How long should the ow cert take?

[bigtim6656]

I have a question.
HOw long should a ow cert course take. I plan to get mine in march.
I thought about doing the class room stuff and pool dives localy. The local dive shop does it two ways. 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day 6 days one day a week. Or friday saturday sunday 4 hours a day. Some people have told me that is to quick of a class to slow it down. both ways you do the book at home and do a review at the shop

Just how many hours and days should the class run.
Now the shop i plan to do my check outs in florida they do it all in 4 or 5 days. 2 1/2day pool dives 1 1/2day review and 2 1/2day owdives. with you reading the books at home then doing the review at the shop
Are these classes to fast.

 

[Damselfish]

Unless you have serious time constraints or scheduling problems, go with a longer/more spread out class. Even if the actual class time is the same, it gives you time between to digest the material and possibly more practice setting up and breaking down things. For most people that is better. Even if you happen to be one of the people that picks it all up quickly and has no problems - which you likely won't know until after you''ve done it - longer will definitely not hurt you.

Naturally, if a course is oriented to people on vacation, they don't have much choice other than to cram it in because people won't be there long enough to spread it out.

 

[vtxkev]

I have a question.
HOw long should a ow cert course take. I plan to get mine in march.
I thought about doing the class room stuff and pool dives localy. The local dive shop does it two ways. 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day 6 days one day a week. Or friday saturday sunday 4 hours a day. Some people have told me that is to quick of a class to slow it down. both ways you do the book at home and do a review at the shop

Just how many hours and days should the class run.
Now the shop i plan to do my check outs in florida they do it all in 4 or 5 days. 2 1/2day pool dives 1 1/2day review and 2 1/2day owdives. with you reading the books at home then doing the review at the shop
Are these classes to fast.

S-L-O-W - D-O-W-N there BigTim! You ask this question as if it hasent been answered 100 times before for you already. Please see the following post made by you in another thread from the Basic Sucba Forum:

bigtim6656: Now i can understand that. I thought most classes are done over a few days. I figured the reason the lds do it over a few hours a day for 5 or 6 weeks is due to peoples working. I figured the reason the dive shops in florida do it in 4 to 5 days (pool stuff bookstuff and the checkouts) was people are on vacation and will not be in the area for weeks.
Thats one reason i wanted to do the local stuff here and free up sometime in florida in march. I do not want to just blow through the class to get the card. Normaly i am a learn on the fly as i go. But this time i am not going about it that way. We talking about something that might get me killed 40 feet below sea level.
I just thought the normal way of doing it was 4to6 days for everything

 

[kjvander]

a schedule that allows you to become comfortable is the best one. There is no telling on how many times you are going to have to practice clearing your mask or retrieving a regulator....the more practice the better.

What you have to realize is that it takes time and practice. Yes you can rush through and get certified in a weekend....but you have to ask yourself if that is really what you want to do. There are a lot of opinions on this board and a lot of people that will help you out and tell you what they think....but ultimatly it is up to you. If you want to go out and get certified by X group in three days by all means do it....or if you want to take the time and do a 6 or 7 week course do that. What will make you a better diver is what you put into it.

I haven't been diving that long so I'm right there with the noob attitude of get out there and dive dive dive....but ultimatly you have to practice your skills and hone yourself to become a better diver. Some instructors are great and will take the time and demonstrate and have you practice...but there is also what you put into it. Take a step back and review what you want to do realistically....being new to the sport gives you lots of doors to go through and opportunities and challenges....take them one at a time.

Like you've heard many people say already....slow down a little bit....take the class...look at your options locally. Don't be afraid to ask questions both that the LDS nor here....but think about your questions and do some of your own research too....the internet is a wonderful but dangerous thing.

Hope it helps a little

 

[ScubaSteve]

is your friend. Give it a try with different questions. It works better that you think. Heck, as pointed out it might even pull up some of the threads that you have already started that contain your answers already.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The other issue is how well do you digest the information you are given? And then how much of it do you retain? To me as an instructor these are the two crucial issues. Many people can cram alot of info in and recall it 15 minutes later. But what about two days or two weeks later? My classes are set up to run over 6-8 weeks with one day (2 hours or so) in the pool, and another day(2-3 hours) in the classroom.

