PADI Divemaster Swim Test Times

[DivingCRNA]

Originally Posted by cgvmer

Anyone planning to be a dive pro, should consider these distances and times as being just below adequate.

Because a diver spends so much time swimming....

When is the last time a DIVER had to swim FAR and FAST?



Anyone who thinks good swimming is needed for rescue needs to rethink their primary rescue plans, BTW...

As for split fins... They suck for the 800 yd snorkel. I used my POS Oceanic V12 vortexes (floppy and heavy as heck) and scored 2 points. I run and am in decent shape.

I got some Aqualung Blade 2s (long, light and stiff) before doing the inert diver tow and just missed 4 points. I am gonna redo the snorkel in these because splits blow on the surface.

[cummings66]

A DM I know had to swim to rescue a swimmer who was drowning. He had just showed up at the dive spot and noticed a person drowning, too far to toss a flotation aid to so he swam it out to them.

It might come in handy in ways you don't know.

[DivingCRNA]

Originally Posted by cummings66

A DM I know had to swim to rescue a swimmer who was drowning. He had just showed up at the dive spot and noticed a person drowning, too far to toss a flotation aid to so he swam it out to them.

It might come in handy in ways you don't know.

I knew there would be a few "I knew this one guy" stories. But how often does a DM really need FAST swimming skills? Does it count if you train your butt off for the test, and then stop when you pass?

[OTGav]

Last trip I was on I ended up doing 2 tired diver tows on the same dive, got one close enough to the boat and then went back for the other one - endurance was important then. Bit of current to fight, probably 80m from boat, so that's about 150m against current and 80 with - sure felt like 400m+ by the end.

I've also had an anchor get stuck, and the prop pick up the anchor line. A high speed swim would have been important under those circumstances if someone had got in trouble - the boat isn't going to be able to move for 10-15 minutes.

How is it bad to be fast and have good endurance in the water?

Sure helps you zip about from student to student in herding mode when they do a "gang of cats + firework" impression when they first get in the water. And no, slacking off completely after the test doesn't help - same as the learning side, you don't stop learning new stuff just becuase you passed the exam.

[tclark]

I've got my rescue diver and am going to work on my dive master. These swim tests seem to be the biggest part of it all.
I'm going to get a membership at the local club with an indoor lap pool, since its now winter, and work on my skills.
T.

[teerlkay]

Originally Posted by ScubyDoo

.


3. If you have split fins, make sure you use them for the 800 yd. snorkel swim. I wore my regular fins on my first attempt and was very unhappy with the results. On the make-up swim I wore the splits and increased my time by over 4 minutes.

I assume the poster meant "decreased my time" ?????

[cummings66]

That's a good catch, I'd hate to go for my DM swim test and try to increase my times.

[cjwaid]

If you can swim, no worries.

I am solid muscle, so I have a tendency to sink like a brick. I consider myself to be a sh-ty swimmer at best. It's not that hard.

Get your breathing down, I take a break every 2 stroke cycles, or on my 4th stroke. (left, right, left, right, Breathe on my left)

As far as floating, treading, I have to keep my lungs filled or I sink like a brick.

If your not a strong swimmer, you'll need to spend time working at it. Unfortunately, swimming is one of, if not THE hardest sport for your body to adapt to. So it takes a lot of practice if your not a natural. Swimmers generally practice several hours a day, sometimes twice a day.

Your body has a lot to get use to when you are challenging it from that many different angles (pulling body through water), so spend time on it.

[Lulubelle]

Originally Posted by cjwaid

If you can swim, no worries.

I am solid muscle, so I have a tendency to sink like a brick. I consider myself to be a sh-ty swimmer at best. It's not that hard.

Get your breathing down, I take a break every 2 stroke cycles, or on my 4th stroke. (left, right, left, right, Breathe on my left)

As far as floating, treading, I have to keep my lungs filled or I sink like a brick.

If your not a strong swimmer, you'll need to spend time working at it. Unfortunately, swimming is one of, if not THE hardest sport for your body to adapt to. So it takes a lot of practice if your not a natural. Swimmers generally practice several hours a day, sometimes twice a day.

Your body has a lot to get use to when you are challenging it from that many different angles (pulling body through water), so spend time on it.

Find yourself a master's swimmer at a swim club to give you some stroke advice and you may amaze yourself at how fast you can go. It is as much about finesse as power. Certainly helps if you are tall and skinny. Brother was a freestyle sprinter at the Olympic level and he loves advising other athletes on their stroke. Hey, and you get to use FINS.

[DMWiz]

Just out of curiosity... How many of you did your swim tests in a pool and who did it in the ocean or other natural body of water?

I'm a sinker and poor swimmer, but have good endurance so I elected to test in the ocean 'cause I would have failed every single one of those in a pool. It worked!