Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
Subj: Re: DUI rock boots and other PADI stuff Date: 1/3/00 To: <A HREF="mailto:andrewg@fi*.co*">andrewg@fifthd.com</A> "My point is why bring them in, teach 'em wrong, then let 'em go out and discover the right way to do it later." I can relate to that. Initially I thought I had a good experience with PADI but after getting some dives under my belt, reading, and talking to other divers, I realized that some really fundamental things had barely been mentioned in class or were taught wrong for the type of diving I was planning to do. Just a couple as examples: (1) The instructor weighted us like lead balloons, then was obviously disgusted with our buoyancy skills. How to properly weight yourself was never talked about. The method we used was to put a ton of lead on, inflate your BC, then jump in. At the instructor's signal, the class deflated and dropped like a rock. Considering that none of us had experience equalizing, it was a bitch. Down feet first. I think the purpose of this was to have the class anchored on the bottom so the instructor would be sure to know where they were. The way I dive today is nothing like that. I weight for my safety stop (usually no deco involved) and kick down from the surface, face down. Usually a couple of puffs in my BC is sufficient on the bottom for proper trim. After completing the dive, I dump all the BC air on the bottom and kick to the surface. I'm buoyant on the surface and almost never use my BC except the couple of puffs on the bottom. (2) It was noted that safety stops were recommended under certain conditions as per the PADI dive table but how to make a safety stop was never talked about and it was never practiced (Anyway, see number one. It would have been difficult for someone making his first dives to make a safety stop overweighted). If you don't know anything, it seems like a good course. I'm thankful that I made my first 40 dives or so with my oldest brother who took an interest in teaching me to dive. I've never taken another PADI course, even though I routinely do a lot of things they teach as specialties. If and when I take another course, it will be GUE. -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]