Old dog can use advice/learn new tricks

[uncle joe]

My 1st post so here goes I am a 51 yo father of 17 and 22 year olds.I learned to scuba in 1983 ow & aow. I learned equit.repair and rescue in 1984.
I dove every weekend of 83,84,85 in local lakes unless I was in the field or deployed .My dive buddy and I were both in fort hood he got out in 1985.After which I dove solo most of the time with a pony backup.
After my aow I bought a dry suit and my instructor and I went diving one weekend .He gave me a few tips and said I was good to go. No card we didn't see a need for one. Just after my rescue class I found 2 sets of doubles in a pawn shop bought them and and went back to the same shop and we mounted them to my bc and had another diving weekend. Again no card no need. I have since lived and dove in Md/Tenn/Ga/Ind/Tx. I have dove 6 to 8 times a year every year since certr. But when I went into a local shop to see about my kids getting trained I found that the course is 2 weekends and you need a card for most anything. Is this the norm for ow training . My kids don't need to be combat divers. But at least they should be aware of basic skills. Is this enough time?? I do plan to plan to attend class with them. I'm sure I can use the refresher . Thoughts Anyone???

[Fish Eater]

Not knowing your or your kids (so I can't tell if you guys are an exception or not), my best advise would be to have them do their OW class sessions without you. Kids need a very clear "chain of command," especially when screwups are potentially lethal. They shouldn't be, in any way, torn between paying attention to you and their instructor.

As for you, you should take a separate class. Depending upon on your retention of the academic material and skills, either a "scuba tuneup" class or a full-fledged OW class.

After both of your classes, dive a bunch with your kids and have a great time!

[uncle joe]

Clear chain of command . Good point ! My main reason to attend was to see what they would be taught in 2 weekends. It seems like a very short time to learn the skills I needed to pass ow. Is this the norm? I think that I will take a full ow course with the same instructor or maybe a refresher class and offer to help with a different class.There is 2 shops in San Antonio where I now live .Time to talk to instructors.

[kevfin]

UJ,

Welcome to DM.

Yes, two weekends to complete the class is now, sad to say, pretty much the norm. You can find classes that offer more. If you look hard enough you can find classes that offer less :-( .

The OW classes used to encompass more and took longer to complete. What you learned in your OW course can now be learned in separate classes and earn separate -Cert Cards-. The industry has changed a bit since the 80s.

Good thing is we've learned a little bit more about how to dive safe.

A good instructor will go a long way. Talk with them. They should feel comfortable explaining why things have evolved. Why they don't teach jumping off a boat without the regulator in ones mouth, why we don't follow the slowest bubble to the surface, what happened to the horse collar and C02 cartridge, etc.. I'm serious, some instructors may not have the knowledge or feel comfortable answering these questions. It's not about questioning their authority or putting them in a defensive position. It's about finding a competent instructor you feel comfortable having your kids learn from and someone you can learn from too. Heck, I'd even ask what two weekends get you.

Find a good instructor. Talk with them. Ask them questions.

Truth is most OW divers are not ready to go off diving by themselves after a two weekend course. They usually find a club, go with groups on vacation dives, or seek further education. Some come here and find buddies to dive with. My guess is you're very comfortable in the water and will be a great benefit to your kids in acclimating to the scuba environment.. This might be a great opportunity for everyone.

As a side note. A lot of insturtcors don't mind the parent hanging around the OW class. The main concern, as stated before is -Chain of Command- . As you can imagine, some parents interfere and get in the way. This can create a safety issue. If this isn't your issue and you have spoke to the instructor, you can probably dive with the class. I've helped in some classes where the instructor incorporates the parent's scuba update course with the kids OW course... a win win for everyone.

Hope that helps.

K

[uncle joe]

Kevfin Thanks, what you say does help.I have seen some parents that try to take over the class ,as a scout leader and in grade/mid & high school class rooms.I will think hard on how to politely ask what you have pointed out.This was a well thought out and helpful reply THANKS Joe

[LCF]

Uncle joe, you don't tell us where you are. There ARE some OW classes that are longer, with more pool time and more dives, but they unfortunately aren't universally available.

I think, from what I've read and discussed with folks over the last seven years, that one of the things that has happened with dive training is that it has been fragmented. What was included or covered in an OW class years ago is now represented by a series of classes, beginning with OW and including AOW, some specialty training, and Rescue. It is fairly clear that there has been no major decrease in safety per se by breaking up the training this way, but it does seem to produce a lot of poorly skilled divers.

If you can find an OW class that is taught by someone with technical or cave training, you will probably find one that has a heavier emphasis on good buoyancy control and integration of skills into actual diving, as opposed to a class that simply runs students through the listed skills without ensuring that they can integrate them.

If you want to let us know where you are, we might be able to offer some recommendations.

[uncle joe]

I,m in San Antonio,Tx I took my OW /AOW and rescue in Belton Tx at a shop that is no longer there and at a shop on cr2222 in Auston They're gone now too.Joe

[JWIN]

Uncle Joe,
Find John Duggan, Duggan Dive shop, I think he's in University City, he is a great instructor. He has been diving since 1963-64 ex-Airforce Survival/Special Survival instructor, Dive instructor forever. He taught me back in 81 through Master diver, hasn't killed me yet.

Sent from a Droid using Tapatalk!

[Jax]

That would be Universal City.

http://www.duggandiving.com/
located in Coronado Square Mall at the intersection of Pat Booker and Coronado Blvd.

• Duggan Diving
• 928 Coronado Blvd.
• Universal City, TX 78148
• DugganDive@aol.com
• __________________
• 210-658-7495
• 210-658-7496