| |
| 03 May 2008 06:05:15 |
| barnegatdx |
| Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
All: ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. Opinions on two day certification programs? |
| 03 May 2008 14:42:04 |
| Ron Lee |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
barnegatdx <barnegatdx@aol.com > wrote: >All: > >ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > >two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > >Opinions on two day certification programs? It may be two days of classes/pools. You then need two days of dives then to get certified. I see no problem with it. Ron |
| 03 May 2008 08:10:05 |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 3, 9:05 am, barnegatdx <barnega...@aol.com > wrote: > All: > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > > two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > Opinions on two day certification programs? It's called the Learn to DIE program, and is killing all segments of the industry except the agency offering it. |
| 03 May 2008 16:19:02 |
| Adam Helberg |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"barnegatdx" <barnegatdx@aol.com > wrote in message news:0bc710d3-8c64-416d-80a4-d335ce28585d@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > All: > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > > two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > Opinions on two day certification programs? > Usually what people do is pool and classroom at home and then get a referral to do the open water part elsewhere. There are some motor skills involved and trying to cram them into two days is not wise. Adam |
| 03 May 2008 17:46:18 |
| Star |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 3, 4:19 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com > wrote: > "barnegatdx" <barnega...@aol.com> wrote in message > > news:0bc710d3-8c64-416d-80a4-d335ce28585d@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > > > All: > > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > > > two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > > Opinions on two day certification programs? > > Usually what people do is pool and classroom at home and then get a referral to do > the open water part elsewhere. There are some motor skills involved and trying to > cram them into two days is not wise. > > Adam yup. You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either of those will kill you, * "She's very much more than a dive babe, but they don't have a name for it on this planet yet. " ~ Douglas W. Popeye Frederick |
| 03 May 2008 20:52:42 |
| Douglas W. Popeye Frederick |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"barnegatdx" <barnegatdx@aol.com > wrote in message news:0bc710d3-8c64-416d-80a4-d335ce28585d@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > All: > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > > two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > Opinions on two day certification programs? I'd need more info on exactly what you mean, i.e., are they going to -certify- in Thailand? Short courses work out great for many people. -- -- A skilled, armed man lives on a plane of security and contentment different from that of others. The man who cannot cut it, envies, fears and sometimes hates the man who can. -Cooper Popeye/ www.finalprotectivefire.com |
| 03 May 2008 17:55:04 |
| Greg Mossman |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 3, 5:46=A0pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com > wrote: > You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your > gear. =A0Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis > stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either > of those will kill you, You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. |
| 03 May 2008 20:25:15 |
| news |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"barnegatdx" <barnegatdx@aol.com > wrote in message news:0bc710d3-8c64-416d-80a4-d335ce28585d@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > All: > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > > two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > Opinions on two day certification programs? I have done 2 day classes with a referral for the open water dives. It really depends on the person doing the course, how comfortable they are in the water, how fit they are, how well they can perform the skills, etc. It's definately not for everyone and I've gotten nothing but positive feedback on how well trained my students were for their open water dives. |
| 03 May 2008 21:54:03 |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 3, 7:19 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com > wrote: > Usually what people do is pool and classroom at home and then get a referral to do > the open water part elsewhere. There are some motor skills involved and trying to > cram them into two days is not wise. > I don't think that's what he's talking about. Three years ago at a PADI member forum, they outlined the scenario where, in places where open water is in close proximity to the pool/classroom, someone walks into a dive shop with an interest on Friday afternoon, and goes home Sunday night (as in less than 60 hours later) with an OW Cert. Each OW dive is done immediately after the corresponding module is completed. |
