Is being able to swim mandatory for those taking up the Open Water courses?

[Jim Lapenta]

Swimming is a life skill. The kids I work with in my YMCA classes snorkeling and skin diving all have to be able to swim before they can get into the classes. I see three and four year olds swimming and being taught to swim. There is no excuse for accepting a non swimmer in class and why the agency I cert OW through requires swim tests and snorkel/skin diving skills before I can put them on scuba.

 

[The_Aviator_1]

Well there is a simple solution. I am also a licensed pilot and there are stipulations for pilots who have color vision deficits, they are only permitted to fly during the day (to prevent the need for all those important colorful lights you see at the airport at night). If you can't swim proficiently, maybe you should only be permitted to dive in an area serviced by lifeguards! For those that don't know me, I am only suggesting this in jest. I believe you should be able to at least back stroke your way around for 30 minutes or so unaided. It requires almost no effort and if help hasn't arrived in 30 minutes, the odds are not so good for you.

 

[TMHeimer]

Swimming is a life skill. The kids I work with in my YMCA classes snorkeling and skin diving all have to be able to swim before they can get into the classes. I see three and four year olds swimming and being taught to swim. There is no excuse for accepting a non swimmer in class and why the agency I cert OW through requires swim tests and snorkel/skin diving skills before I can put them on scuba.

I agree. Yesterday student X had quite a few issues with equipment and breathing maskless, etc., among other things. He told me he had never snorkelled. If you can snorkel you probably won't have any mask/breathing problems on scuba. I missed the swim tests as I had to return to the shop, but he said he "made it, but barely.... it was rough". Well, I guess he was just one of those who "gutted it out". I don't think he will be doing the checkout dives. He also previously had one on one lessons with another shop instructor. Of course I agree with boulderjohn that one must resist temptation to shorten or cut the swim tests. It's too bad that we can't just assume that anyone taking scuba could at least swim, and maybe even have snorkelled. That would be for a more logical world.

 

[redacted]

I think you need to remember that the "swim requirement" really means you need to be able to propel your body over a 200 meter course with essentially unlimited time, one way or another. It can be little more than treading water with a little directional headway involved. The real issue is no more than a requirement to be competent enough in the water that you can avoid drowning quickly and make a little headway for a self-rescue. If you can't do that then you are just a burden on someone else (or fish food).

 

[gcarter]

I agree. Yesterday student X had quite a few issues with equipment and breathing maskless, etc., among other things. He told me he had never snorkelled. If you can snorkel you probably won't have any mask/breathing problems on scuba. I missed the swim tests as I had to return to the shop, but he said he "made it, but barely.... it was rough". Well, I guess he was just one of those who "gutted it out". I don't think he will be doing the checkout dives. He also previously had one on one lessons with another shop instructor. Of course I agree with boulderjohn that one must resist temptation to shorten or cut the swim tests. It's too bad that we can't just assume that anyone taking scuba could at least swim, and maybe even have snorkelled. That would be for a more logical world.

I had never snorkelled. Although I did not have too bad a time with the mask, I think I would have found it much more comfortable had I that experience.

 

[TMHeimer]

I think you need to remember that the "swim requirement" really means you need to be able to propel your body over a 200 meter course with essentially unlimited time, one way or another. It can be little more than treading water with a little directional headway involved. The real issue is no more than a requirement to be competent enough in the water that you can avoid drowning quickly and make a little headway for a self-rescue. If you can't do that then you are just a burden on someone else (or fish food).

Well, maybe. What's a "little headway"?- 200 meters? I don't think anyone really knows the exact reason for these tests. I think PADI (& other agencies) had someone make them up years ago for a reason given back then. Many on SB have thoughts on what the tests are really for. Some say the DM swim (stamina) tests have nothing to do with being a competant rescuer, but are just to show overall comfortability in water and fitness. Some take the reverse stance. I think the tests are just there because they are there.

But, your point is as good as any. Making a little headway for a self rescue certainly makes sense though some may argue that this does not really show real comfortability--also like that guy who guts out the 200 and almost dies. We all have views on what comfortability means. To me, swimming one lap with a proper (not perfect) stroke would show comfortability.

 

[DCBC]

Out of curiosity, how deep do they have to go to recover the weight belt and how long do they have to tread water for?

I've used various pools locally. They comply with FINA platform regulations and vary in depth between 12.5 and 18 FFW.

 

[supergaijin]

Swimming is not mandatory for PADI. A 300m snorkel and 10mins floating on your back is enough for their Standards... however not mine.

 

[DCBC]

...I don't think anyone really knows the exact reason for these tests. I think PADI (& other agencies) had someone make them up years ago for a reason given back then.

The exact reason for these tests are not difficult to understand. Before the advent of the buoyancy compensator, the diver would descend, become negatively buoyant with depth and have a need to kick like hell to get to the surface. They simply didn't have the option of pushing a button... Safety was dependent on the individual's in-water ability and fitness. The flotation vest was reserved for surface emergencies. The diver used his basic equipment (FMS) to propel himself from and back to the entry point. In an emergency, he had to depend upon his Buddy's ability to perform an assist/rescue on the surface or underwater. Training included rescue skills. The Diver had to be competent.

Since this time, the training requirements have been reduced as a result of the technology that's available. There is a dependence on equipment and its reliability. One thing that I do know is that in the history of man, everything man made has failed. It's simply a matter of time...

It comes down to one's training philosophy and the interpretation of degree of self-reliance that's reasonable for the diver to possess. It's my belief that it can largely depend upon the diving environment. The skill-sets required to dive in warm shallow water in otherwise idealistic conditions, is not the same as ice cold water, surf, waves, currents and poor visibility. The 'Standard' should reflect the diving conditions (which it not always does).

Some say the DM swim (stamina) tests have nothing to do with being a competant rescuer, but are just to show overall comfortability in water and fitness. Some take the reverse stance. I think the tests are just there because they are there...

I think that not enough is made of a person's degree of in-water comfort/confidence. The 'comfort envelope' controls panic. Regardless of the situation, if you're comfortable you have the opportunity to deal with it. This is why training programs in the past included blackout drills, station breathing, harassment, etc. (mine still do) and why some instructors still teach Buddy Breathing. For me, it has less to do with the requirement to share one second stage than it does the increased level of communication, co-ordinated movement and increased confidence gained by the Students. Comfort in the water has a very real value. Putting a non-swimmer into deep water is just asking for trouble imo. Like I said, equipment can fail...

 

[tech_diver]

This question of non-swimmers getting certified goes way, way back. I remember an instructor telling me years ago that he would never certify someone who couldn't swim. "I'm not going to certify them as an open water scuba diver then have them fall off the dock and drown cause they can't swim."