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Hi guys
I have been asked to do a PADI Peak performance course this month or early nxt month price will depend on numbers here is a bit more about the course
Peak Performance Buoyancy
The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Course
What is neutral buoyancy? Scuba divers like to be neutrally buoyant so they neither sink nor float. It can be a tricky thing. Divers who’ve mastered the highest performance levels in buoyancy stand apart. You’ve seen them underwater. They glide effortlessly, use less air and ascend, descend or hover, almost as if by thought. They interact gently with aquatic life and affect their surroundings minimally. The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course refines the basic skills you learned as a PADI Open Water Diver and elevates them to the next level.
The Fun Part
The fun part of this course is giving your dive skills a polish you may not have thought possible.
What You Learn
•How to trim your scuba gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water
•Nuances in determining weight so you’re not too light nor too heavy by even a slight degree
•How to streamline to save air and move smoothly through the water
•How to hover effortlessly in both a vertical position and a horizontal position
2 day course
1 pool session + 1 day open water 2+ dives
Danny +2
liam od
Don't want to sound as if I'm PADI bashing, but should'nt this be taught from day 1 ?
The definition of irony... two instructors arguing over whether a course is worth it :D [EDIT, post referred to has disappeared]
Don't want to sound as if I'm PADI bashing, but should'nt this be taught from day 1 ?
And answered in a non-PADI specific way... it's taught on all courses from day one but it doesn't stop divers ignoring it. Swim round a popular wreck and try to find clear water in amongst the arse-dragging and underwater cycling.
Devil's advocate mode off... a bit of awareness is as good as a ton of instruction when it comes to buoyancy. Sadly too many people seem to switch their awareness off underwater.
Yogi Diver
13-11-09, 09:59
Don't want to sound as if I'm PADI bashing, but should'nt this be taught from day 1 ?
Ah but do you get the nonces, I mean nuances.:D
Flossy's puncture
13-11-09, 11:34
This is what i didn't understand:
"•How to hover effortlessly in both a vertical position and a horizontal position"
buoyancy control is taught from day 1 but it is very basic. this course goes more in depth about equipment choice and distribution of gear and weights to give you better trim and more comfortable position underwater, Its a very good course for a new or inexperienced diver.
Yogi Diver
13-11-09, 12:11
Much as I enjoy PADI bashing. :D
This does seem a worthwhile course. Particularly for inexperienced divers but even for some more experienced divers.
As I recall from a mate who did it years ago, part of the course involves handing round heavy weights underwater. Those of us who have recently completed Advanced Nitrox courses will appreciate the importance of this when handing over stage cylinders.
This is what i didn't understand:
"•How to hover effortlessly in both a vertical position and a horizontal position"
I know, I've seen you diving :lol: :p
From a PADI training point of view I think it is a good idea. I doubt few divers have finished their OW and had perfect buoyancy (I know I didn't). At that stage the other skills that you have just learned are still flying through your head. The PPB course gives people a chance to get more comfortable in the underwater environment before going back for refinement. Or if it is done soon after OW it gives the instructor more time with the student before they head off on their own.
A dive club is different in that this can be pressed upon on every club dive.
I think it's a good idea as well. The PADI O/W is aimed at teaching the basics in 4.5-five days, that's a hell of a lot of teaching to squeeze into such a short time. Teaching buoyancy control straight away isn't necessarily the easiest task in the world either, it takes most divers a good few dives to get their weight balanced. I bet there aren't many of us that didn't drop 3-4kg at least from our belts after a few months. Trying to teach buoyancy when overwieghted is flogging a dead horse.
You can also do Peak performance as an option during the PADI AOW, not sure if it goes into as much detail as the speciality, but I certainly found that part of my AOW very interesting. My OW course had already been pretty disciplined on bouyancy control, however that was in a wetsuit, but AOW in a drysuit so for me it was a sensible choice to include this on my AOW.
Very worthwhile for new divers.
scubagranny
13-11-09, 14:33
I did peak performance in my AOW, but that was in tropical waters,which made it so much easier, just me and my BCD and it was well worth doing, it made a huge difference to me. It is a must for me to do it in a dry suit, I do so little diving in my drysuit, I'm like a total beginner every time.