| 04 May 2008 05:13:24 |
| -hh |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
barnegatdx <barnega...@aol.com > wrote: > All: > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification > into two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > Opinions on two day certification programs? It is possible for 2 Day certification programs to work, but only if your family name is Custeau and for whatever reason, Dad never got around to issuing you a C-Card. For everyone else, its a horribly bad idea. The individuals who can 'pick up' diving quickly have the starting basis that they already have significant watermanship skills, already are superior snorkelers, already have a good familiarity with scuba gear, and have already breezed through (not merely "passed") High School Physics, etc. The 'folks' you ran into are either utterly ignorant, amazingly stupid, or PT Barnum's best sucker customer. Avoid them. If they don't literally kill themselves, they'll be reef-crashers, causing injury to both themselves and the dive environment. -hh |
| 04 May 2008 06:34:00 |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 4, 8:13 am, -hh <recscuba_goo...@huntzinger.com > wrote: > barnegatdx <barnega...@aol.com> wrote: > > All: > > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification > > into two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > > Opinions on two day certification programs? > > It is possible for 2 Day certification programs to work, but only if > your family name is Custeau and for whatever reason, Dad never got > around to issuing you a C-Card. For everyone else, its a horribly bad > idea. > > The individuals who can 'pick up' diving quickly have the starting > basis that they already have significant watermanship skills, already > are superior snorkelers, already have a good familiarity with scuba > gear, and have already breezed through (not merely "passed") High > School Physics, etc. To that I would add highly exceptional individuals who are good swimmers and comfortable in the water. My uncle went from high school diploma to masters degree in two years, but I doubt 99% of the population could do that, even with his extreme motivation (he graduated high school in 1941) |
| 04 May 2008 16:52:07 |
| mat.voss |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
Greg Mossman wrote: > On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: > > >>You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your >>gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis >>stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either >>of those will kill you, > > > You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. You shared training lessons with John Francis? Matthias |
| 04 May 2008 09:38:45 |
| Greg Mossman |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 4, 7:52=A0am, "mat.voss" <spammat.v...@gmx.de > wrote: > Greg Mossman wrote: > > On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: > > >>You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your > >>gear. =A0Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis > >>stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either > >>of those will kill you, > > > You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. > > You shared training lessons with John Francis? He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my grandmother a black eye once. |
| 04 May 2008 19:07:44 |
| mat.voss |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
Greg Mossman wrote: > On May 4, 7:52 am, "mat.voss" <spammat.v...@gmx.de> wrote: > >>Greg Mossman wrote: >> >>>On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>>>You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your >>>>gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis >>>>stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either >>>>of those will kill you, >> >>>You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. >> >>You shared training lessons with John Francis? > > > He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in > the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my > grandmother a black eye once. Happens. A friend slit his eyebrow on his own service. Luckily his partner was a GP, after some stitches he was able to continue the game. Matthias |
| 04 May 2008 17:40:48 |
| Joe English |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
Greg Mossman wrote: > On May 4, 7:52 am, "mat.voss" <spammat.v...@gmx.de> wrote: >> Greg Mossman wrote: >>> On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your >>>> gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis >>>> stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either >>>> of those will kill you, >>> You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. >> You shared training lessons with John Francis? > > He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in > the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my > grandmother a black eye once. I remember as a youngster, someone knocking Jimmy Connors' mom's teeth out with a tennis racket - she thought it was time for Jimmy to practice at the local public courts |
