mth71
Registered
As the heading suggests, this question is aimed more toward instructors, although other divers who have something to share are of course welcome to give their input.
As a newly certified diver (as of September), I am looking to get my first set of gear very shortly. After much research on this board, I have decided that I want a BP setup. I've also decided that I want to become a scuba instructor, and plan on starting my divemaster training just as soon as the waters warm up (I live in Wichita, KS, and my training will be in Beaver Lake, Arkansas). Since I'll be starting my DM training shortly after I purchase my equipment, I want to be sure that I'll be able to instruct without having to buy different equipment. Since students (always?) use a regular jacket style BC, would it be better for me to hold off on getting my BP setup for now and just go with the jacket style in order to instruct?
Are there any instructors out there who teach with a BP while their students use a jacket type? If so, what kind of results are you getting? It seems that such a situation would cause a great deal of confusion to the students, especially during the exercises when the instructors dons his/her equipment (is that possible to do fairly easily with a BP?)
Also, since I have yet to take the Rescue Diver course, whoever my partner ends up being would have to know how to get me out of a BP setup which, as I understand, is not the easiest or most obvious thing to do if he/she is used to only a jacket style (chances are I will not know my partner until we're at the lake).
I'd really prefer to get my BP setup as my first equipment, but since I'm planning on getting into instructing as soon as possible, perhaps that wouldn't be the wisest choice right now. If that's the case, I have already researched, to the best of my ability, what I would get in a jacket style, though I honestly don't want one if I could get by without.
Any advice or tips or words of wisdom?
Thank you in advance to those of you who provide your input. I've received some great info on this site.
As a newly certified diver (as of September), I am looking to get my first set of gear very shortly. After much research on this board, I have decided that I want a BP setup. I've also decided that I want to become a scuba instructor, and plan on starting my divemaster training just as soon as the waters warm up (I live in Wichita, KS, and my training will be in Beaver Lake, Arkansas). Since I'll be starting my DM training shortly after I purchase my equipment, I want to be sure that I'll be able to instruct without having to buy different equipment. Since students (always?) use a regular jacket style BC, would it be better for me to hold off on getting my BP setup for now and just go with the jacket style in order to instruct?
Are there any instructors out there who teach with a BP while their students use a jacket type? If so, what kind of results are you getting? It seems that such a situation would cause a great deal of confusion to the students, especially during the exercises when the instructors dons his/her equipment (is that possible to do fairly easily with a BP?)
Also, since I have yet to take the Rescue Diver course, whoever my partner ends up being would have to know how to get me out of a BP setup which, as I understand, is not the easiest or most obvious thing to do if he/she is used to only a jacket style (chances are I will not know my partner until we're at the lake).
I'd really prefer to get my BP setup as my first equipment, but since I'm planning on getting into instructing as soon as possible, perhaps that wouldn't be the wisest choice right now. If that's the case, I have already researched, to the best of my ability, what I would get in a jacket style, though I honestly don't want one if I could get by without.
Any advice or tips or words of wisdom?
Thank you in advance to those of you who provide your input. I've received some great info on this site.