The agency I teach with does not do quickie courses. THere is some home study as assigned by the instructor but the bulk of the material is presented to you in class. Face to face so that any questions you may have are answered right there and then. This also allows you to digest the info you are given and retain it. The same with pool skills. Every class starts with the basics and builds on those. By the time you are done you've set up your gear at least 5-6 times. You've removed and cleared the mask over a dozen times. You've worked tables and planned 30-40 dives and calculated your pressure groups and NDL's for them. You've done rescue skills, and learned to do your basic skills while hovering. Hopefully you've also learned at least three kicks and can do them reasonably well, including a frog or modified frog.

You can't do this in a couple days. Muscle memory takes time to develop as does your brain. Some people take longer than others. Don't rush it. You are not just taking up a new sport/hobby.

In case this has not gotten thru what you are doing is preparing to enter an alien environment that without mechanical assistance is hostile to human life. You can't breath air. This stuff is exciting, relaxing, interesting, fun, and if you approach it the correct way and stay within your training and experience-safe.

Go outside of that or approach it without the respect it commands it will hurt or kill you very quickly. Maybe a little harsh but facts are facts. I do not mince words with students or anyone about this. It is not for everybody no matter what the ad people say.

 

[letterboy]

6-9 months is best . . .

 

[rstofer]

You already have the timing for the two different programs. Call them 'standard' and 'executive'. The executive program tries to compress the time frame for people that want shorter format. Either way, it adds up to about 12 hours of classroom and pool.

For the serious student, the one that will do the work, pay attention in class, review the class discussion and reflect on the material presented, the longer format will have better results.

OTOH, for the student that just wants to 'get through it', the shorter format is more compatible with their level of interest. They don't have time to forget the material before the exam.

There are two approaches to learning diving: read everything you can get your hands on, study diligently and work hard or just show up for the class.

When I started diving, I went to the bookstore and bought several books on diving including the BSAC training manual. I read everything I could about the sport before I signed up for the class. I continued to study diligently throughout the program. I knew I didn't belong in the ocean and I wanted to have every advantage before I jumped in. I spent far more time on learning about diving than on any of my courses in college. This was serious! My life depended on getting it right.

So, another hint: you can't learn about diving on this forum or any other Internet source. Just like the debate over snorkels, BCs vs BP/Ws and the other hot button topics, divers have strongly held but wildly divergent views and you are in no position to decide who is right. Ask a question of 2 divers and you will probably get 4 answers. Get off the computer! Get to a bookstore!

For the purposes of your class only one opinion counts and that is the agency's. Buy the book today! Start studying with serious diligence. Go to the library, go to a bookstore, get other reference material and study it. Take this seriously. You already know that the programs are, at best, inadequate. It's up to you to augment the material with outside reading.

The more you know, the better diver you will be. Or, you can just show up for the 12 hours and you're good to go.

Richard

 

[mselenaous]

Tim, :internet: I answered this in a previous thread, post #1, item 2. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...-bigtims-own-thread-one-reply-many-posts.html

If you have already completed all the bookwork & watched the DVD on your own, you need to count on at least 5 (maybe six) half-days (3-4hrs) to complete the pool & classroom portion of the course. You can get away with 5 sessions if it is a private or small class with no more than 2-3 students (such as you and your Dad ). AND IF everyone else has done the bookwork. Human nature being that folks tend to procrastinate or overcommit, DON'T count on everyone being as prepared as they should be for each class session. If it is a standard scheduled LDS or resort class, count on 6-8 students in each class so more time/pool sessions will be needed. In a class that size there is always someone who isn't caught up on classwork and slows everyone down and someone else who has skills issues in the pool also reducing the amount of individual attention each of the other students gets. Your pool sessions should be more than just completing a list of skills once. You should have more underwater time to practice each skill many times and underwater playtime built in to get a good feel for bouyance skills and position in the water while swimming with scuba. Even if you take one of the big classes, it is a good idea talk to your instructor about getting an extra pool session in privately to perfect your skills before your open water dives (of course their time costs money). Due to liability insurance issues, you will not be allowed to do this on your own. Shops & insturctors are not allowed to leave uncertified divers in the water (pool or ocean) unsupervised. (There have been diving accident deaths in pools).

This basic OW class is the basis/foundation on which you will build all future diving knowledge & skills. As a future engineering student, you know that you can't build a skyscraper on a flimsy foundation and you didn't learn calculus until you learned to count.

 

[nereas]

It all depends on the dive store.

Some dive stores will carefully take about 1 month to train you.

Others will quickly do it in 2 weeks.