eko_eko
Registered
Hi. I'm Eric.
I just got my PADI OW cert today. I've been trying to get certified since early March. I wanted to learn scuba so that I could more easily perform underwater repairs on my father's boat. Replacing mooring shackles and getting growth off of the prop while a snorkeling was no fun.
I bought my gear before I was certified. I read the sections in the e-learning course regarding selecting gear. Then I bought someone's complete kit on craigslist and got it serviced by my LDS. It's the same approach I took to skiing, snowboarding, and rock climbing. I hate renting gear. New gear is used after one dive. It made sense to me.
If I'd read scubaboard first, I might have rented for the class; but I only discovered these forums after I'd made my purchase. I was lucky though. The gear is old, but it has been good to me so far. I'm going to use it to do boat work tomorrow.
My class dives went well. I had no weight problems. I use 4lbs on a belt in salt water, no weight in fresh.
The basic mask/fin/snorkel skills were pretty easy for a long-time snorkeler. Underwater clearing? Not a problem. I've always worn leaky masks (I have a mustache); I'm used to it.
Reading these boards helped a lot. The buoyancy and ear-clearing tips alone made a huge difference in my preparedness.
The only downside so far: I keep giving people the OK sign instead of a thumbs-up. It makes nonverbal communication with non-divers problematic.
I just got my PADI OW cert today. I've been trying to get certified since early March. I wanted to learn scuba so that I could more easily perform underwater repairs on my father's boat. Replacing mooring shackles and getting growth off of the prop while a snorkeling was no fun.
I bought my gear before I was certified. I read the sections in the e-learning course regarding selecting gear. Then I bought someone's complete kit on craigslist and got it serviced by my LDS. It's the same approach I took to skiing, snowboarding, and rock climbing. I hate renting gear. New gear is used after one dive. It made sense to me.
If I'd read scubaboard first, I might have rented for the class; but I only discovered these forums after I'd made my purchase. I was lucky though. The gear is old, but it has been good to me so far. I'm going to use it to do boat work tomorrow.
My class dives went well. I had no weight problems. I use 4lbs on a belt in salt water, no weight in fresh.
The basic mask/fin/snorkel skills were pretty easy for a long-time snorkeler. Underwater clearing? Not a problem. I've always worn leaky masks (I have a mustache); I'm used to it.
Reading these boards helped a lot. The buoyancy and ear-clearing tips alone made a huge difference in my preparedness.
The only downside so far: I keep giving people the OK sign instead of a thumbs-up. It makes nonverbal communication with non-divers problematic.