| 04 May 2008 22:46:01 |
| Dan Bracuk |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
dweebgs@gmail.com pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :It's called the Learn to DIE program, and is killing all segments of :the industry except the agency offering it. Like the rival agencies? Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. ----== Posted via Pronews.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.pronews.comThe #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! >100,000 Newsgroups ---= - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
| 05 May 2008 13:09:27 |
| dechucka |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"mat.voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de > wrote in message news:fvkqi4$u9g$00$1@news.t-online.com... > > > Greg Mossman wrote: > >> On May 4, 7:52 am, "mat.voss" <spammat.v...@gmx.de> wrote: >> >>>Greg Mossman wrote: >>> >>>>On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>>>You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your >>>>>gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis >>>>>stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either >>>>>of those will kill you, >>> >>>>You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. >>> >>>You shared training lessons with John Francis? >> >> >> He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in >> the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my >> grandmother a black eye once. > > Happens. A friend slit his eyebrow on his own service. Luckily his partner > was a GP, after some stitches he was able to continue the game. did he use the catgut out of his partners racket? |
| 05 May 2008 13:24:39 |
| mat.voss |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
dechucka wrote: > "mat.voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message > news:fvkqi4$u9g$00$1@news.t-online.com... > >> >>Greg Mossman wrote: >> >> >>>On May 4, 7:52 am, "mat.voss" <spammat.v...@gmx.de> wrote: >>> >>> >>>>Greg Mossman wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>>On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>>>You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your >>>>>>gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis >>>>>>stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either >>>>>>of those will kill you, >>>> >>>>>You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. >>>> >>>>You shared training lessons with John Francis? >>> >>> >>>He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in >>>the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my >>>grandmother a black eye once. >> >>Happens. A friend slit his eyebrow on his own service. Luckily his partner >>was a GP, after some stitches he was able to continue the game. > > > did he use the catgut out of his partners racket? From his way of moving, I suppose roogut. Matthias |
| 05 May 2008 04:40:18 |
| Star |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 3, 9:54 pm, dwee...@gmail.com wrote: > On May 3, 7:19 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com> wrote: > > > Usually what people do is pool and classroom at home and then get a referral to do > > the open water part elsewhere. There are some motor skills involved and trying to > > cram them into two days is not wise. > > I don't think that's what he's talking about. Three years ago at a > PADI member forum, they outlined the scenario where, in places where > open water is in close proximity to the pool/classroom, someone walks > into a dive shop with an interest on Friday afternoon, and goes home > Sunday night (as in less than 60 hours later) with an OW Cert. Each > OW dive is done immediately after the corresponding module is > completed. An SSI shop I once knew was next to a quarry (no not Gilboa, this one was 22 ft deep tops.) There was a ledge about 4 ft wide in about 6 ft of water at one end. Their MO was to do 2 hours or so of classroom, then take students out and suit them up. They'd snorkel to the end of the quarry with the ledge, do skills there, then swim over to the 20 ft deep part and do their "open water dive." This took 5 evenings, from 5 PM until 11 PM. How are ya? * |
| 05 May 2008 10:17:13 |
| Adam Helberg |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
