Required skills for Open Water

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Jill from Phoenix

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Messages
282
Reaction score
95
Location
Coronado, CA
I'm looking for a clarification for the standards for SDI Open Water Scuba Diver. Is performance of all listed skills required in open water? Or is it sufficient to perform in confined water only? Specifically, is out of air controlled swimming ascent required in open water?

Thanks in advance!
 
I'm used to introducing all skills in confined water and then repeating performance in open water. I'm working with an outfit that that is introducing some skills in confined water, but not performing them in open. The SDI standards don't really clarify if the skill has to be performed in open water, but it seems logical to me.
 
I think in my SDI OW we only did CESA in the pool.
 
My SDI OW 6 years ago had a horizontal CESA in the pool. Vertical in open water.
 
While it is on the list as required, and I always did it, I hated every single one. It is risky for the student and the instructor from a physiological standpoint just in relation to the ears.
Let alone the lung overexpansion issue.
It's also a leftover from j valves, no SPGs, and lack of proper buddy procedures.
Every skill on the slate in open water makes sense in some way. Except this one.
The teaching slates have all the required skills for open and confined water. You do have some flexibility as to when you do them.
If the operation is not performing all the skills, you have to ask, what other corners are they cutting?
 
I'm not that familiar with SDI Standards. I have seen the slates, but I attributed the omission to SDI "flexibility". I'll follow up with headquarters, but what I am understanding from these responses is that every skill is required to be performed again in open water. Right now, I think the only other one they're missing is oral inflation for neutral buoyancy.

Regarding CESA, do SDI instructors typically use a line to break the ascent if needed?

Thanks, everyone.
 
My SDI OW 6 years ago had a horizontal CESA in the pool. Vertical in open water.
I was certified through PADI, and that is how we did it as well.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom