If you were to design your own OW course, how would it go?

[JamesBon92007]

Look at where he’s from on his profile. Maybe they still do doff and don’s there?
.

OIC

 

[admikar]

OIC

Sorry, but I am not that familiar with all English abbreviations, what is OIC?

 

[JamesBon92007]

Sorry, but I am not that familiar with all English abbreviations, what is OIC?

Sorry.

Oh, I see

I think it originally evolved from people who were in chat rooms with computers that didn't know how to type and there are many of those acronyms. When texting became popular they were actually very handy because it's usually not easy to type on a phone.

Of course, someone who is not a diver and not familiar with our abbreviations would not know what a BCD or a SI is.

 

[admikar]

The doff and don went away about the same time that the UHMS released its study showing that the CESA was the part of dive instruction most likely to produce a fatal accident. After that, agencies around the world almost universally accepted the UHMS recommendations for making it safe, including especially requiring that the regulator be in the mouth at all times during the ascent. In the Doff and Don, the student has to do a CESA from the bottom of the pool without a regulator in the mouth, so most agencies dropped it for that reason.

About 8-9 years ago an SSI instructor at the University of Alabama was doing Doff and Dons, even though it was not part of the SSI course. A student died from an embolism after the ascent, and the resulting lawsuit did not go well for the instructor.

So, the Doff and Don is a great exercise, as long as you live through it. If you don't, your family won't be happy, and in the ensuing lawsuit your instructor will have to defend using a practice that has been dropped by most agencies because it is believed to be an unsafe practice.

This might stem from a fact that US is sue happy country, here not so much (although it might be changing already).

 

[admikar]

Sorry.

Oh, I see

 

[60plus]

Upon reading scubaboard I began to wonder if DCS was not the only medical condition brought on by diving, many seem to suffer from EUA (Excessive use of Acronyms or Abbreviation).
To get back onto topic I feel training is what it is because there has to be compromises. Obviously more training / experience makes you a better diver but costs more and takes more time. There are probably also broadly three different types of recreational diver. Those who give it a brief try then quit or may do only very occasional holiday dives, those who want to do it mainly on holiday (in good conditions) and those who intend to do a lot and progress to limits of recreational diving and possibly eventually tech. For the first two groups diving has to be fun and mainly in the water - who wants to sit in a classroom when a vacation typically costs £100 to £150 per day?
From reading scubaboard it looks like a number of dive courses do not get their students properly weighted, or give buoyancy control the emphasis it should have. My feeling is the PDI OW course done over 4 days, plus some self study time, is about right for most people starting diving.
Regarding instructors, I have either been taught by, guided by with a little instruction or been closely involved with someone they have been teaching, all have been good but two stand out as being particularly patient and caring with students who were nervous or struggling. Also students are different. One of the student I started my OW with was a lot keener and more confident than me and was a quicker achiever than me in the pool, but when it came to the theory tests he really struggled and on his first sea dive he was weak, trailing behind and had to have another instructor in with him on a one to one basis. He did not come back for the second day of the course.
I am a completely different kind of student, because of my technical background the theory is dead easy. I am a strong swimmer, confident in the water and find dives effortless. But when it comes to a few of the training exercises I really struggle particularly in a pool because of its lack of depth. Due to past injury I have limited mobility in my arms and legs, This makes in water exercises like putting weight belt on, recovering the mouthpiece and putting the BCD on very very difficult. For example I cannot reach behind my back properly so to put a weight belt on I have to lay flattish in the water and roll over or fasten it just above knee level then pull it up and re tighten it.
These sort of difference mean there can never be a one size fits all training package, throw in low temperatures and the need for drysuits and it gets even more complex.
Regarding PADI I feel Nitrox, deep diving (say to 30m) and boat diving should be just a brief add on, not an expensive package involving things you don't want. For that reason my progression from 18 to 30m is likely to be with SCOTSAC

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

One thing no one mentioned so far....in this age of social media, all instructors should give links of videos to their students. It's one thing listening how it should be performed, quite another seeing it. Of course, it depends on students' motivation whether they take the time to watch those videos.

Sadly, many instructors (and agencies) are against recording classes as it could be used against them in court. I would think that the videos would absolve them. But I'm not a lawyer.

 

[The Chairman]

Sadly, many instructors (and agencies) are against recording classes as it could be used against them in court.

I would disagree. I am forbidden from using my camera during class. The agencies don't want me preoccupied trying to take pictures, but rather to focus on the students' safety. I think it's a great policy. I have set up a camera on the bottom to record while we do our thing, or if it's during my trim class.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I would disagree. I am forbidden from using my camera during class. The agencies don't want me preoccupied trying to take pictures, but rather to focus on the students' safety. I think it's a great policy. I have set up a camera on the bottom to record while we do our thing, or if it's during my trim class.

The ideal situation is to have someone record. My hopes is to have one mounted on a tripod to record. But I get strong pushback on that. I don't see that having a mask mounted camera is all that distracting, but I accept that. So a tripod mounted camera is the solution I hope to be allowed.

 

[admikar]

Sadly, many instructors (and agencies) are against recording classes as it could be used against them in court. I would think that the videos would absolve them. But I'm not a lawyer.

I would disagree. I am forbidden from using my camera during class. The agencies don't want me preoccupied trying to take pictures, but rather to focus on the students' safety. I think it's a great policy. I have set up a camera on the bottom to record while we do our thing, or if it's during my trim class.

The ideal situation is to have someone record. My hopes is to have one mounted on a tripod to record. But I get strong pushback on that. I don't see that having a mask mounted camera is all that distracting, but I accept that. So a tripod mounted camera is the solution I hope to be allowed.

What I meant is not only recording your class, but showing your students videos on Youtube etc. about trim, propulsion, skills.