PADI DM 400M freestyle and 15M tread

[donburde]

What is the requirement for the 400M swim for a PADI DM and for the 15M tread? I know and understand the points and times but Im getting conflicting answers for both of the above.

Are you allowed to use ANY gear for the 400M freestyle, even swim goggles? Ive heard both yes and no.

What is the requirement for the last 2 minutes of the 15 minute tread? Only hands out or up to elbows out? Ive also heard both.

 

[JackD342]

Exercise 1: 400-Metre/Yard Swim


Swim 400 metres/yards nonstop, without swimming aids
and using any stroke or combination of strokes.


Exercise 2: 15-minute Tread

Tread water, drown-proof, bob or float using no aids and
wearing only a swimsuit for 15 minutes, with hands (not
arms) out of the water during the last two minutes.

Exceptions: A candidate with a physical impairment that makes it difficult/
impossible to hold hands out of the water is exempted from that
portion of the exercise with no effect on the score.


Pardon the formatting, copy/paste was being uncooperative.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I did the 400 swim and the tread for DM. You can use googles or a mask but no aids that would help propel or float you such as a kickboard/floaty or fins, etc.

For the 15 minute tread, I literally just floated on my back for 15 minutes or tread water depending on whether I wanted to be upright or not. For the last 2 minutes, I floated on my back and just stuck my hands out of the water.

 

[donburde]

I also emailed PADI directly as well... I'm curious to how they're going to answer.

 

[donburde]

I did the 400 swim and the tread for DM. You can use googles or a mask but no aids that would help propel or float you such as a kickboard/floaty or fins, etc.

For the 15 minute tread, I literally just floated on my back for 15 minutes or tread water depending on whether I wanted to be upright or not. For the last 2 minutes, I floated on my back and just stuck my hands out of the water.

Did you do your exercises in open water or a pool?

 

[northernone]

Note these standards are minimum standards. I tend to dislike aiming for bare minimums.

When I did mine I was dropped off at sea and told to swim home, avoid the boats... No joke.

Tread water was arms out, don't know how long I was kept doing it.

The other guy in the program was a lifeguard and it was challenging.

When it came time for scoring, it was easy after the prep.

Cameron

 

[TMHeimer]

You have all the info. from JackD342. I do believe the times (for scoring 1,2,3,4,5,) on the 400 & 800 are of course a little different with metres vs yards.
We did ours in the pool, which was small. Size of pool (or open water if done there), IMO can vary times on the swims significantly....for example, the tired diver tow will take a lot longer if you have to make 10 turns instead of 3--or possibly none if in open water. In calm open salt water swim times may be better due to buoyancy. Float would be easier, though drownproofing makes it easy in fresh water.
Extra requirements are fine if they are part of the shop's hiring process, but can't be included in your test scores.

 

[JackD342]

I did my 800m/yd snorkel swim at a quarry, and got a pretty low score. Had to pull up Google Maps and a ruler to show my instructor his known distance from point A to point B was significantly understated. Got the score raised!

 

[Landau]

Did mine in a pool. Being an ex-competitive swimmer a shorter pool with more flip turns was faster. Did flip turns on the 800m timed snorkel too.

 

[TMHeimer]

Did mine in a pool. Being an ex-competitive swimmer a shorter pool with more flip turns was faster. Did flip turns on the 800m timed snorkel too.

Any type of turn gives you a slight "rest".