I did peak performance in my AOW, but that was in tropical waters,which made it so much easier, just me and my BCD and it was well worth doing, it made a huge difference to me. It is a must for me to do it in a dry suit, I do so little diving in my drysuit, I'm like a total beginner every time.
well stick your name down if your intrested and il get back to you with details, Its a very good idea if new to drysuit diving
I think it's a good idea as well. The PADI O/W is aimed at teaching the basics in 4.5-five days, that's a hell of a lot of teaching to squeeze into such a short time. Teaching buoyancy control straight away isn't necessarily the easiest task in the world either, it takes most divers a good few dives to get their weight balanced.
Spot on :),i give this course free when i do an open water course,also gives them an extra couple of dives with me before i set them free ;)
iwmcarthur
13-11-09, 21:48
Loudy, you forgot to mention it also gives you another cert!!! :D
Loudy, you forgot to mention it also gives you another cert!!! :D
Oh aye that too :o;)
Flossy's puncture
14-11-09, 02:03
Not that it actually certifies you for anything though...
What i meant before was neutral buoyancy is exactly that, there is no difference between being horizontal or vertical..... it's the same
Not that it actually certifies you for anything though...
What i meant before was neutral buoyancy is exactly that, there is no difference between being horizontal or vertical..... it's the same
but where and how you position your weights can make you comfortable in either position so you can move to any position and still be perfectly balanced
buoyancy control is taught from day 1 but it is very basic. this course goes more in depth about equipment choice and distribution of gear and weights to give you better trim and more comfortable position underwater, Its a very good course for a new or inexperienced diver.
Makes sense, I'm going by club training/diving which was mentioned by Regthing when trainees practice bouyancy control on every dive.
Got to agree with Drambeg's quote "Swim round a popular wreck and try to find clear water in amongst the arse-dragging and underwater cycling".:D:D
What i meant before was neutral buoyancy is exactly that, there is no difference between being horizontal or vertical..... it's the same
Yeah, if you want to split hairs then neutral buoyancy doesn't serve any purpose other than as a party trick if all you look at is being able to float in one plane without going up or down. In itself it's not a useful skill.
If you want any benefit from it then how a diver trims in the water is as important, maybe even more important, than the skill itself. There is no point being neutral in the water if you hang at 45deg so that every time you make a fin kick you chuck a cloud of crap up. There is a hell of a lot of difference in whether or not you are able to hold a horizontal position.
Dive the Breda on a busy weekend and watch divers bicycling all over it then wonder how it's managed to end up in such a poor state...
Even at more advanced levels there should be a lot more teaching of good buoyancy and trim. I've ended up bagging off from 6m on the last few dives because of muppets that can't hold a deco stop and drag the line all over the place.
Flossy's puncture
14-11-09, 12:43
i was indeed splitting hairs, =). As you pointed out, the bullet point is ludicrous, but sounds good
i was indeed splitting hairs, =). As you pointed out, the bullet point is ludicrous, but sounds good
As a GUE trained diver i thought your trim in scapa was exemplary,i mean you didn't let the fact you were wrapped up like a mummy in your dsmb line faze you at all :laugh:;)
Flossy's puncture
14-11-09, 15:11
those problems would be solved if i wasnt so lazy and actually bothered to stick the pockets on my dry suit, =)
those problems would be solved if i wasnt so lazy and actually bothered to stick the pockets on my dry suit, =)
That's not very DIR :D
As a GUE trained diver i thought your trim in scapa was exemplary,i mean you didn't let the fact you were wrapped up like a mummy in your dsmb line faze you at all :laugh:;)
your gue trained didnt realise that, want an open water course? lol:p
As a GUE trained diver i thought your trim in scapa was exemplary,i mean you didn't let the fact you were wrapped up like a mummy in your dsmb line faze you at all :laugh:;)
didnt it make his trim a tad more verticle? :confused:
Flossy's puncture
15-11-09, 01:34
Quite horizontal thank you :P, but i had to get a bit knife happy, since i had already rigged the spool to the dsmb. (we were doing a decent and quick smb deployment which i decided to prerig before i jumped in, the spool feel out my pocket when i hit the water and proceeded to unravel whilst clipped off to my dsmb, so basically when we got to the bottom the spool was ten metres away from me but still tied to me, so i became Robert Englund for a few minutes)
danny
steven
scott
liam
lew
Glasgowbuddha
18-11-09, 10:24
The PADI PPB course is indeed one of the 5 options that can be taken during the AOW course.
