Instructor Mandated Equipment

[Warren_L]

Fair enough. And you're right - there are differing degrees of flexibility in instructors, as evidenced here on scubaboard.

kari

FWIW, as an instructor you may encounter the same sort of differences at the shop level. I teach through a couple of different shops. The first shop I ever taught through strictly uses BC/short hose configurations and mandates that all classes must be taught with this sort of setup. Fine. Their shop, their rules. I found another shop that is more in line with the gear choices that I use in my own diving, and now I can teach using bp/w/long hose setup. I do like your "changing the world" optimism, but sometimes it can be a very up-hill struggle. There can be other ways to achieve the same end.

 

[gafftape42]

As a DM you may be asked to demo skills to the students in the pool. If you are, with some skills it will be less confusing to the student if you are in a similar configuration. The skill that comes immediately to mind is OOA. If you donate the reg out of your mouth the students may do the same and for them it is on a short hose. For the record my personal gear is BP/W with a long hose, but I dive a back inflate BC with the standard short hose reg in the pool. In the OW you should not have to demo skills and should be allowed to dive the gear you are most comfortable with.

 

[Hoyden]

...The compromise we came to was that when teaching OW I would use shop gear just like the students for pool sessions, but was free to dive a BP/W on the OW dives. When teaching any other recreational class, I was free to use any configuration I chose, including doubles- as it's a great way to introduce students to new and exciting things.

Something like this might be worth a shot for you as well.

This is pretty similar to the compromise I have worked out - in pool sessions, I wear a Dive Rite transplate harness with a bp (the shop is a Dive Rite Vendor) and a traditional regulator set-up. This allows me to demonstrate skills in a manner similar to what the students will be doing. In OW dives, I can wear my normal hog rig with a traditional regulator set-up and with AOW and up students, I can wear anything but doubles - typically a big steel single and a slung bottle. Works out for everybody.

YMMV,
Jackie

 

[rakkis]

I don't have my manual in front of me to quote the relevant standard word-by-word, but a snorkel is required in a class setting.

 

[do it easy]

I don't have my manual in front of me to quote the relevant standard word-by-word, but a snorkel is required in a class setting.

I don't believe you have to wear it, just have it on you. That might also be a "local" interpretation.

 

[tedj01]

First, standards require the snorkel - you have to have it.

Second, you have chosen the training. To learn requires flexibility and an open mind. There are other parts of training that you will need flexibility to achieve learning. Regardless of what type of DM you end up being knowledge of and ability to use a variety of equipment will benefit you and your customers.

Part of my DM training required me to use a variety of equipment. Sometimes I was given a set of gear and expected to be using it inside of 5 minutes - often the instructor would borrow gear that was not sold through the shop just to give the DMCs a new challenge. I would guess a third of my training was done in gear that was not mine except for my weight belt and weights.

When you become a DM if assisting an instructor you will be expected to do training complementary to the instructor's beliefs/standards as well as the agency. I would not expect to get much work as a DM if you are contradicting the instructor.

Finally, as evidenced by you choice of gear, there are different ways to accomplish the same objective. Its good to see/experience other ways to do things. You may stay with the way you currently do something but you have expanded your knowledge/experiences. In training others, I have had to do some things in my second or third choice of way to do something in order to facilitate a student's learning.

 

[Hoyden]

I don't believe you have to wear it, just have it on you. That might also be a "local" interpretation.

In an OW class, you must wear your snorkel in order to demonstrate the required skills - in all other classes, I carry a fold-up snorkel in my pocket. IMO, wearing a snorkel and a long hose is bad ju-ju (also known as an entanglement hazard).

 

[rakkis]

I thought the word "use" was specified. I'll check tonight.

 

[b1gcountry]

First off, this is an independent instructor teaching through a dive club of which I am the treasurer. There is no shop associated with us so equipment selling is not a consideration.

I'm not worried about the snorkel. I've been bringing it with to the pool sessions at the instructor's request. He still likes to give me flack about it, but it's become routine by now. I've known him for about 5 years before he was even an instructor. He likes to grab my mask "looking for the snorkel" and flood it or rip it off my face in the process.

The question I had was why was an AIR II acceptable when a bungeed alternate is not? I only use a 48" long hose, so it is pretty much the exact same procedure for donating air to a student as using an AIR II, and two of the DMs assisting are using AIR IIs or Shadows. I have another set of regs set up "traditionally" that I don't really mind using for the class, but I was just curious why PADI outlaws bungeed backups.

Tom

 

[plwtwo]

For OW Puppies, a 7 foot hose, bungeed, scares some of them, usually women who are hesitant to start with, but it still does, thats one of the reasons CD's and INS's suggest not to use them in classes...