How frequently do you practice basic skills?

[Otter]

There are lots of complaints about how the industry churns out lousy divers. One proposition is that the agency/instructor is doing a poor job. Another proposition is that divers, after they have received their c-card, hardly ever practice the important skills they were taught and hopefully mastered in the O/W Class.

I am not talking about clearing a mask, but things you need to know in a urgent situation like...Alternate Air Source Ascent, Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent, Buddy Breathing Ascent, no mask swim, regulator recovery. You did them in class, have you ever done them since?

How often do you do a full buddy check before entering the water? Do you consciously examine your buddy's configuration to make sure you know where their alternate air source is and how to dump their weights?

Hogarthian / DIR / Technical Divers need not respond - I know that this is inclucated into your fundies / advanced training. This question is to the majority of Scuba Divers with Open Water/Advanced / Rescue Diver training.

 

[mrobinson]

Guilty!!

I didn't practice any of my training until I started moving on.. (My bad!)

I'd love to use this thread as an opportunity to remind divers to practice their own skills &/or just fool around in a pool with a buddy.. War is a fun game underwater!

 

[Rick Inman]

In the winter, not too often (in 36F water, we just try to get in and get out), although some of us are doing a pool practice for fun next week. In the summer, I do a skill practice every dive I can. Tony and I like to surprise each other with OOA drills at the the most awkward times.
During a recent rescue class I took, the other student and I had to do an OOA drill and the other guy was clueless. He has been certified since 1976. :11:

 

[chode]

Hi
We practice a skill on every safety stop. What better way to pass the time. We got in the habit after our ow classes and have always practiced something whenever we dive. BWRAF before every dive.

DSDO

 

[MSilvia]

Hi
We practice a skill on every safety stop. What better way to pass the time.

Kudos for being able to maintain a stop depth while practicing skills!

 

[divegirl]

Prior to becoming DM's my husband and I would go to Dutch Springs in the beginning of the season and practice some skills. Since becoming DM's we get practice everytime we are in the pool with students as well as the monthly open water check outs. Becoming a DM has made me a better diver.

 

[JamieFT]

I'm sadly very guilty of this, I haven't dived AT ALL ( :11: ) since I passed my OW in August and I've been meaning to do a pool session every week of a club I joined recently but do to problems with my membership I haven't been able to. So next week I'm taking a tune-up course so I can finally start diving regulary!

 

[Buoyant1]

I'm a newbie, so I'm still pretty cognizant of and not far removed from my skills...but when I was testing out my new gear, I did some skills to make sure I could do them without any problems, and to do them WITH the new gear to know how that's going to work. I was surprised how easy it was doffing and donning the BC at depth with the weight integration, I also practiced donning and doffing at the surface each time I messed with my weight configuration, as well as the oral inflator drills.

My DM also had me remove and replace my mask while hovering to see how my buoyancy was, kind of an interesting "trick"...

Since my in-laws have a pool, I also plan on wasting a tank or two during the summer to practice things in a controlled environment!

I think the best preparation for my OW was working on what I could with just my mask, snorkel and fins in that pool every time I had the chance last summer...I was someone that couldn't/wouldn't go under water without either a mask or keeping my eyes shut tight and my nose pinched...no more!

Practicing until it's a no brainer is a start, then working on it some more!

 

[String]

Some skills require more planning than others, for example practicing a buoyany lift with AV every dive isnt practical.

Mask clearing/removal i tend to do most dives although full removal isnt pleasant in water temps this time of year. Alternate air source, every few dives, sometimes planned, sometimes not. One thing i probably am guilty of here is the CPR/AV stuff - a refresher once a year but that really isnt enough.

 

[simbrooks]

Pretty thorough buddy check, s-drill before cave dives, valve drill on stop on the way out, on a regular rec dive not so much, but beyond the odd mask clear or no mask swim, not much i work on. Could do better.