Yet another new DM candidate--PADI

[twinkles]

I officially started a week ago when I paid my money and attended the first lecture. But I had gotten my materials and did all the knowledge reviews in the Dive Master book ahead of time. Second lecture was last night. I have been going to the YMCA swimming--I anticipated that the stamina exercises, especially the 400 yard swim would be the gating issue for me. This morning I did the 400 yard in 10:09 at the YMCA; 10:09 is good for 2 points so I am as good as home free for the 12 points I will need.

Tread should be 5 pionts
800 snorkle should be 3 plus points
Diver tow should be an easy 3 plus points
400 yard swim 2 points
equals 13 points

I want to knock another 10 seconds off my time on that 400 yard swim though just for ego (so I can get the three points). I asked my instructor to let me save the 400 yard swim till last to give me a bit more time to practice.

I plan to do the tread on Monday morning.

 

[Don Wray]

The 800 meter snorkel was the worst for me....like to have killed my ankles. Good luck and have fun.

 

[pir8]

Good luck with it. Don't let the swims overwhelm you. Just get them done and move on to the practical stuff.

 

[SharkDZ]

In my course we did the 15min. tread, the 800m snorkel, then the 100m tow. We saved the 400m swim for last, at which point we all had 12 or 13pts. going in to the swim. That meant all we had to do was finish it. Of course, we all swam hard and earned descent points.

 

[diverdowndh]

On the 400 yard swim - how do you know it is only good for 2 points? I am a DM candidate and need to start practicing my swims also... where do you see the times and/or scores?

 

[Don Wray]

From the Instructor's manual:

Stamina Exercise 1: 400 Metre/Yard Swim
The candidate must swim 400 metres/yards without stopping using no
swimming aids and using any stroke or combination of strokes desired.
If a candidate stops, the exercise is incomplete and must be repeated.
400 yards
Time Points
under 6 min 5
6 to 8 min 4
8 to 10 min 3
10 to 12 min 2
more than 12 min 1
stopped incomplete stopped

Stamina Exercise 2: 15 Minute Tread
Using no aids and wearing only a swimsuit, the candidate will stay
afloat by treading water, drown proofing, bobbing or floating for 15
minutes, with hands (not arms) out of the water during the last 2 minutes.
A candidate with a physical challenge that makes it difficult/impossible
to hold hands out of the water is exempted from that portion
of the exercise with no effect on the score.

Criteria Points
Performed satisfactorily 5
Stayed afloat, but hands not out of water entire 2 minutes 3
Used side/bottom for momentary support no more than twice 1
Used side/bottom for support more than twice incomplete

Stamina Exercise 3: 800 Metre/Yard Snorkel Swim
Using a mask, fins, snorkel and swimsuit only (no BCD or flotation
aids) and swimming with the face in the water, the candidate must
swim nonstop for 800 metres/yards. The candidate may not use arms
to swim, unless the candidate has a physical challenge that limits leg
use and arm-swimming is the individual’s normal swimming method
while diving. If a candidate stops, the exercise is incomplete and must be repeated.

800 yards
Time Points Time
under 13 min 5
13 to 15 min 4
15 to 17 min 3
17 to 19 min 2
more than 19 min 1
stopped incomplete stopped

Stamina Exercise 4: 100 Metres/Yard Inert Diver Tow
Wearing full scuba equipment, the candidate must push or tow an inert
diver in full scuba at the surface 100 metres/yards nonstop without
assistance. Note that this is a swimming power evaluation (speed-against-drag)
not a rescue evaluation. If a candidate stops, the exercise is incomplete and must
be repeated.
100 yards
Time Points
under 2 min 5
2 to 3 min 4
3 to 4 min 3
4 to 5 min 2
more than 5 min 1
stopped incomplete stopped

 

[diverdowndh]

Ah, that is the piece that I have yet to install - the Instructors manual I could not get my PC to read, and need to download it. Thank you though, I should have known that answer from the Chapter 3 test!

 

[b1gcountry]

We did ours in an indoor pool in St Louis in February after a 5 day power outage. The water temperature was about 60 degrees, and the instructor decided that even a 3mm shorty would be considered a swimming aid. My first lap of the swim could be adequately described as the Cuss-Stroke. After two laps, I warmed up and managed a decent time.

By the way, the scoring from 1-5 is almost completely arbitrary, and has no bearing on actual swimming ability. In 1924, the Olympic Gold medal for the 400M Freestyle was won with a time of 6:02. You need to do better than that to get a 5, but 11:59 can be done with practically no swimming ability whatsoever, and it is still passing.

Most Life guard tests require a 3:30 time in the 200 yards, and the ability to swim 1000 yards without stopping using any stroke. I think that's a better place to start than using this 1-5 crap, where 5 is unrealistic to anyone who wasn't on a college swim team, and a 1 means you are just competent enough not to drown.

 

[twinkles]

I have been practicing at the YMCA like I mentioned. Last night I got my best time ever in the 800 yard snorkle swim 13:16 and on Sunday I got a 10:17 in the 400 yard swim. So I am 16 seconds away from 5 points in the snorkle swim and 17 seconds off 3 points in the 400 yard swim.

I got my 5 points in the tread yesterday morning. So all in all I am good to go to get the 12 points. But for pride I sure would like to get 5 pionts in the snorkle and 3 in the 400 yard swim.

I have been told that the times allowed for the diver tow are actually easier than the 800 yard snorkle. So I am assuming however many points I can get in the snorkle (currently 4) I can get in the diver tow.

 

[b1gcountry]

Well, that is great that you're pushing yourself. I know a lot of people don't really care how they do as long as they pass them...

For the diver tow, one thing to consider is where you do it. The fins on shoulders approach is faster (arguably), but if you are doing it in the pool, I found it incredibly difficult to turn around. I think I did pretty good, but I still only got a 3. It was somewhat unrealistic to be doing it in a pool.