PADI Divemaster 800m snorkel

[johndiver999]

How does one expect to demonstrate competence in a rescue/emergency situation that can be expected to occur in rough water if the fins straps fall off in a mild turn in a pool? Why not adjust strap or use different gear?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Just pace yourself...take it easy....glide......arms at your sides.....basic "J" tube snorkel with no snorkel gimmicks. Don't get yourself out of breath trying to make a world record. Approach this as you would a nice walk for 1/2 a mile on level terrain. Even at a leisurely and steady pace.....with fins....... you should easily be able to cover each 25 yard leg in 20 seconds or less. Even if you take 30 seconds for each 25 yards, you'll still have plenty of time to spare..

Don't forget to shave your head and then wax it!!!

 

[Redtwo]

I just completed my 800m and was much easier then expected. I only switched from my go sport+booties for a full foot fin. This because my fin is sligthly bouyant and the booties (6mm) also which made my fin getting out of the water.

The full foot fin did not have that problem, but lacked power. Anyhow. I did it way faster than expected (in hindsight my normal fins would have been fine as well). Getting a 2 should be really no problem.

And my snorkel has a relief valve but no problem whatsoever. Don't overthink it.

 

[dmaziuk]

but those times are from swimmers who know how to execute a perfect turn. Most people don't. And turning and pushing with fines is quite different.

That's not so much the point as the fact that when competitive swimmers do it, half a second matters a lot. SCUBA cert swims: not quite so much.

 

[lowwall]

The full foot fin did not have that problem, but lacked power. Anyhow. I did it way faster than expected (in hindsight my normal fins would have been fine as well).

I would suggest that your full foot fins had plenty of power and contributed greatly to your faster than expected time. The only way to really tell is to do timed tests yourself.

What most divers think of as "power" is really initial acceleration, which is more pronounced with shorter and stiffer fins. That's nice if you need to make small and controlled movements, which is why such fins are popular for caves and wrecks. But these fins can't compete when it comes to top speed or maintaining a moderate speed for a long time (which may be why those jet fin divers prefer scooters when they have to get somewhere ). Also full foot fins are inherently more efficient as your muscles are more directly connected to the blades.

 

[boulderjohn]

When I was getting my DM certification, I first completed all the swimming requirements except for the tired diver tow with enough points that my time on the tired diver tow didn't matter. I just had to do it. I then found myself in a situation where I was on a dive boat on the ocean along with the instructor doing my DM work, and I had an idea. Since my time didn't matter, why not just do it there in the ocean? I could swim out farther than the required distance, and it wouldn't matter how long it took with the waves and current hindering me. The instructor agreed, and off I went.

The waves and current were more challenging than I had anticipated--coming back to the boat against the current was a challenge. As I did it, I came to a realization about the importance of those requirements. What I was doing was a much more realistic test than going back and forth in a swimming pool. In a real-life situation, someone's life could depend upon my ability to perform to the expected ability of a dive professional.

What I am trying to say is that if reaching the required standards for DM certification challenges your level of swimming skill, rather than look for artificial ways to beat the standards, look for ways to improve your skill. A life may depend upon it.

 

[Redtwo]

I would suggest that your full foot fins had plenty of power and contributed greatly to your faster than expected time. The only way to really tell is to do timed tests yourself.

What most divers think of as "power" is really initial acceleration, which is more pronounced with shorter and stiffer fins. That's nice if you need to make small and controlled movements, which is why such fins are popular for caves and wrecks. But these fins can't compete when it comes to top speed or maintaining a moderate speed for a long time (which may be why those jet fin divers prefer scooters when they have to get somewhere ). Also full foot fins are inherently more efficient as your muscles are more directly connected to the blades.

Yeah maybe. Although it were some cheap ass fins . But Yeah it went easy. And full foot definitely nicer in the pool.

 

[AsherN]

That's not so much the point as the fact that when competitive swimmers do it, half a second matters a lot. SCUBA cert swims: not quite so much.

What is the requirement for the turn? competition turn, grab the end and start the other way without touching the bottom, reach the end stand and turn and keep going? Because if it's the first I'd wager a lot of people can't do it. I was a competitive swimmer for years, many, many, many moons ago. When I go to the pool (25m) was "continuous" swim involves getting to the end, grab the side, turn and keep going. I tried a competitive turn last time, it did not go well.

 

[AsherN]

You can look forward just fine with a mask on. The lifeguard rescue swim does not use fins...so the arms become important.

Maybe it's because I'm older, but the back strain to keep my head forward out of the water without using my arms would not last 800m. I'll bet everybody does it head in the water, which defeats the purpose of a rescue swim if you can't maintain visual contact.

 

[boulderjohn]

So here is a real life experience a friend of mine had on the Spiegel Grove in Florida.

They had finished their dives and were packing up their gear when the DM on their boat started shouting. He was yelling to the crew of another nearby boat and to their passenger, who was struggling to get to the boat on the surface after his dive. He had not properly inflated his BCD. The DM tried to get him to inflate the BCD, and he tried to get the other boat's crew to pay attention. Neither paid any attention to him.

Finally, he pulled on his own fins, mask and snorkel, jumped in, and swam rapidly toward the struggling diver. The diver sank below the water before he got there. The DM got to the spot and dived down, by his estimate catching the rapidly sinking diver at about 20 feet down. He pulled him to the surface and got him to his boat, where CPR miraculously revived him.

That's why you need to be able to do that sort of thing.