Sylabus change years

[Adrian Kelland]

Does anybody know the years each time the traing sylabus has changed?

ie Novice to Novice1/2 to Club Diver to Ocean Diver as the first grade.

Adrian

[iainmsmith]

Does anybody know the years each time the traing sylabus has changed?

ie Novice to Novice1/2 to Club Diver to Ocean Diver as the first grade.

It came in over the summer before I started my second year at Uni. I remember this vividly because I was taking over as TO and suddenly discovered that I wasn't going to be able to simply reproduce the exisiting Novice I/II/Sports timetable and was actually going to have to write the programme from scratch.

That would make the change from Novice to Club Diver in 1998.
The change from Club to Ocean Diver happened last year - 2002.

HTH

Iain

[Adrian Kelland]

That would make the change from Novice to Club Diver in 1998.
The change from Club to Ocean Diver happened last year - 2002.

HTH

Iain

Thanks Iain

Now to find the change form Novice to Novice1/2

Adrian

[John Williams]

That would be 1991

John

[Adrian Kelland]

That would be 1991

John

That long ago...

Thanks John

[Philip Smith]

:=That would be 1991
:=
:=John

That long ago...

Further back in the mists of time, the change from Snorkel Diver/3rd Class Diver to Novice Diver/Sports Diver was in 1984.

PS

[Adrian Kelland]

:=:=That would be 1991
:=:=
:=:=John
:=
:=That long ago...

Further back in the mists of time, the change from Snorkel Diver/3rd Class Diver to Novice Diver/Sports Diver was in 1984.

PS

Is that when the A test went? I started in 87, so never did it, thankfully ;-)

[Steve Walker]

While we're reminiscing, perhaps someone can verify/deny something I was once told by a (usually very reliable) friend who started scuba training in the early eighties - I don't believe he finished the course which seemed to consist of about six months pool training before getting anywhere near the open water.

He reckoned one of the bits of training was to sit on the bottom of the pool (I assumed in full dive kit) with a blacked-out mask while the instructors poked him with long poles, presumably to see if he would panic? Was that kind of thing really common back then or was that a particularly weird branch?

This chap wasn't prone to 'tall tales' so there was no reason to distrust what he said
Regards
Steve

[Adrian Kelland]

While we're reminiscing, perhaps someone can verify/deny something I was once told by a (usually very reliable) friend who started scuba training in the early eighties - I don't believe he finished the course which seemed to consist of about six months pool training before getting anywhere near the open water.

He reckoned one of the bits of training was to sit on the bottom of the pool (I assumed in full dive kit) with a blacked-out mask while the instructors poked him with long poles, presumably to see if he would panic? Was that kind of thing really common back then or was that a particularly weird branch?

This chap wasn't prone to 'tall tales' so there was no reason to distrust what he said
Regards
Steve

Sounds like a weird branch. Underwater masons maybe ;-)

Adrian

[Alan Taylor]

While we're reminiscing, perhaps someone can verify/deny something I was once told by a (usually very reliable) friend who started scuba training in the early eighties - I don't believe he finished the course which seemed to consist of about six months pool training before getting anywhere near the open water.

He reckoned one of the bits of training was to sit on the bottom of the pool (I assumed in full dive kit) with a blacked-out mask while the instructors poked him with long poles, presumably to see if he would panic? Was that kind of thing really common back then or was that a particularly weird branch?

This chap wasn't prone to 'tall tales' so there was no reason to distrust what he said
Regards
Steve

Blacked out mask yes, long poles, that sounds like fun. Makes me wonder what they used to lead the victim around on his swim around to simulate a nil vis plunge.

Alan

[Nick McV]

Back in sunny 1973, or there abouts I was given a blacked out mask, full of water, which I had to put on on the pool side.

My cylinder, complete with Mistral single stage, twin hose reg was at the bottom of the pool, switched off, with a weight belt holding it down.

My task was to jump in, duck-dive and find the cylinder, turn it on, clear the hoses & start breathing from it, then put it on. Once securely in place, a 'buddy' guided me round the pool for the next 30 mins.

A tough test for a novice - but now, I sure as hell don't worry about handling kit in low viz.

Oh yes, the ladies in the club didn't like this test too much, as they tended to get groped by the novice with the excuse of the blacked out mask - of course, it was never the fault of the guiding 'buddy'!

While I wouldn't necessarily advocate the full 'And don't come up until it's all fitted' version of this, I do think that it is a good confidence builder when done in the 'safe' environs of the pool, but as an optional excercise when all the standard course bits have been completed.

Mind you, I didn't dive again until '91 - but it was for totally unrelated reasons..... :-)

[Philip Smith]

:=Further back in the mists of time, the change from Snorkel Diver/3rd Class Diver to Novice Diver/Sports Diver was in 1984.
:=
Is that when the A test went?

Yes.

PS

[Barry Goss]

:=:=:=That would be 1991
:=:=:=
:=:=:=John
:=:=
:=:=That long ago...
:=
:=Further back in the mists of time, the change from Snorkel Diver/3rd Class Diver to Novice Diver/Sports Diver was in 1984.
:=
:=PS

Is that when the A test went? I started in 87, so never did it, thankfully ;-)

I started for the first time ( at 15 in '87) and had to do it then - and once the class had done it, it was done every week as a warm up session. then I stopped for a bit for exams etc, and joined the same club in '95 where it was still being done.

