Quacks like specialty course to me.

There are standard specialties and distinctive specialties. It is pretty rare for me to agree with Mel (he is not wrong all the time like a broken clock) and no one will ever accuse me of being a PADI fanboi, but if we are going to criticize PADI for allowing this specialty (don't care if distinctive or standard) to exist, shouldn't we also criticize GUE for having a doubles primer?

The quality of training that people receive varies dramatically from incredibly poor to incredibly good. Sometimes these remedial specialties/primers are useful for some people. They may not be useful to everyone, and that's fine.

it's just that mouth-breathing is all-too well represented and tolerated in today's society -- regardless of one's vocation or avocation . . .

That's very true, but I have no practical solution for the dive industry, as most of my ideas would disrupt revenue streams for many training agencies, so those will never happen.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

To be completely fair..... A broken clock is not wrong all the time. It's right twice a day!

 

[Bigbella]

[N]o one will ever accuse me of being a PADI fanboi, but if we are going to criticize PADI for allowing this specialty (don't care if distinctive or standard) to exist, shouldn't we also criticize GUE for having a doubles primer?

It has nothing whatsoever to do with PADI, per se. I'd feel the same way about NAUI (all of my college courses); SSI; or the late-lamented YMCA, where I first began -- and I'm none too damn fond of GUE nowadays, since they don't allow for upstream regulators (and we just gave my niece a nice set of Poseidon XStreams for Christmas), prior to her coursework, who's now headed to NAUI instead, who doesn't give a rat's ass what you use.

When I began, doubles -- independent or otherwise -- were still the most common arrangement, though, honestly, on their way out; and it seemed particularly odd to go with just a single cylinder, some years later -- but I didn't need a f**king course, to tell me that . . .

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

To be completely fair..... A broken clock is not wrong all the time. It's right twice a day!

that's what I meant. I see how it isn't clear, edited.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with PADI, per se. I'd feel the same way about NAUI (all of my college courses); SSI; or the late-lamented YMCA, where I began -- and I'm none too damn fond of GUE, since they don't allow for upstream regulators (and we just gave my niece a nice set of Poseidon XStreams for Christmas), prior to her coursework, who's now headed to NAUI instead, who doesn't give a rat's ass what you use.

When I began, doubles -- independent or otherwise -- were the still most common arrangement, though, honestly, on their way out; and it seemed particularly odd to go with just a single cylinder, some years later -- but I didn't need a f**king course, to tell me that . . .

I hear you. It is more about the general state of modern training. Got it. Imagine if you will if we still didn't have SPGs but j-valves. Imagine how many people would drown each year from not being able to do a CESA? It was a commonly used skill I gather if the valve accidentally got knocked open during the course of a dive.

There's only a small subset of divers of today who compare to those who started diving decades ago.

I think that trend will unfortunately continue until the number of people who get certified really drops, and then retention becomes a higher priority.

 

[AfterDark]

This was my first set-up (which I still possess), fresh out of the "Y" -- a Cyklon 300, attached to an Aqua-Sport - Poseidon double manifold, with the old "Start / Dive" and "Reserve / Fill" settings -- fully a year or two before I ever had the chance to use a single cylinder.

As a teenager, they first gave me a couple of 72s, attached to a rigid backplate that would have made Torquemada blush.

That this is now, somehow, a PADI specialty class, oddly reminds me of just how few are now capable of operating a manual transmission . . .

Diving doubles isn't even as difficult as a manual transmission, it doesn't take anywhere near the timing and coordination as shifting does.

 

[jstreetley]

I'm still curious as to what the different between this class and PADI Twinset Diver that is offered pretty extensively in the UK.
PADI Twinset Diver Course - Book Today. 1 Day Course
PADI Twinset Diver
PADI Twinset Speciality

Seems odd that PADI would approve a course that sounds very similar just with a different name.
I looked at these type of courses as I definitely see the market and am part of the market for it, but I'm off to test the water with GUE with a doubles primer.

edit to fix link

 

[Wibble]

I'm still curious as to what the different between this class and PADI Twinset Diver that is offered pretty extensively in the UK.
PADI Twinset Diver Course - Book Today. 1 Day Course
https://www.poolediving.uk/en/padi-twinset-diver
PADI Twinset Speciality

Seems odd that PADI would approve a course that sounds very similar just with a different name.
I looked at these type of courses as I definitely see the market and am part of the market for it, but I'm off to test the water with GUE with a doubles primer.

The second two point to the same endpoint, diverutland.com (which looks like a good course covering shutdowns and switches)

The first one is a classic PADI page: blah blah blah but no actual content like what's covered; photos with stages; etc. PADI marketing pages are generally awful -- that is PADI bashing and they thoroughly deserve it.

BTW I cannot find the Twinset/Doubles speciality course on the PADI website.

 

[jstreetley]

The second two point to the same endpoint, diverutland.com (which looks like a good course covering shutdowns and switches)

The first one is a classic PADI page: blah blah blah but no actual content like what's covered; photos with stages; etc. PADI marketing pages are generally awful -- that is PADI bashing and they thoroughly deserve it.

BTW I cannot find the Twinset/Doubles speciality course on the PADI website.

oops, sorry, not paying attention when I added the links. I just fixed the Poole Diving one. I just took the top 3 from Google, it's available in way more places. I think it's not a PADI authored speciality, but a distinctive like OP's course, but one that has spread across the UK at least.