Have you ever had to doff and don your rig while diving?

[MaxBottomtime]

I actually did the hand goggles thing once several years after learning it in class. My mask was kicked off in bad vis and I couldn't find it so a skill that I learned long ago kicked in. I was able to see well enough to find my mask a few feet away. Some things you never forget.

 

[taimen]

I can't see how anyone can say any skill taught in a scuba class is worthless or useless any and all knowledge is a good thing whether it is ever used or not.

I don't think anyone said that. The question was about which skills are the most important ones to teach early on during the basic open water training. All knowledge is good, but a diver with very limited experience and a vast array of tricks that are seldom needed won't be a good problem solver.

 

[CuzzA]

That would be moving the goal post.

 

[Compressor]

Yes many times. None of them for emergencies. Mostly for gear that did not feel right. I love being underwater.

 

[JVos]

@Sam Miller III

At that time( about ten years ago), I was cave and mix trained thru IANTD in 2000. Previous training was padi,naui,ymca in the 80's. That was the only time I had to d & d and it was in a pool.

I dive a rebreather now (since 2007) so the entrapment, running out of gas isn't my big concern.

 

[Bogtrotter]

We went through D&D on the surface for my OW but I don't recall practicing underwater. It's possible it was demonstrated but I don't recall- this was with NAUI 18yrs ago. An underwater D&D also wasn't practiced in my PADI Rescue. I guess the prevailing wisdom in early training courses is that if you dive with a buddy why would you ever need to take off your gear..? Seems to me it should be taught at least in AOW as a last resort technique- we all know how reliable many buddies are in the real world.

Surely it is taught for Solo diving?

 

[Blasto]

I can't see how anyone can say any skill taught in a scuba class is worthless or useless any and all knowledge is a good thing whether it is ever used or not.

I can. A skill is a sequence of actions you've committed to 'muscle memory' and, preferably, have formed a mental trigger for when to perform it.

Some skills are outright counterproductive. Kneeling on the bottom, Buddha hovers, lots of other bad practices (not to get into agency-bashing). If you don't ever use them, they just clutter up your memory. If you do, they reduce the quality of your diving.

Fortunately, most commonly-taught scuba skills are useful, but only most, not all.

Speaking of equipment don/doff, learning to be comfortable underwater in your gear, out of it, and in transition can considerably reduce the stress of diving.

 

[taimen]

That would be moving the goal post.

I don't think so. This started from using weightbelts or not. The argument was that using weightbelt is essential, because of underwater D&D. I questioned this within the realms of todays recreational ow training.

I guess the ideal open water course would be targeted to carefully selected extremely fit and mentally prepared individuals and lasts 7 weeks. The course itself concentrates on dive physics, underwater skills and actual diving. Also, basic dive medicine and medical skills training is provided. Successful candidates demonstrate a high level of comfort in the water and the ability to perform in stressful and often uncomfortable environments. Candidates who are not completely comfortable in the water often struggle to succeed.
The most notorious of these courses is held in Coronado, CA...

 

[TMHeimer]

Deep Sea Supply has a Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper at a fraction of the cost and it works well. However, I have never had a tank slip when there have been two tank cam bands. In addition, you get a lot of stability with that as well.

Yes, I have heard that about having two tank bands. I'll not forget the feeling on my very first dive after OW when the tank slipped. What the Hell is following me..............

 

[boulderjohn]

An underwater D&D also wasn't practiced in my PADI Rescue.

It is not part of the PADI Rescue class.

The argument was that using weightbelt is essential, because of underwater D&D.

As I said, I have done this under water a number of times--never while wearing a weight belt. Glad to learn here that it is essential--otherwise I would never have known.