How long should an OW certification course take?

[liuk3]

Looking into different OW programs. What length of program is recommended (i.e. how many days for lecture and pool work and open water is recommended)? I know that people may have different opinions, but I'm interested in hearing thoughts on this. For example, maybe someone can certify you in a day, but that probably isn't the best in terms of making sure that you know the required skills.

As an aside, I went to Tahiti and went diving with my new wife. I never got a chance to get certified over the past year with the wedding plans, but we would like to get certified this year.

 

[loosebits]

Longer the better. You can't find one day classes yet but two day classes are out there. I would recommend a private instructor (dive-shop independent) or a university program.

 

[Rainer]

Longer the better. You can't find one day classes yet but two day classes are out there. I would recommend a private instructor (dive-shop independent) or a university program.

Worth taking his advice:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=153194

 

[liuk3]

Thanks. I agree with the general gist that the longer the better. After all, more training is always better no matter what sport or endeavor. I recently found a place that said they do it in two weekends (4 days). I was wondering if this sounds too quick.

 

[drrich2]

How many days for lecture? Well, if you get the PADI open water book and DVD from your instructor, it's largely self-study, with (at least in my case) follow-up personal instruction to reinforce the high-points, then a 4 part quiz, and a final test. You could get the academics done in a day, I believe, if you prepare by advance study of the material for a few weeks beforehand.

The pool time & open water dives will depend in part on how readily you acquire & demonstrate proficiency in the skills. My buddy was quickly proficient. I discovered that as a chunky dude in a wet suit that weight belts slide off me like I'm a slick bowling pin, & having it too high so it stays on makes me pivot uncontrollably. So I had to secure a rather large BCD (which wasn't available locally off the rack) that was weight-integrated. So I was sort of 'special needs' equipment-wise & not good with intuitively acquiring motor skills, and it took me 6 open water dives instead of 4. By my buddy sliced through the open water dives like a natural born fish.

I'm OW certified & still pretty new, by the way. Not an intructor or anything.

Richard.

 

[liuk3]

How many days for lecture? Well, if you get the PADI open water book and DVD from your instructor, it's largely self-study, with (at least in my case) follow-up personal instruction to reinforce the high-points, then a 4 part quiz, and a final test. You could get the academics done in a day, I believe, if you prepare by advance study of the material for a few weeks beforehand.

The pool time & open water dives will depend in part on how readily you acquire & demonstrate proficiency in the skills. My buddy was quickly proficient. I discovered that as a chunky dude in a wet suit that weight belts slide off me like I'm a slick bowling pin, & having it too high so it stays on makes me pivot uncontrollably. So I had to secure a rather large BCD (which wasn't available locally off the rack) that was weight-integrated. So I was sort of 'special needs' equipment-wise & not good with intuitively acquiring motor skills, and it took me 6 open water dives instead of 4. By my buddy sliced through the open water dives like a natural born fish.

I'm OW certified & still pretty new, by the way. Not an intructor or anything.

Richard.

LOL! Thanks for the honesty and funny visual images. This course I found is a PADI certification and is largely home study as you say.

 

[spectrum]

From my experience and watching a few others I think the time between the activities is also important. Especially when you get to the pool work having a break of a few days or a week gives you time to visualize what you did in a prior session. Never forget that some folks will need time to work on adapting to the new experience.

Fatigue is also a real issue. Even in a reasonably heated pool you can only expect a group of students to remain fresh, receptive and safe for so long.

Our program met 1 night per week and between it and life in general that was just right for us.

If you are planning to a deadline allow plenty of cushion. Some students carry over to the next class to fine tune some pool work and weather can always delay local check-out dives.

Pete

 

[Walter]

The best classes are spread out over several weeks. Spectrum makes an excellent point about having time between activities, that allows transfer of information/skills from short term to long term memory. I wouldn't recommend a class that is completed in less than three weeks and that is rushing things, four to eight weeks is ideal.

 

[RJP]

I think the way mine was timed out worked well. Of course I did it "at home" versus "on vacation" so this wouldn't work if you wanted to do it at some resort.

It was over four weekends, and as mentioned above included self-study in preparation for the class and quizzes, and of course the final exam. Weeks 1-3 included approx 3hrs of classroom time on Saturday morning and then 3-4hrs in the afternoon for pool work.

Prior - Self study, watch video
Wk 1 - Knowledge review, lecture, quiz, tread and swim, intro to gear, donning, etc
Wk 2 - Knowledge review, lecture, quiz, confined water dives 1&2, and skin dive
Wk 3 - Knowledge review, lecture, quiz, final exam, confined water dives 3&4
Wk 4 - Sat - OW dives 1&2, Sun OW dives 3&4

This worked out very well for me, even though I took right to it and never had a problem with any of the skills. I think it gave me a chance to learn each one, get comfortable with it, incorporate it into my overall skill set, and then move on to the next one.

As mentioned above, I think having time in between was good. It sort of gave you time to think about and absorb what you learned so you could build on it the next weekend. In a weird way too it was helpful because it also gave you a chance to FORGET things, so that you had to come back to them and re-think them. Sort of see if what you learned "stuck" if you know what I mean.

I would not have wanted to do it any faster.

 

[TeddyDiver]

It's very personal matter how well one learns and adapts things during OW courses so there's no "one and only" right lenth for the course. Most important thing is to learn and to be comfortable with the skills, and therefore the possibility to have "extra" pooltime/dives with reasonable price/free is the thing to ask.
More important than the course itself is the possibility to dive frequently after the course with more experienced divers (meaning min 5 dives a month).