PADI swimming requirements

d2ww

Hi all,
Hoping to introduce my wife to scuba this summer while on holidays. The place I'm looking at requires the "Ability to swim 200m unaided and without stopping" which personally is a tall order. The PADI website just says that "you need adequate swimming skills", and I vaguely remember doing about 50-75 metres down in Dehab when I did my OW many moons ago.
Would a 200 metre swim be the norm? because if so, I may need a plan B,

locum-motion

You must swim 200m, but there's no time limit on it. You can stop and rest (ie treading water) as often as you like for as long as you like, as long as you're not using the side of the pool or a floatation device to hold on to. It can be done as doggy-paddle/backstroke/whatever. Unless your wife is totally unable to keep her own head above water unaided, she'll be able to do it.

d2ww

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm not worried about my wife, it's me that will struggle to complete that. I will need to do a check dive/refresher, so may well be asked to do the swim. Anyway, I have a few months to get my act together before this August. Dubrovnik, here we come!

Meanaspie

d2ww wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm not worried about my wife, it's me that will struggle to complete that. I will need to do a check dive/refresher, so may well be asked to do the swim. Anyway, I have a few months to get my act together before this August. Dubrovnik, here we come!

If you're already qualified and are just doing a refresher then you won't have to do a swim. The refresher will be simple things like clearing your mask retrieving your reg if it gets knocked out etc

MoistNSquishy

It depends on the dive centre, I personally ran OW,s for the past year. If the student was a young fit person, i would make them do it, if they were older clients I would make them swim 50m just so they could warm up and I could check their form. It is better to do it for both parties legally. Its all down to the instructor and how quickly they want to see the back of you. Most scuba affiliations require a fitness to dive, as it can be laborful. 200m is only 8 lenghts, its not timed, and as I said proctects both parties legally. CFT require 200m, timed, 1 full lenght under water and a breath hold within 5 mins of completing the swim. It will also build water confidenece.

yankinlk

MoistNSquishy wrote: »

CFT require 200m, timed, 1 full lenght under water and a breath hold within 5 mins of completing the swim. It will also build water confidenece.

Agree with that.

In my Club for example, annual membership entitles me to join in the pool sessions every November through February. (UL arena Tues nights at 9pm)

At the start of the season, most members are looking to regain fitness for next years dive season. They start with maybe 15m underwater. The goal by the end of season is to work that distance up, eventually some get to one full length of the 50m pool, regardless of age.

The pool test is carried out whenever the person feels comfortable during the season. Some jump right in and get it done the first week, others wait until they have built up confidence and fitness.