Quiz - Skills & Environment - Overweighted Diver

[Pedro Burrito]

From the PADI Dive Theory Exam. We have not looked at any questions in the S&E portion of the exam. I might regret starting now!

When a diver is overweighted, the diver will:

I will post a daily question from my exams to help newer divers and to encourage more experienced divers to interact gracefully and helpfully with the newer divers.

Reminder - this is a post in the Basic Forum and it is a green zone. Please be nice and on topic.

Thank you for your patience while we try to give people something to discuss other than Covid-19 and/or Politics. I will post the answer covered by the spoiler tag later today.

 

[KenGordon]

Why can’t b and c be rue at the same time?

 

[tursiops]

Why can’t b and c be rue at the same time?

Because you shouldn't be resting on the bottom.

 

[loosenit2]

e. more easily get their specialty certification for bottom kneeling.

 

[Scuba-74]

Why can’t b and c be rue at the same time?

Because if for some reason a diver finds it necessary to lay on the bottom, he/she should have no problem doing it without being overweighted.

 

[KenGordon]

Because if for some reason a diver finds it necessary to lay on the bottom, he/she should have no problem doing it without being overweighted.

Fair point.

 

[kelemvor]

Because you shouldn't be resting on the bottom.

Have you ever seen a photographer underwater? That's one of those things that are taught but I don't think I've seen very many people following.

 

[tursiops]

Have you ever seen a photographer underwater? That's one of those things that are taught but I don't think I've seen very many people following.

Yeah, but it's a worst practice, not a best practice.

 

[Scraps]

I'd have liked the question more if the right answer included more of the negative consequences of overweighting.

We all know that some (many? most?) instructors deliberately overweight their open water students, believing that doing so is the best way to anchor them in one spot long enough to demonstrate skills.

As a result, many people think some overweighting has no significant downside. I've heard a lot of people say it's better to be overweighted than underweighted. I tend to disagree, because an underweighted diver can quickly diagnose and solve the problem before the dive begins, but an overweighted diver deals with the consequences of his or her problem for the entire dive.

That's why I'd have liked an "all of the above" question that spelled out that overweighted divers have more difficulty making controlled descents, controlled ascents, and any incremental vertical changes in the water column; are more likely to damage the marine environment and themselves by bumping into stuff; and are more likely to unintentionally drift away above or below their buddies--in addition to moving less efficiently through the water.

 

[tursiops]

We all know that some (many? most?) instructors deliberately overweight their open water students, believing that doing so is the best way to anchor them in one spot long enough to demonstrate skills.

This is certainly a popular statement. But how true is it? Is there real evidence for it? Or is it just in the category of,
"Face mask on your forehead means you are panicked."

P.S. All "Face mask on your forehead" REALLY means is you are likely to lose your face mask.