Instructor flexibility in training.

[Crowley]

PADI Instructor manual (2009 CD version), General Standards and Procedures, page 12, "Equipment Requirements"

1. During all open water training dives, each student diver, certified assistant
and instructor must have: (edited for spacial management purposes)
a, b, c, d, e, f and:
g. weight system and weights (if necessary for neutral buoyancy)
etc.

DSD Instructor guide, page 4, "Equipment Requirements"
Each new diver must have a.... [And the instructor must] provide appropriate exposure protection and weight
systems based on the individual and environment.

There is nothing in there that requires a student to be weighted if not necessary - let's face it though, most divers wearing a wetsuit and BC are going to require *some* weight.

It doesn't take a great deal of training to "guess" at a DSD's weighting based on our own experience. It might not be perfect, and hopefully we're carrying spare weights just in case, but if these folks go on to the Open Water course (*any* open water course), they will learn about correct weighting and neutral buoyancy. Yes, I know, this isn't always passed across sufficiently.

I try to impart this to all my divers - whether they are students or not. It's easy for dive guides and instructors to save time by adding weights to divers instead of weighting them properly. In my experience, this happens mostly when dive guides have a large group, and simply add weights to get the divers down from the surface - perhaps 7 divers already underwater and waiting for the one guy who has problems descending; this creates a certain amount of pressure for the guide - and chucking weights at a diver is an immediate solution. This becomes a problem later because even though some divers realise they don't need the extra weight, they carry it because "the Divemaster told me so" or whatever.

I think it's our responsibility and duty as dive professionals to ensure our divers are weighted appropriately, regardless of the undertaking.

Plinkety plink.

C.

 

[bjjman]

Seems to me the easy solution would be to have everybody descend together.

 

[rigdiver]

Of course there is a skill called a buoyancy check. You know where with no air in the BCD you can control your buoyancy with your breath on the surface? Kinda lets everyone know where you need to be with the lead.

 

[dpaustex]

I can't speak for all of the certifying agencies, but you have a two-pronged issue here. The first is the flexibility in teaching, and the second is buoyancy.

I am an SSI instructor, and do have flexibility in teaching, as long as I cover everything. For instance, let's say a person is having trouble mask clearing. I can "skip" that with a student, continue with the rest of the skills, then come back to that. I will NOT certify someone if they are not proficient in all skills, but that is my job.

On the issue of buoyancy, that can be taught. I have seen 30+ year divers that have horrible buoyancy skills. Yes, you are correct, it all starts with proper weighting. After that, it is all "feel", and the ability to understand the physics (and let the physics work for you). Our shop teaches a "perfect buoyancy" course in water that is 18 feet deep, and it is great because your highest percentage change in buoyancy occurs in the top 20 feet of your dive (actually 33 feet, but we're quibbling over math). So if I can teach you to nail your buoyancy in 18 feet of water (we have them swim through Hula-hoop size obstacles), you can do it anywhere. I also teach/show people how to go completely from top to bottom in the pool using only their lungs (by "top" breathing). The key to buoyancy is understanding the physics, and doing everything in SMALL increments, all the while breathing normally.

But I commend you for understanding the issue, as it IS painfull to watch people mess stuff up. But don't blame all photographers, either. As a photographer, too, I am generally moving slower than anyone in the group, as I want the fish to come TO me.

 

[bjjman]

your highest percentage change in buoyancy occurs in the top 20 feet of your dive (actually 33 feet, but we're quibbling over math).

What are you referring to? The biggest pressure change resulting in most compression of your neoprene/lungs/etc.? That would be the first foot of water.

 

[Doppler]

Just another observation and a little lateral to the topic, BUT buoyancy control needs to be practiced without movement... in other words, no swimming because fining removes the need for fine control. The forward inertia overcomes slight imbalances between gravity and buoyancy. Buoyancy control is not fully demonstrated by moving through, but but stopping.

Also, as Bjjman pointed out, the biggest ratio of change is in the shallowest portion of the water column... I would have used SI Units but like he said.


On a recent CCR course, I was a student and we were asked by our instructor to maintain a stationary stop at one metre depth (about three feet). Quite amazing to feel the difference in loop volume between 1.5 metres and 1!

If you want to see how good you are, I suggest stopping at five feet (arcane measurement!) for a few minutes without moving your feet (or hands!)

 

[dl348]

Pretty much what you said, you aren't allowed to weight students before you put them underwater on SCUBA. That pretty much eliminates doing anything on SCUBA correctly during CW 1.

Please reference an exact page number in the PADI standards which supports your statement.

 

[Walter]

2-5 Confined Water Dive One
7. Swim underwater with scuba equipment while maintaining control of both direction and depth...
2-7 Confined Water Dive Two
11. Adjust for proper weighting...

 

[dl348]

2-5 Confined Water Dive One
7. Swim underwater with scuba equipment while maintaining control of both direction and depth...
2-7 Confined Water Dive Two
11. Adjust for proper weighting...

I looked at the pages that you referenced, it doesn't state "...you aren't allowed to weight students before you put them underwater on SCUBA." like you mentioned in post #15 of this thread.
As a matter of fact it says "Don and adjust mask, fins, snorkel, BCD, scuba and WEIGHTS..." on my page 2-7. I have version 2.11, you may have a different one.

 

[cooperscuba]

True flexibilty while maintaining standards is most pronounced in the SEI and NAUI programs (of the ones I've studied, others may also have this trait). These programs encourage instructors to add to their standards.

PADI encourage instructors to add to their course contents (both theory and pratical). What an instructor can't do is fail a student because they have failed to perform a skill added by the instructor.

As an example, I ask my students to remove their masks and then perform a regulator sweep recovery before replacing their masks. I'm always pleased when a student is able to combine the two skills but won't fail anyone who refuses to perform the skill.