PADI Wreck Specialty

[vkalia]

From an instructor point of view - there are limitations of what s/he may be allowed to teach in the class as well, due to various professional liability reasons.

My 2 cents on this is - if you merely plan to pootle around a wreck, you dont need a Wreck Diver course. If you want to penetrate, then you are getting into the technical realm and will need to have rock solid skills and be taught at a standard that is higher than that for recreational diving. Recreational agencies, by definition, cannot do that.

I dont teach formal wreck diving specialties anymore - if someone is interested in wreck diving, then we just go do some wrecks together for a few days. A lot of time is spent outside the wreck, on sand, doing turns, reverse kicks, maintaining horizontal trim while doing other tasks, task-loading, etc. If they are able to handle the task-loading and have buoyancy, I take them to a wreck and we practice a few more skills in the wreck. If they dont have the skills, we work on the skills instead. Either way, they get no certification, they fill in no paperwork, etc.

So you might want to investigate the possibility of getting the training but in a more informal setting, as opposed to an agency-sanctioned course.

Vandit

 

[Hal]

Thanks. I do not have the desire to get another certification just for the purpose of getting the card. My interest is to enhance skills for safer wreck diving along the lines of what I now do (external and swim-throughs) but also eventually to move penetration diving.

Walter, you indicated that the specialty class may open some doors. Do you mean for penetration dives? I've done quite a few wrecks in a variety of places - again, external and swim-throughs only - and no one has ever asked/cared about wreck specialty. AOW and later Rescue have always been sufficient.

Hal

 

[Web Monkey]

It's an interesting and generally useful class, but probably not what you think it is.

There's a lot of good information about getting to and from the wreck, navigating around the outside, and some of the obvious and non-obvious dangers if you penetrate the wreck.

I beleive it touches on some hydraulic issues caused by currents and internal wreck geometry, although you should double check the course content, because this might have been my SSI instructor.

If you're thinking about diving around the outside of wrecks, and maybe doing some minor penetration (where you can always see and get to your exit point), and have a good instructor, it's a good class.

If you're thinking about actually traveling inside the wreck, it's not the right class.

Terry

Anyone taken the PADI wreck specialty class? I'm trying to decide whether its worth the time/money. Have been on/in quite a few wrecks and interested in eventually moving to real penetration (rather than swim-throughs). As others here have indicated, am not looking for another card. Is the PADI class another card or is it a step towards penetration dives?

Thanks,

Hal

 

[Hal]

Sounds like it might be useful, although I suspect that other wreck classes may be somewhere on the horizon.

Thanks,

Hal

 

[caseybird]

Hi,
I did the PADI course last year with a very good shop and it was well worth it. However, it was definitely an Intro course, in no way am I ready to do any wreck penetration. However, it did give me a good sense of wreck dive planning, reel handling and decision making in an enclosed environment. I had a much better assesment of my skills and gear afer the course. (much to learn and master) Doing it locally was a good, low pressure experience, without commiting to a big gear/training expense.

 

[Hal]

Hi,
I did the PADI course last year with a very good shop and it was well worth it. However, it was definitely an Intro course, in no way am I ready to do any wreck penetration. However, it did give me a good sense of wreck dive planning, reel handling and decision making in an enclosed environment. I had a much better assesment of my skills and gear afer the course. (much to learn and master) Doing it locally was a good, low pressure experience, without commiting to a big gear/training expense.

Thanks. Given all the input, am leaning towards taking the class. Since I already plan to be diving the wrecks, seems like it certainly won't hurt and may well be a good next step.

Hal

 

[wedivebc]

As has been said it all depends on the instructor. I have seen one case where the instructor stayed in the boat for the second wreck dive.
When I teach the course I introduce redundant breathing gas, finning techniques, and running guide lines. I assume all my students will eventually want to do real penetration so I prepare them for that.

 

[Supernal]

It just occurred to me, after watching Sea Hunters last night, that most wrecks are probably gravesites as well. How do people feel about that? Have they ever found human remains or is that taken care of before you're allowed to dive a wreck?

 

[jiveturkey]

PADI Wreck Diver now includes use of penetration reels, limited visibility techniques, and other topics appropriate to a discussion of wreck penetration:

What would "limited visibility techniques" be? Use of lines or compasses?

 

[rawls]

Anyone taken the PADI wreck specialty class? I'm trying to decide whether its worth the time/money. Have been on/in quite a few wrecks and interested in eventually moving to real penetration (rather than swim-throughs). As others here have indicated, am not looking for another card. Is the PADI class another card or is it a step towards penetration dives?

Thanks,

Hal

You can have too little training but never too much...