(Penetration) Wreck Diving With Single Tanks

[mrobinson]

Hey Divenut2001. You're smarter than I. I did a wreck penerations course. All the dives were with single tanks. Something about it never sat well with me. Only later did I learn about all the other issues about penerations without extra air. My PADI instructors taught me reel deployment at least. It was great times but things could have gone really wrong - really quick. Scuba is supposed to be safe and fun, your decision will help continue it. Better training is out there.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I have several concerns about courses like the PADI wreck specialty. First off an instructor can qualify to teach it by having certified 25 divers (qualified to teach specialties) and documenting that they have done 20 wreck dives. They can then teach the optional penetration part of the class even though they may not have ever penetrated a wreck or been taught reel/line use themselves. The PADI wreck class does not require the indepth line work on the surface that say...cavern training requires. The other concern is of course the equipment allowed although it is consistant with most cavern courses I think.

 

[nova]

a single 80cuft with an H valve, limited penatration, no restrictions(so a long hose isn't needed), I'm sure you won't be out of sight of daylight, so this is just a small overveiw of wreck penatration. It's my opinion that every course can teach a diver something .

 

[MikeFerrara]

a single 80cuft with an H valve, limited penatration, no restrictions(so a long hose isn't needed), I'm sure you won't be out of sight of daylight, so this is just a small overveiw of wreck penatration. It's my opinion that every course can teach a diver something .

At least in the PADI course, an h-valve isn't required and, in fact, the course isn't designed to teach valve manipulation nor is there any requirement that the instructor be trained in valve manipulation or in teaching it. The penetration restrictions are similar to cavern training and the dive must take place within the lighted zone. However, the anti-silting technique skill requirements are also lax (more like non-existant) so the lighted zone could become unlighted in a hurry. Personally, I could never recommend the course as an introduction to overhead environment diving.

On the plus side, the wording of the text does more to discourage penetration than to encourage it.

 

[nova]

At least in the PADI course, an h-valve isn't required and, in fact, the course isn't designed to teach valve manipulation nor is there any requirement that the instructor be trained in valve manipulation or in teaching it. The penetration restrictions are similar to cavern training and the dive must take place within the lighted zone. However, the anti-silting technique skill requirements are also lax (more like non-existant) so the lighted zone could become unlighted in a hurry. Personally, I could never recommend the course as an introduction to overhead environment diving.

On the plus side, the wording of the text does more to discourage penetration than to encourage it.

maybe this whole course is designed to teach a diver "what not to do" and the danger associated with overhead. I'm wondering if they place any value on accident analisis?

 

[MikeFerrara]

maybe this whole course is designed to teach a diver "what not to do" and the danger associated with overhead. I'm wondering if they place any value on accident analisis?

Accident analysis isn't mentioned in course materials. As you may gather, when I was a PADI instructor I was certified to teach this class. I was also certified to teach it (and did) prior to having any overhead training myself which is how I came to have the opinions I do.

I'm certainly not saying that taking the class or even doing the penetration dive is some kind of default death sentance but rather only that I disagree with the standards. If the skill requirements were more like the cavern course I would be more on-board with it (although I see PADI cavern instructor requirements as a bit lax also). And yes I was a PADI cavern instructor also although I never taught the course. I started a few people with dry land line work and OW work and handed them off to real cave instructors. Point being that if you are at least intro certified and document 20 cave/cavern dives then you can teach cavern diving. That's a bit easier than the requirements of the cave training agencies I think. I guess whether that's a good thing or not is a matter of opinion. I knoe that at the time I didn't feel that I should be teaching in a cave so I didn't but I got the card because I could.

BTW, after my own cave training I started showing the video "A Deceptively Easy Way to Die" to every student who hadn't seen it. While a bit gloomy it does a great job of illustrating what can go wrong. For those who haven't seen it, it's hosted by Lamar Hires and produced by DSAT. You can probably purchase it through PADI or the NSS-CDS. IMO, every diver (especially new divers) should see it.

 

[ghrousseau]

A LDS I know is going to be conducting a Wreck Diving Penetration Course using single 80cf tanks. From everything I've read about entering overhead environments this is "not" a good idea. Also they will not be using long hoses or carrying any additional tanks with them. I have decided "not" to take this course. Comments please!

Since you are in CA, I am curious which wrecks were going to be visited for the prospective class?

 

[Tom Yerian]

How deep ---How far ?