SSI Class - Failed

[Bappelt]

That's the easiest way I do it, and it's one of the ways I teach it. Especially underwater (all of the hoses and shoulder straps naturally fall into the right place while the BCD is over your head. I'm a little surprised you were buddy breathing while doing this skill. Sounds like combining skills to me. Maybe SSI allows for that. I don't, at least not till DM training.

That is not a required SSI skill. You have to be able to do the BCD removal and to be able to share air but not combined. Sounds like the instructor was going beyond the standards.

 

[MattJ]

It looks like you can submit a course review form on SSI's site.

 

[flots am]

In our case we were required to remove the BC and then fling the BC/tank over our heads and put it back on. Is this something natural that people do during training?

You're probably trolling, but in case you're not, that is not a required or optional skill for OW class. Not only am I surprised it was taught, I'm surprised it was allowed. The instructor's insurance company would have kittens if they ever saw him with a class full of students flinging tanks around.

Nobody has taught that in an OW class for years because it causes boats to be filled with flying tanks, and things getting broken and people getting hit. It's a hold-over from the days when tanks were smaller and lighter.

Even if you learned, it, I would recommend not doing it again unless you're on land, there's nobody nearby and it's a small tank.

flots.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

You're probably trolling, but in case you're not, that is not a required or optional skill for OW class. Not only am I surprised it was taught, I'm surprised it was allowed. The instructor's insurance company would have kittens if they ever saw him with a class full of students flinging tanks around.

Nobody has taught that in an OW class for years because it causes boats to be filled with flying tanks, and things getting broken and people getting hit. It's a hold-over from the days when tanks were smaller and lighter.

Even if you learned, it, I would recommend not doing it again unless you're on land, there's nobody nearby and it's a small tank.

flots.

He neved said this was done on land. It was done underwater while sharing air. While I do not require a student to do the overhead don underwater I do show them and they are free to choose between it and donning it jacket style. Only we do it while buddy breathing after doing it while sharing air using the octo. In the OW class anyway. DM class is buddy breathing only and all gear exchanged.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[flots am]

He neved said this was done on land. It was done underwater while sharing air.

I'm not sure that's much better.

There's less chance of whacking someone in the head underwater, but there are definitely easier ways to do it, and I can't imagine why anybody would do it while buddy breathing, which is another skill that's no longer taught.

Also, Buddy Breathing is not a required or optional skill for SSI.

flots.

 

[Tropicalwolf]

I'm not sure that's much better.

There's less chance of whacking someone in the head underwater, but there are definitely easier ways to do it, and I can't imagine why anybody would do it while buddy breathing, which is another skill that's no longer taught.

Also, Buddy Breathing is not a required or optional skill for SSI.

flots.

Actually, I remember the "overhead don" underwater being taught in OW AOW and RESCUE. No, not a requirement but the instructor demonstrated it. It is not at all dangerous if you take your time with it. Performing it on land (even thinking that it is possible) is absurd.

 

[rhwestfall]

Performing it on land (even thinking that it is possible) is absurd.

especially with doubles or a pony attached....... anyhow, now back to the topic....

 

[Chutton47]

This is a great idea!

Something interesting.
The most challenging exercise was to do shared breathing while removing the BC and putting it back on. Now the interesting part, I was looking on youtube at the different videos and in all the cases they would remove the BC and put it back on the way they removed it. In our case we were required to remove the BC and then fling the BC/tank over our heads and put it back on. Is this something natural that people do during training?

I used this dive shop to certify using the same groupon. We were the first class that was held after the groupon offer so I think he did not realize the money that he was going to be losing. The LDS owner's attitude is what loses him business. Myself and my girlfriend were the only ones to do our open water dives with him due to a upcoming vacation. We accepted the fact that we were going to be diving cold due to the time of year (march). But the instructor laughed at us and told us how nice and warm he was in his dry suit. We were diving 43 degree water at depth....49 at surface. I understand him diving dry to be able to help us but rubbing it in left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Also I did do the exact thing quoted above as part of our pool exercises. We did it every session after learning buddy breathing. I can say that it did build confidence but people weak under water had problems.

 

[nelsonrl]

Just to add another view,When I was certified, no one failed the course. Some were told they were not ready for the open water sessions and a few more pool sessions were required (which were offered free of charge), but no one failed. The shop owner refused my offer to pay extra for the extra pool sessions. Since my wife and I were trying to complete our certifications before a vacation, we also required private open water sessions, which the instructor also refused extra payment for.

I guess this is the difference between an ethical owner/instructor and someone who isn't quite as honest.

As a side note, I did leave more than a few bucks on the counter with the shop owner and told him to keep it or donate it to a worthy cause (he donated it).

I believe, the huge majority of those in the industry are in it to teach this wonderful sport to us, not get rich! I think that is clear just by the number of instructors on this site who contribute to our extended learning.

 

[cerich]

your instructor was a jerk, i won't dive with students dry if they are wet. When they get too cold they stop learning, if I'm dry I may push beyond reasonable exposure for the wet students. Being dressed in the same exposure protection prevents that. the ONLY exception would be if I had more dives to do (say a couple classes in a concurrent training situation) than my students, then I would have certified asistants in a wetsuits and barring that would limit the dives time wise to what is reasonable.

I used this dive shop to certify using the same groupon. We were the first class that was held after the groupon offer so I think he did not realize the money that he was going to be losing. The LDS owner's attitude is what loses him business. Myself and my girlfriend were the only ones to do our open water dives with him due to a upcoming vacation. We accepted the fact that we were going to be diving cold due to the time of year (march). But the instructor laughed at us and told us how nice and warm he was in his dry suit. We were diving 43 degree water at depth....49 at surface. I understand him diving dry to be able to help us but rubbing it in left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Also I did do the exact thing quoted above as part of our pool exercises. We did it every session after learning buddy breathing. I can say that it did build confidence but people weak under water had problems.