We are told at the onset that we have to do 5 options of which 2 are compulsary, Navigation and Deep.
You have a CHOICEwhich of the other 3 you wish to do, this is fine if your doing your AOW in foreign parts where the water is nice and warm with endless viz and your wearing a shortie wetsuit.
When in Scotland the rules go out the window, BSAC and SSAC have the advantage here where they are diving consantly in Drysuits and in freezing cold conditions usually with crap viz. A 2 day course on PPB or the Drysuit course are insufficient. The theory is sound but without the time and experience underwater it aint going to work.
Sounds funny a PADI trained diver bashing PADI, but I have found in my experience that paying £300+ for 2 weekends does not make you a trim buoyant diver.
Yes there are pros and cons on this course, but in Scotland both the PPB and Drysuit courses should be compulsary and they aren't, hence the drag and shit viz on majority of dive sites,
So isn't the night dive compulsory any more? It's also one that I'd say was very relevant to Scottish diving, plenty of places where it's lights out past 15m or where vis is bad enough to make into a night dive.
The AOW course really needs revised. I think the OW, Rescue and Divemaster courses are very good courses but the AOW really does let PADI down. For the course that's supposed to let you out on your own there isn't much to it.
The PADI PPB course is indeed one of the 5 options that can be taken during the AOW course.
We are told at the onset that we have to do 5 options of which 2 are compulsary, Navigation and Deep.
You have a CHOICEwhich of the other 3 you wish to do, this is fine if your doing your AOW in foreign parts where the water is nice and warm with endless viz and your wearing a shortie wetsuit.
When in Scotland the rules go out the window, BSAC and SSAC have the advantage here where they are diving consantly in Drysuits and in freezing cold conditions usually with crap viz. A 2 day course on PPB or the Drysuit course are insufficient. The theory is sound but without the time and experience underwater it aint going to work.
Sounds funny a PADI trained diver bashing PADI, but I have found in my experience that paying £300+ for 2 weekends does not make you a trim buoyant diver.
Yes there are pros and cons on this course, but in Scotland both the PPB and Drysuit courses should be compulsary and they aren't, hence the drag and shit viz on majority of dive sites,
You have the option to do 1 ppb dive on your aow course and not the ppb course which is alot more in depth.
This thread is not for discussing about PADI versus other training agencies so if your not intrested in coming along or have any genuine questions about course can you please stop posting all this crap
Glasgowbuddha
19-11-09, 14:31
Am I to assume the PPB course you refer to is the PADI Speciality course.
Again my experience with these is you read the relevant chapter in the Adventures in Diving book answer the questions at the end of the chapter and then go off and do 2 dives.
Pay your cash and you get a nice wee laminated card to put in your wallet that says your a Speciality Diver. If you did PPB for your AOW you are exempt from 1 of the 2 dives.
Not bashing the organisation I have 3 Speciality certificates just don't think it is enough.
Am I to assume the PPB course you refer to is the PADI Speciality course.
Again my experience with these is you read the relevant chapter in the Adventures in Diving book answer the questions at the end of the chapter and then go off and do 2 dives.
Pay your cash and you get a nice wee laminated card to put in your wallet that says your a Speciality Diver. If you did PPB for your AOW you are exempt from 1 of the 2 dives.
Not bashing the organisation I have 3 Speciality certificates just don't think it is enough.
Yes your right that 1 of the dives can count towards your peak performance course if you want it to. However when you sign up for the course theres alot more than the knowlage review in the aow book, there is also a dvd and presentation and its much more in depth than the adventure dive.