Drysuits

[Mdemon]

Thanks all!  

I get the impression that a dry suit sticker isn't a legal requirement, unlike actual basic diver training, so I think HSE would be unlikely to persue a boat owner on this point in the event of an accident.  That said, I understand the caution some people have.  Traditionally, signed disclaimers are mandatory  for dangerous sports, waiving everything except negligence - I wonder if we will start to see similar here soon?

Bren, I think you're right about the safety aspect of getting training - rapid, uncontrolled ascents seem to be a big cause of the major problems.  That said, my position is a little different in that have been shown and have practiced all the techniques you describe, except the weighting stuff - and anyone reading my posts will know why that is!

So, where does this leave me?  I've done "training", have done the dives, but have no sticker.  I'm as stingy ####, and coughing up £75 for "nothing", when that's halfway to another course on something I don't know, sticks in the throat a bit.  

I think I might investigate the "drysuit orientation" further...

Cheers,

John

[Ben Harris]

Brens right,


Dont get me wrong. Trainning is vital. If you dont know what your doing in a dry suit its a major accident waiting to happen. I personally feel padi specialty courses are not the way to learn. But regardless experience is as important as training. Once you have learnt best to build up to hard dives and learn from your buddys.

[Dr Stevil]

Having thus far successfully avoided the money-pit that PADI training seems to be, I have a question: if you turned up for your OW or AOW course with a dry suit, would they refuse to train you or add the £100-£200 "speciality course" fee on top?

[Gavin Yates]

Steve, I think it would depend on your ability to blag more than anything else.

Just a thought tho', I'm not sure that PADI is the complete money-pit that people make out.

Take my local SSAC  - to join costs about £40 plus another £40 to SSAC itself add to that £15/month and in a year you've handed over £260 quid for a worthless insurance policy cover and equipment hire and training. It'll cost you another £220 in year two and so on for as long as you're with the club. Over five years that's nearly £1200.

For that money you could pay for OW/AOW/RESCUE AND maybe DM and afford DAN insurance. OK - I understand that you don't get the kit to borrow but you'll buy your own anyway, you won't have a ready-built network of buddies but you don't necessarily need that anyway to dive regularly - in fact YD proves that.

I honestly believe that diving in a club environment is probably best value for many/most folk but not for everyone.

Bren made a point on handbagnet earlier this week agreeing with someone who was saying that we sometime have a tendancy to whinge about the cost of everything and I also agree.

Diving isn't cheap and as we're all different we have to find the route that suits us best. I feel very lucky to have had good PADI training with two different and professional outfits who focus on getting it right rather than quick results and also the TDI stuff with Mr Hayhurst who has a very different but equally useful teaching methodology.

BTW I'll be joining the SSAC Club in the New Year but I'll also be diving with PADI divers and maybe doing further courses.

[Ben Harris]

Id agree that most things are blagable. If I was asked I would say that I had a card but it was in the post!

[Dr Stevil]

Gav, whats the £15 / month for ? Insurance?? if so is that personal insurance?
Assuming I keep my BSAC membership it'll either cost me  £53 for bsac direct membership or if I join another club £38 to bsac then whatever the club fees are (usually less than £60 for an adult club, about 20-30 for a uni club) this includes 3rd party liability insurance up to £5 million quid.

Anyhoo that's a little off my original point: I don't think divers should object to paying for essential training either, and I'm not knocking the Pay And Dive Instantly approach (indeed I very nearly bailed out of the bsac system in my first year through sheer frustration at diving cliques - gah!!). I was very nearly almost prepared to crossover to PADI, but I simply cannot accept that figures of £150+ are justifiable simply to show someone how to use a drysuit.
Chee-az
Steve

[andy2tanx]

I think the padi system is ok to a point, but having benefited from a lot of training gratis Ive seen the other side of the ccoin. PADI do overprice courses.  look at the speciality dives for the AOW.  

[Gavin Yates]

The SSAC club have a rib so that needs paying for and they have access to a 5m diving pool pit every week. Which is handy...

I've been lucky I 'spose with PADI as I said good guys not ripping me off. My drysuit was rolled into my OW as I said and other courses have been part of other things I was doing and hence only slightly more expensive that the diving.

As I said I see merits in both systems but Pay And Dive Instantly only works with some instructors. Mine have always been of the "do another 30 dives with us (free incidently) and then do your next course.

Building skills slowly is the only way to go for me.

Anyway, here's to diversity!

[andy2tanx]

seems to be the other way round with a lot of PADI places though.  Do this, throw money at us and you too could be a OWSI in 4 weeks!!

[Gavin Yates]

Very true Andy. My advice is always avoid places like that whatever your level.

If an operation thinks that you can teach after 100 dives then I bet their safety procedures, kit and DM's are gonna be a bit sh*t too.