dorkito, I do that with our OW students in the pool. It's a fun exercise.
Reasons to take a propulsion/trim/buoyancy class...
- Thread starter The Chairman
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Totally agree with the article. I recently went on my first live-aboard trip ever (to N. Catalina islands) and was disappointed in the lack of trim control in almost all the divers I saw. Buoyancy was OK, but trim was fin dragging and kneeling on the bottom. It was even more obvious when I reviewed my GoPro videos. I thought the instructor(s) at least wouldn't silt up everything, but sadly I was wrong.
The more I read SB and see other divers the more IMHO training done on knees is building bad habits from the beginning. When I watch BSAC, GUE, UTD, and DIR style divers vs. the typical (insert your favorite mass-market rec scuba agency here) the more I want to emulate the style and grace of the former. This is from someone that FIRMLY believes that "one size does NOT fit all" and was/still am offended by the name "doing it right".
So if you exhibit the poor trim warning signs please do yourself, the reef, and your fellow divers a favor and learn proper non-silting and non-bottom/reef touching dive trim. If you take a class make sure the instructor can teach what you need to know. Of course you can use a mentor, or learn by observation and research.
The more I read SB and see other divers the more IMHO training done on knees is building bad habits from the beginning. When I watch BSAC, GUE, UTD, and DIR style divers vs. the typical (insert your favorite mass-market rec scuba agency here) the more I want to emulate the style and grace of the former. This is from someone that FIRMLY believes that "one size does NOT fit all" and was/still am offended by the name "doing it right".
So if you exhibit the poor trim warning signs please do yourself, the reef, and your fellow divers a favor and learn proper non-silting and non-bottom/reef touching dive trim. If you take a class make sure the instructor can teach what you need to know. Of course you can use a mentor, or learn by observation and research.
DevonDiver
N/A
Whilst GUE/UTD certainly drink the kool aid, I've more of an impression that BSAC divers drink the tea...with a triple fried egg sandwich.
I got told off during my sport diver course (bsac) for doing skills neutral and not on my knees. Didn't really care, kept doing it neutral.
No offense to BSAC divers, but the ones I have dived with showed no more (or less) buoyancy control than the 'standard' diver. Same goes for CMAS.
Buoyancy control and trim can come through 'self awareness' but this requires more time than the average diver gets to spend in the water over their lifetime. Diving over sandy or silty bottoms and then looking behind you can give you a good indication of your trim.
My trim was pretty good but it was critiqued by a cave diver instructor while I was in Sharm doing an 'intro to tech' course. This critique was extremely helpful to me- but I also analysed his analysis afterwards. Before that I had maybe a couple of thousand hours underwater.
Some students learn and respond during a session but quickly revert to 'old habits' without reinforcement from another diver. IME the introduction of a camera can make a nicely trimmed, relaxed diver in to a hard-breathing seahorse. Reinforcement of skills attained during a session is very important IMO. Normally one could just ask for a critique from a nicely-trimmed diver- they're usually happy to help as they know the 'beauty' of diving neutral and trimmed.
Buoyancy control and trim can come through 'self awareness' but this requires more time than the average diver gets to spend in the water over their lifetime. Diving over sandy or silty bottoms and then looking behind you can give you a good indication of your trim.
My trim was pretty good but it was critiqued by a cave diver instructor while I was in Sharm doing an 'intro to tech' course. This critique was extremely helpful to me- but I also analysed his analysis afterwards. Before that I had maybe a couple of thousand hours underwater.
Some students learn and respond during a session but quickly revert to 'old habits' without reinforcement from another diver. IME the introduction of a camera can make a nicely trimmed, relaxed diver in to a hard-breathing seahorse. Reinforcement of skills attained during a session is very important IMO. Normally one could just ask for a critique from a nicely-trimmed diver- they're usually happy to help as they know the 'beauty' of diving neutral and trimmed.
dbulmer
Contributor
No self respecting UK diver should be seen with a triple fried sandwich.
That's a disgrace !
No, it should be triple fried egg sandwich PLUS sausage or bacon for non BSAC divers (+ sauce for BSAC divers)
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Give me two pool sessions if you're a non-diver or one if you're a diver. You won't be perfect, but you'll have the tools to get mostly there in another 10-20 dives.
I will be the first one to say that my time with NetDoc has made me a much better diver. Not only do I finally have good trim but I have learned the art of being able to control my buoyancy with my breathing instead of constantly using my inflator and then dumping air. I am also much more aware of my position in the water and what impact I am making (or trying not to make) on the reef.
Before this class, I was using my inflator regularly, was almost vertical, and was constantly silting up the bottom. Now I can control my position with my breathing, am pretty horizontal, and barely stir up the silt. Well worth your time to take a trim/propulsion/buoyancy class no matter who you were certified with.
Ok, I only know a couple of BSAC divers. In both cases they have great trim, and except for differences in equipment I don't see a TRIM difference between the UTD/GUE/DIR style of diver (didn't say trained by that agency, just style). The several divers from mass market US rec diving agencies I've been with since getting my Divemaster have left me underwhelmed at first. Not that they aren't trainable. In the space of a few dives (so far no more than 6) I have gotten the 4 I've mentored from vertical, constantly kicking to maintain depth, and constantly sculling to reasonably horizontal trim, little to no sculling, breath control buoyancy, and non-silting kicks. This is just during regular pleasure diving and I'm not an instructor. So with the right instructor and a willing student it shouldn't be hard for the student to improve in these areas with just a few sessions.
Doubler
Contributor
The Primary reason to get AOW is so that you can go on dives that require it. In many cases a GOOD dive mentor is better than a class with 10 other students. What you are doing is the correct course of action.
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