SHORTCUTS NEVER PERFORM AS PROMISED
When certified divers are asked what they wish their entry-level open water certification had focused more on, every instructor – ours or theirs – should listen.
You might expect experienced divers to mention the esoteric, the stuff that only comes from a few hundred dives and hours and hours underwater. But that’s not the case. They talked about classes that missed the basics.
The general complaint is that they wish more practical, real-world in-water management skills had been taught and practised, rather than rushing through the basics so they could be signed off in a weekend.
They wished their OW course had taught them how to hover flat, with streamlined horizontal trim, instead of being told that hanging like a seahorse or Buddha in the water demonstrated ‘good buoyancy control and trim.’
They said their OW course should have included at least an introduction to alternatives to the standard flutter kick so they could avoid kicking up silt and damaging coral.
They suggested it should be normal to teach student divers to manage their gas independently instead of relying on their instructor or divemaster to remind them to check their SPGs.
RAID isn't the biggest or the oldest certifying agency in the business... we cannot promise any of that, but we can promise no 'missed skills.' A full, safe OW class is basic with us, and that's what we teach from the start... for us, that is The RAID Way.