19 January 2008

Equipment Course

Some divers could be forgiven for not taking the Equipment Course on the basis that they think :-

1). they know enough about their kit already,
2). the course is not going to help them, and
3). person presenting the course will not be particularly experienced.

Well divers have an uncanny knack of always thinking they know it all the second they get their first certification, but they may be right about point 2). if they don't get the right person takinng them through the course.

How do you get the right person? Well it helps to have an Instructor who has the manuafcturers own certifications plus the ASSET technicians qualification. It helps even more to know that the Instructor is the person who has been servicing your kit (and many others) for years ! And so it was at today's course with Simon Forster.

Now, I have know some Equipment Course students be quickly run through rather a slim syllabus in a matter of a few hours. Simon, however , spent a complete day with his students and stripped down & reassembled almost every piece of scuba kit apart from a rebreather. I've done a few dives and picked-up a certification or two on the way but I have to say I learnt a lot on this course, information that will continue to stand me, hopefully, in good stead.

If you missed this course, you might think about doing one if you are going to get immersed (!) in diving. But DO make sure you get someone with the training, experience & knowledge . And lets face it's a good way to spend a January day as you prepare for another seasons diving!

ADVICE For DMs & Instructors: The Course advised "If you use your equipment for teaching (paid or unpaid) , then under the HSE Diving at Work Regulations you MUST be able to PROVE that your equipment has been serviced regularly."

6 comments:

Tracey said...

As Chris said - an excellent course for both the experienced and not so experience diver - will certainly get me cleaning my kit a bit more thoroughly! Oh yea - I also learnt how to make athe perfect buddy out of a dry suit, 3 plastic bottles and some masking tape!!!!??!!

SaraDivingDiva said...
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Tad said...

seems this could be a must for all
as it turned out probably could of gone yesterday in the end .

Chris-P said...

11.24 Comment deleted at authors request.

Chris-P said...

Hmmm Tad, that's a worry...yesterday has passed and it's still only probable that you could have gone! It's usually easier to be definitive about the past :-) !!

Tad said...
This comment has been removed by the author.