<dweebgs@gmail.com > wrote in message news:5f51a357-7441-4b74-a168-d2b3fd46b394@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com... > On May 3, 7:19 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com> wrote: >> Usually what people do is pool and classroom at home and then get a referral to do >> the open water part elsewhere. There are some motor skills involved and trying to >> cram them into two days is not wise. >> > > I don't think that's what he's talking about. Three years ago at a > PADI member forum, they outlined the scenario where, in places where > open water is in close proximity to the pool/classroom, someone walks > into a dive shop with an interest on Friday afternoon, and goes home > Sunday night (as in less than 60 hours later) with an OW Cert. Each > OW dive is done immediately after the corresponding module is > completed. I don't think this is safe and I'm quite liberal when it comes to permits. In two days most people cannot acquire the motor skills to dive safely. Perhaps a limited certification that allows certain shallow supervised dives, the equivalent of learner's permit for cars. But the problem with giving someone the full C card is it's assumed you're qualified to dive like everyone else, and they could easily end up in trouble during their first few dives. Adam |
| 05 May 2008 15:57:14 |
| Chris Guynn |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"barnegatdx" <barnegatdx@aol.com > wrote in message news:0bc710d3-8c64-416d-80a4-d335ce28585d@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > All: > > ran into some folks who were trying to cram SCUBA Certification into > > two days, and then go off Diving in Thailand. > > Opinions on two day certification programs? Entirely too much time. |
| 05 May 2008 17:01:31 |
| Dillon Pyron |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
[Default] Thus spake "mat.voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de >: > > >Greg Mossman wrote: > >> On May 4, 7:52 am, "mat.voss" <spammat.v...@gmx.de> wrote: >> >>>Greg Mossman wrote: >>> >>>>On May 3, 5:46 pm, Star <lcl...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>>>You're in the pool to learn skills and become familiar with your >>>>>gear. Why skimp on practice? You'd practise a golf swing or a tennis >>>>>stroke more than that, and its not likely that a mistake with either >>>>>of those will kill you, >>> >>>>You obviously haven't seen my golf swing. >>> >>>You shared training lessons with John Francis? >> >> >> He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in >> the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my >> grandmother a black eye once. > >Happens. A friend slit his eyebrow on his own service. Luckily his >partner was a GP, after some stitches he was able to continue the game. > >Matthias Could be worse. Could have been raquetball. Friend did the following within a week. 1) Learned he should wear a cup when his opponent returned his serve. 2) Was greatful he was wearing goggles until he saw the huge black eye. 3) Got clipped in the forehead by his opponent's backswing. 4) Took a shot in the back of the head. The last resulted in a concussion. The idiot still plays, and has since broken his nose. I suggested he take up something safer, like rugby or hockey. |
| 05 May 2008 20:02:11 |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 5, 7:40 am, Star <lcl...@gmail.com > wrote: > > How are ya? > Just ducky, but I come around here and find bizarro.rec.scuba. Francis has turned into a seething a**hole, and Mossman is the epitome of erudite and witty commentary. |
| 05 May 2008 20:03:16 |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 5, 1:17 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com > wrote: > > I don't think this is safe and I'm quite liberal when it comes to permits. In two > days most people cannot acquire the motor skills to dive safely. But it's profitable. |
| 06 May 2008 08:50:49 |
| barnegatdx |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 5, 11:03 pm, dwee...@gmail.com wrote: > On May 5, 1:17 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com> wrote: > > > > > I don't think this is safe and I'm quite liberal when it comes to permits. In two > > days most people cannot acquire the motor skills to dive safely. > > I originally asked this question because I just came back from a Dive resort. They were fairly cautious, a good thing IMHO, having " Dock Side Check Out Dives" before you could get on a Dive boat, - but they also had a " Bouancy Workshop" listed as an activity. This sounds like training that should be done by the referring agency being offloaded to the resort. - are Bouancy Workshops" something thats sprung up in response to the two day training, or have they been around for a while? |
| 06 May 2008 10:52:54 |
| Scott |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
<dweebgs@gmail.com > wrote in message news:81af0225-bdea-45b7-b4c7-fd99d9c6e0a3@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > Just ducky, but I come around here and find bizarro.rec.scuba. > Francis has turned into a seething a**hole, and Mossman is the epitome > of erudite and witty commentary. Surely you expected no less. |
| 06 May 2008 11:00:42 |
