Padi Neutral Buoyancy -Instructor Development Skills.
Padi Open Water Diver Course – Neutral Buoyancy (Dive 3)
In the Open Water Diver course, Open Water Dive 3 neutral buoyancy skill underwater, the standard states: Become neutrally buoyant and hover by inflating the BCD orally.
The intent of the skill is to ensure that the student diver can use BCD oral inflation to attain neutral buoyancy in open water, as was mastered first in confined water.
You may also conduct this skill by:
1. having student divers demonstrate padi neutral buoyancy via oral BCD inflation (fin pivoting, for example). This demonstrates that the student can use controlled manual inflation underwater in the event of an inflator freeze or malfunction. Once the student is neutrally buoyant, then
2. having the student demonstrate hovering – using either BCD oral inflation, BCD LPI inflation, or dry suit inflation.
This offers a practical option in areas where student divers dive in dry suits that you can use now. The
amendment will be included in future editions of the Padi Open Water Diver Course Instructor Guide, Padi Neutral Buoyancy Skills.