Required knots?

[RJP]

Clarification:

Knots are not required practically for DM but there are questions on the PADI DiveMaster exams about which is the appropriate knot to tie for a given situation.

Hmm...I must have missed those questions.

 

[Crowley]

There are two sets of exams and I think there's only one question on knots and it's in the Dive Skills and Enviroment exam - I can't honestly remember off the top of my head and I don't have the exam booklet to hand at the moment. I will check tomorrow.

I agree that it's good knowledge and a good skill to have - and I actually have a certain nerdy fascination with knots myself (it happens!) - it will come in handy at some point - it's not required, however.

happy knotting!

C.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Clarification:

Knots are taught in the PADI Search and Recovery Adventure Dive and Specialty classes. They are not required practically for DM but there are questions on the PADI DiveMaster exams about which is the appropriate knot to tie for a given situation.

There is no reason I can think of where a DM should be absolutely required to be able to tie knots unless they are assisting on a course or involved with running the boat. If you're running the boat then hopefully you've learned something from the captain - and for goodness sake, even if you don't, these things are not hard to do - so learn, dammit!

The three knots - sheet bend, bowline and two half hitches - cropped up at every Instructor exam I ever attended - if you don't know them then it's a *really* easy way to fail somebody else.

You don't necessarily need to know them as a DM (but it will help) - but of course you *will* need them as an instructor.

grogs knots is a great website - use it and learn...!

C.

I was at an IE in East Texas this past November? and there was a canidate that had to teach how to tie a bowline and use a lift bag. He did not know what a lift bag was and had never been taught any knots. I loaned him a lift bag and he studied on the internet the night before how to tie a bowline.

Clearly someone be it the CD or IDC staff instructors failed to review the material/skills. This guy did fine in his classroom and confined water skills and presentations. Just did not have clue about the others. Luckily he was smart and a fast learner.

 

[scubasully]

So how the IE works is that outside examiners arrive and give practical tests on anything from your training (or what should have been part of your training)? I thought it was a 2 day written exam. Is it all practical or is there a written component, too? Sounds pretty neat in concept, but kind of intimidating when you're the one who is going to be taking it!

 

[knotical]

So how the IE works is that outside examiners arrive and give practical tests on anything from your training (or what should have been part of your training)? I thought it was a 2 day written exam. Is it all practical or is there a written component, too? Sounds pretty neat in concept, but kind of intimidating when you're the one who is going to be taking it!

Two exams. One on standards and the other a 5-parter on physics, physiology, the RDP, equipment and skills & environment.

Three presentations to simulated students, in classroom, pool, and open water

A rescue demo and a 5 skills demo.

Prepare conscientiously, which you appear to already be doing, and with the help of a good IDC, you should have no problem. It's only as intimidating as you allow it to be.

 

[scubasully]

so the story Jim told about a candidate being asked to tie a bowline to a liftbag would be an example of one of the 5 skill demos or one of the 3 presentations to simulated students?

It's only as intimidating as you allow it to be.

You're right on about that, but thanks for the reminder. I finished the DM Manual today and all the knowledge reviewes, but then started to have a little anxiety while flipping through the appendix. I think I'm going to write all those questions out on index cards and carry them around with me the same way I used to study my Italian vocab. I can make piles of what I know cold, what I know but have to take a minute to recall, and what I need to look up again.

I'll punch holes in the upper right corners of each card and tie each stack of cards together using 3 different knots!

 

[TMHeimer]

I found 3 knots in the Adventures in Diving Manual in the Search & Recovery section, and it tells you what they are for. For memorizing the procedures in the DM manual I'm using acronyms, as I was advised to do that for the EFR course. It also worked for the Rescue manual stuff.

 

[scubasully]

Hey TMHeimer - go to youtube.com, do a search on practically any knot name, and watch videos of people demonstrating knot tying.

The Grog site rocks, too, but this is just another way to get some info. Start carrying some rope around with you, too. I tie knots to my steering wheel during red lights these days.

 

[AzAtty]

so the story Jim told about a candidate being asked to tie a bowline to a liftbag would be an example of one of the 5 skill demos or one of the 3 presentations to simulated students?

The lift bag rigging is one of two open water presentations a candidate must conduct. The open water presentations can be drawn from OW, AOW, and Rescue courses.

 

[DBailey]

As a DM is it required? No. I would highly recommend it though. Besides the actual possible uses for the knots, you might be assisting with the AOW-search and recovery or the S&R specialty, and knowing the knots would benefit the class and instructor.

You need to know the knots for the IDC/IE. Will you be tested on the knots? Maybe. If you are assigned the AOW-S&R skills as part of your demonstration, then yes, you'll need to know the knot. During the IDC and IE, I never had a knot scenario.

I didn't know any of the knots before the IDC. One of my classmates taught me the knots at the bar. As everyone else showed up at the bar, both of us were teaching the knots to the rest of our classmates. Some people got my description/demonstration of the knot better than the other guy and vice versa.