| Scott |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"Joe English" <joe2aenglish@wisperhome.com > wrote in message news:481e3b6e$0$26478$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.com... > Greg Mossman wrote: > > He'd be a lot safer getting shitfaced with Scott and shooting guns in > > the air than golfing with me. My tennis is worse. I gave my > > grandmother a black eye once. That's because besides being a pussy, Greg is a liar, a pinko, and an idiot. > I remember as a youngster, someone knocking Jimmy Connors' mom's teeth > out with a tennis racket - she thought it was time for Jimmy to practice > at the local public courts. The day ever comes that I shoot a gun in the air without knowing my backstop or where the bullet is going to go, I hope it hits Mossman right in the mouth. |
| 06 May 2008 14:36:32 |
| El Stroko Guapo |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
barnegatdx wrote: > On May 5, 11:03 pm, dwee...@gmail.com wrote: > >>On May 5, 1:17 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com> wrote: >> >> >> >> >>>I don't think this is safe and I'm quite liberal when it comes to permits. In two >>>days most people cannot acquire the motor skills to dive safely. >> >> > > I originally asked this question because I just came back from a Dive > resort. > > They were fairly cautious, a good thing IMHO, having " Dock Side Check > Out Dives" before > > you could get on a Dive boat, > > - but they also had a " Bouancy Workshop" listed as an activity. > > This sounds like training that should be done by the referring agency > being offloaded to the resort. > > - are Bouancy Workshops" something thats sprung up in response to the > two day training, > > or have they been around for a while? I don't have a problem with a two day course. I have a problem with any diver that thinks he's a competent diver with a two day course. Buoyancy is not a skill that can be taught in two days. Some do catch on pretty quickly (my son, e.g.) and some never seem to get it (see em on the boat all the time). I think it's a real good idea for a diver to get in a dozen or so dives - enough to be a bit more comfortable under water - then get some help and critique from a competent diver on buoyancy and trim before bad bu and trim become a habit. esg |
| 06 May 2008 15:04:01 |
| Lee Bell |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
El Stroko Guapo" <omgray@earthlink.net > wrote in message news:kuydneTKdbPQOL3VnZ2dnUVZ_gqdnZ2d@earthlink.com... > barnegatdx wrote: >> On May 5, 11:03 pm, dwee...@gmail.com wrote: >> >>>On May 5, 1:17 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>>I don't think this is safe and I'm quite liberal when it comes to >>>>permits. In two >>>>days most people cannot acquire the motor skills to dive safely. >>> >>> >> >> I originally asked this question because I just came back from a Dive >> resort. >> >> They were fairly cautious, a good thing IMHO, having " Dock Side Check >> Out Dives" before >> >> you could get on a Dive boat, >> >> - but they also had a " Bouancy Workshop" listed as an activity. >> >> This sounds like training that should be done by the referring agency >> being offloaded to the resort. >> >> - are Bouancy Workshops" something thats sprung up in response to the >> two day training, >> >> or have they been around for a while? > > I don't have a problem with a two day course. > > I have a problem with any diver that thinks he's a competent diver with a > two day course. > > Buoyancy is not a skill that can be taught in two days. Some do catch on > pretty quickly (my son, e.g.) and some never seem to get it (see em on the > boat all the time). > > I think it's a real good idea for a diver to get in a dozen or so dives - > enough to be a bit more comfortable under water - then get some help and > critique from a competent diver on buoyancy and trim before bad bu and > trim become a habit. Sage words. Actually, it doesn't always take input from a competent diver. Often just seeing what is possible puts you on the right track, but almost everyone has to at least see somebody with good buoyancy skills before they develop their own. Lee |
| 07 May 2008 09:48:36 |
| Don Gingrich |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
barnegatdx wrote: > On May 5, 11:03 pm, dwee...@gmail.com wrote: >> On May 5, 1:17 pm, "Adam Helberg" <sendspamh...@yahee.com> wrote: >> >> >> >> > I don't think this is safe and I'm quite liberal when it comes to >> > permits. In two days most people cannot acquire the motor skills >> > to dive safely. >> >> > > I originally asked this question because I just came back from a > Dive resort. > > They were fairly cautious, a good thing IMHO, having " Dock Side > Check Out Dives" before > > you could get on a Dive boat, > > - but they also had a " Bouancy Workshop" listed as an activity. > > This sounds like training that should be done by the referring > agency being offloaded to the resort. > > - are Bouancy Workshops" something thats sprung up in response to > the two day training, > > or have they been around for a while? I don't know how long they've been around, but it is interesting to note that PADI has a "specialty" on just buoyancy control. (And before someone else says it, yes PADI will offer a specialty in anything they can get people to pay for) And for that matter, one of the