Passing the Swim Test

[dmaziuk]

Now I get what zombie diver specialty is there for.

 

[TMHeimer]

You really don't even have to stay afloat. Your 10 minutes could be spent in a series of free dives to the bottom of the pool and back.

Yeah, makes sense. BUT, I assume that varies quite a lot with instructors. One instructor a DMd for said drown-proofing was not allowed in her OW course. MY DM "mentor" instructor failed to even mention drown-proofing to me.
ie.---"What is a float, a proper 200 metre swim, etc."? And what do they prove? All such silly stuff for someone like me who snorkeled to depths 30+ years prior to taking OW.

Seriously John, how many instructors have you met that would allow diving down during the 10 minute float? Maybe some, but I never saw it. Crap, that would've been a piece of cake for me. And what about that silly "hands out" for the last 2 minutes of the 15 min. DM course float?

If you can snorkel/free dive to the bottom of the pool once, you can do it a thousand times. What does that say about a "10 minute float"?

 

[kmarks]

If you can snorkel/free dive to the bottom of the pool once, you can do it a thousand times. What does that say about a "10 minute float"?

If you can float for 10 minutes, you can float for ten thousand minutes?

If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball?

 

[Neilwood]

Yeah, makes sense. BUT, I assume that varies quite a lot with instructors. One instructor a DMd for said drown-proofing was not allowed in her OW course. MY DM "mentor" instructor failed to even mention drown-proofing to me.
ie.---"What is a float, a proper 200 metre swim, etc."? And what do they prove? All such silly stuff for someone like me who snorkeled to depths 30+ years prior to taking OW.

Seriously John, how many instructors have you met that would allow diving down during the 10 minute float? Maybe some, but I never saw it. Crap, that would've been a piece of cake for me. And what about that silly "hands out" for the last 2 minutes of the 15 min. DM course float?

If you can snorkel/free dive to the bottom of the pool once, you can do it a thousand times. What does that say about a "10 minute float"?

It all comes down to knowing the standards and being able to "discuss" the point with the instructor.
Found PADI standards for OW water skills assessment and all it says is with regards to the 10 minute test is

Before Open Water Dive 2, have student divers demonstrate that they can comfortably maintain themselves in water too deep in which to stand by completing a 10-minute swim/float without using any swim aids.

It says nothing about where the student is in relation to the surface during the test so if you have the standard with you at the time of the test, you should be able to argue the point successfully. The instructor might not like your viewpoint and it might be that the standard should be rewritten to state "on the surface" but as it stands it is open IMHO.

Interestingly the 200m swim is different:

At some point before certification, have students complete a 200 metre/yard continuous surface swim or a 300 metre/yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel.

Which to me reads that the 200m MUST be on the surface but the 300m can be either on the surface or underwater or a combination of both (should you choose to duck dive for a length or two on the 300m test, they should not fail you).

 

[dmaziuk]

And what about that silly "hands out" for the last 2 minutes of the 15 min. DM course float?

How else are you going to wave frantically to the boat with complete BC failure? That's a water polo drill, I can still hold a 10lb brick above my head -- but these days I only have enough cardio for 40-50 seconds tops.

 

[boulderjohn]

Yeah, makes sense. BUT, I assume that varies quite a lot with instructors. One instructor a DMd for said drown-proofing was not allowed in her OW course. MY DM "mentor" instructor failed to even mention drown-proofing to me.
ie.---"What is a float, a proper 200 metre swim, etc."? And what do they prove? All such silly stuff for someone like me who snorkeled to depths 30+ years prior to taking OW.

Seriously John, how many instructors have you met that would allow diving down during the 10 minute float? Maybe some, but I never saw it. Crap, that would've been a piece of cake for me. And what about that silly "hands out" for the last 2 minutes of the 15 min. DM course float?

If you can snorkel/free dive to the bottom of the pool once, you can do it a thousand times. What does that say about a "10 minute float"?

I am just telling you what the standards are. If an instructor puts additional requirements on the exercise that are not in the standards and fails the student because of it, then the instructor is violating standards. I can;t imagine anyone would want to do 10 minutes of free diving, but there is no rule against it.

As for me, I had the students tread water next to the edge of the pool for the first 5 minutes while I talked to them about things they needed to know about the upcoming class activities. After that I just let them do whatever they wanted to do.

 

[northernone]

It all comes down to knowing the standards and being able to "discuss" the point with the instructor.
Found PADI standards for OW water skills assessment and all it says is with regards to the 10 minute test is

It says nothing about where the student is in relation to the surface during the test so if you have the standard with you at the time of the test, you should be able to argue the point successfully. The instructor might not like your viewpoint and it might be that the standard should be rewritten to state "on the surface" but as it stands it is open IMHO.

Interestingly the 200m swim is different:

Which to me reads that the 200m MUST be on the surface but the 300m can be either on the surface or underwater or a combination of both (should you choose to duck dive for a length or two on the 300m test, they should not fail you).

Sound logical to me, meets the purpose of the standard I think.


MY DM swim/float test instruction was given as "Get in the water, don't drown or touch anything until I come back"

...given the quality of my instructor, I'm not sure it was a sign of his open minded application of the precise meaning of the standards or he just wanted to go flirt with the better looking student doing paperwork and wanted to keep me occupied.

 

[dorkdiver]

Perhaps a mix of all of the above

 

[boulderjohn]

MY DM swim/float test instruction was given as "Get in the water, don't drown or touch anything until I come back"

The DM requirement is different in that it specifies part of that time must be spent with hands out of the water.

 

[TMHeimer]

How else are you going to wave frantically to the boat with complete BC failure? That's a water polo drill, I can still hold a 10lb brick above my head -- but these days I only have enough cardio for 40-50 seconds tops.

Right. But you can wave a bit then put your hand(s) and arm(s) back in the water in that situation. On the DM float hands must continuously be out of water for the entire last 2 minutes--leaving only legs as a means of treading water to stay afloat. And that is after 13 minutes of treading/floating with hands in the water.