Now I'm D.O. of the club and once training is finished we still do it. It's great excercise and can be a great confidence builder.

Cheers
Barry

[Steve Walker]

:=:=:=:=That would be 1991
:=:=:=:=
:=:=:=:=John
:=:=:=
:=:=:=That long ago...
:=:=
:=:=Further back in the mists of time, the change from Snorkel Diver/3rd Class Diver to Novice Diver/Sports Diver was in 1984.
:=:=
:=:=PS
:=
:=Is that when the A test went? I started in 87, so never did it, thankfully ;-)

I started for the first time ( at 15 in '87) and had to do it then - and once the class had done it, it was done every week as a warm up session. then I stopped for a bit for exams etc, and joined the same club in '95 where it was still being done.

Now I'm D.O. of the club and once training is finished we still do it. It's great excercise and can be a great confidence builder.

Cheers
Barry


So for the unenlightened (ie Me!) what is "the A test" ??
Cheers
Steve

[Andy Wade]

:=:=Is that when the A test went? I started in 87, so never did it, thankfully ;-)
:=
:=I started for the first time ( at 15 in '87) and had to do it then - and once the class had done it, it was done every week as a warm up session. then I stopped for a bit for exams etc, and joined the same club in '95 where it was still being done.
:=
:=Now I'm D.O. of the club and once training is finished we still do it. It's great excercise and can be a great confidence builder.
:=
:=Cheers
:=Barry


So for the unenlightened (ie Me!) what is "the A test" ??

Hmmmm....
Let me see if I can remember it off the top of my head.....

1) 200 metres on your front
2) 100 metres on your back
3) 50 metres swimming with a weight belt on - 4Kg I think.... (not 100% sure about that though) and I think it could be reduced for ladies and people with a negative buoyancy index.
4) Float on your back for 5 mins with minimal arm and leg movement
5) Tread water with hands above your head for 1 minute.
6) Duck dive for an object 6 times in deep end of pool. 2-3m approx.
I'm pretty sure that's the general gist of it, and it is a very good water fitness exercise.
We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
Well, that was in the days when we could afford 2 hour long pool sessions anyway.

Oh, and it is a swimming test, so you can't use fins I'm afraid.





.

[Steve Walker]

We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
What do you mean warm up? that's an entire work out ;)
Done something similar with the NOAA instructors, with the addition of duck diving for a mask and clearing it before surfacing (ie without scuba kit)
Redgards
Steve

[andy botten]

:=We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
What do you mean warm up? that's an entire work out ;)
Done something similar with the NOAA instructors, with the addition of duck diving for a mask and clearing it before surfacing (ie without scuba kit)
Redgards
Steve

That was in the B & C tests

[Steve Walker]

:=:=We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
:= What do you mean warm up? that's an entire work out ;)
:=Done something similar with the NOAA instructors, with the addition of duck diving for a mask and clearing it before surfacing (ie without scuba kit)
:=Redgards
:=Steve

That was in the B & C tests

All these "tests" would make a useful addition to Andy Wade's "diveinstruct" site if anyone has all the details available
Regards
Steve

[Adrian Kelland]

All these "tests" would make a useful addition to Andy Wade's "diveinstruct" site if anyone has all the details available
Regards
Steve

mmm 'A History of Instructing' section :-)

The reason I started this was to create a club training/records database that allowed for the various changes to the syllabus. Its taking a bit of time, Novice and Sd so far.

I maybe asking for the syllabus for pre 1984 training next...

Adrian

[Stephen Davies]

:=:=:=We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
:=:= What do you mean warm up? that's an entire work out ;)
:=:=Done something similar with the NOAA instructors, with the addition of duck diving for a mask and clearing it before surfacing (ie without scuba kit)
:=:=Redgards
:=:=Steve
:=
:=That was in the B & C tests

All these "tests" would make a useful addition to Andy Wade's "diveinstruct" site if anyone has all the details available
Regards
Steve

Steve

If Andy would like the details of the tests from the late 60's early 70's I would be only too happy to oblige.

My logbook looks a bit worn nowadays but all the tests from A to Ist Class Diver are contained in the book along with Dive Planning Tables.

Regards
Stephen

[Andy Wade]

:=:=:=:=We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
:=:=:= What do you mean warm up? that's an entire work out ;)
:=:=:=Done something similar with the NOAA instructors, with the addition of duck diving for a mask and clearing it before surfacing (ie without scuba kit)
:=:=:=Redgards
:=:=:=Steve
:=:=
:=:=That was in the B & C tests
:=
:=All these "tests" would make a useful addition to Andy Wade's "diveinstruct" site if anyone has all the details available
:=Regards
:=Steve

Steve

If Andy would like the details of the tests from the late 60's early 70's I would be only too happy to oblige.

Hactually I do have them somewhere. Thanks anyway.

Put them on the Dive Instruct site?
Hmmm, I might do, do you think people would really be interested in old diving tests?

My logbook looks a bit worn nowadays but all the tests from A to Ist Class Diver are contained in the book along with Dive Planning Tables.

Yeah, me too.
I meant the logbook looks a bit worn.
Well OK, I do too.
;-)



.

[Andy Wade]

:=We used to start off training sessions with it as a warm up exercise.
What do you mean warm up? that's an entire work out ;)

Well IIRC my best ever was 16 minutes for the whole test, including the timed bits.
Probably more like 16 hours now.



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