key skills in the GUE courses is precise buoyancy control -- hovers with less than 6 inches (15 CM) up and down movement. To comment indirectly on another thread, one of the few disadvantages in comming into diving with a background in snorkeling and swimming is that it easy to develop a habit of compensating for buoyancy by finning up or down. It works, but it has the disadvantage of increasing air consumption and making it very difficult to hold a depth on a safety stop or deco stop. It also makes it harder to glide a round a reef not touching anything. Most of the people who I see as being really "top divers" seem to spend a fair bit of time practising buoyancy, even after a lot of dives. Granted, they aren't trying to hold a depth at +- 0.5 Metre. They're more likely to be going for +- 0.1 metre, but it's still practise and refining buoyancy control. So is it a reaction to the 2 day courses? I don't think so. I'd be more inclined to see it as doing their bit to protect their reefs from the "bottom bouncers". (And there are bottom bouncers out there with 100s of dives up.) -Don |
| 06 May 2008 18:49:27 |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
On May 6, 2:36 pm, El Stroko Guapo <omg...@earthlink.net > wrote: > I have a problem with any diver that thinks he's a competent diver with > a two day course. But there's this neat card they give you, and it doesn't list any restrictions. |
| 06 May 2008 22:09:02 |
| Lee Bell |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
Don Gingrich wrote > I don't know how long they've been around, but it is interesting > to note that PADI has a "specialty" on just buoyancy control. > (And before someone else says it, yes PADI will offer a specialty > in anything they can get people to pay for) And for that matter, > one of the key skills in the GUE courses is precise buoyancy > control -- hovers with less than 6 inches (15 CM) up and down > movement. It's a shame either of them needs a specialty teach buoyancy control. It's kind of basic, don't you think? > Most of the people who I see as being really "top divers" seem to > spend a fair bit of time practising buoyancy, even after a lot of > dives. Most of the people who I see as being really "top divers" don't have to practice it as a separate skill. It's something they do every time they dive. > So is it a reaction to the 2 day courses? I don't think so. I'd > be more inclined to see it as doing their bit to protect their > reefs from the "bottom bouncers". (And there are bottom bouncers > out there with 100s of dives up.) I learned buoyancy control before there were BCDs, back when I first started catching lobster for dinner and tropical fish for the salt water aquariums I used to have. I really refined it when I started underwater photography. Frankly, those that do much underwater photography think that inches of movement is about 5 inches too much. Lee |
| 07 May 2008 12:19:23 |
| dechucka |
| Re: Two day SCUBA Certification Program ( good idea? ) |
"Lee Bell" <pleebell@bellsouth.net > wrote in message news:Y98Uj.18265$28.7805@bignews1.bellsouth.net... > Don Gingrich wrote > >> I don't know how long they've been around, but it is interesting >> to note that PADI has a "specialty" on just buoyancy control. >> (And before someone else says it, yes PADI will offer a specialty >> in anything they can get people to pay for) And for that matter, >> one of the key skills in the GUE courses is precise buoyancy >> control -- hovers with less than 6 inches (15 CM) up and down >> movement. > > It's a shame either of them needs a specialty teach buoyancy control. > It's kind of basic, don't you think? > >> Most of the people who I see as being really "top divers" seem to >> spend a fair bit of time practising buoyancy, even after a lot of >> dives. > > Most of the people who I see as being really "top divers" don't have to > practice it as a separate skill. It's something they do every time they > dive. I am definitly not a top diver and I find that if I am out of the water for 3 or 4 months months say over winter I need to be very concious of my bouyancy and what I am doing to maintain it. After that it goes back to be second nature > >> So is it a reaction to the 2 day courses? I don't think so. I'd >> be more inclined to see it as doing their bit to protect their >> reefs from the "bottom bouncers". (And there are bottom bouncers >> out there with 100s of dives up.) > > I learned buoyancy control before there were BCDs, back when I first > started catching lobster for dinner and tropical fish for the salt water > aquariums I used to have. I really refined it when I started underwater > photography. Frankly, those that do much underwater photography think that > inches of movement is about 5 inches too much. It's amazing what a difference a slightly deeper or shallower breath can make. My problem with the "short" courses is that doing a skill once or twice does not mean that you mastered that skill or mean that when you are stressed, maybe during your first OW dive not under supervision, you can repeat it. |