5 Ways to Fail Your PADI Open Water Course 

Tell me about your open water diving course!!! These are just my personal thoughts of 5 ways you could fail the course. I would not stress though, if you want to dive! You can do it!!

I almost gave up when I was doing my open water course, on the confined water session to be exact, cuz it was so much hard work in one go. My only motivation was that I'd already paid the course and don't wanna go back empty handed without a certification, so I stayed strong... And it turned out I got addicted and now I'm a Rescue Diver!

"The underwater world is so breathtaking" - not the best choice of words when encouraging students :))

I have been a PADI Open Water Diver for 32 years. Life is so much better underwater! Dive safe Katt!

As an Instructor, it really amazes me when students who can't swim want to Scuba Dive, in my experience they don't tell me they can't swim until they fail the swim test, by that time they already have spent treasure and time on the course

There is no way to "fail" a PADI OW course; it is not like a typical academic course where you are issued a grade at the end. PADI courses are performance based, not based on time. They are designed so that students much achieve the designated skills -- workbook/classroom, confined water (usually pool) skills, and open water dives. There is no "pass/fail". When you master each set of skills, you progress to the next set. When you have completed all the skills and requirements of the course, you are certified. Some people take longer to master the skills, some people do it quicker. But there is no time limit. So there is no "failing". If any instructor tell you that you can "fail" a PADI course, find a different instructor that is interested in helping you succeed. I have always told my students that we would spend as much time in the pool as necessary for them to master the skills they needed for their diving. I told them I would never complain about having to spend extra time in the pool with them, that hanging out in the pool in scuba gear is a fun time for me... and that I would do it until they were so bored of pool skills they would beg me to take them to the ocean. Some students would take a bit longer to master their skills, but they would always eventually get there. I've never had a student "fail" a course, I work with them as long as necessary. And I've also never had a student have an accident in their OW dives. (Incidentally, my statement that there is no "fail" of a PADI course is not my opinion; this is explained to every PADI instructor during their training.)

I was a little scared before I started my dive course, but it went so well. I enjoyed every moment of it and the last dive to show the dive master that I can dive was amazing. I must say that I did a lot of snorkeling and lifeguard swimming

Hi! I’m one of the youngest scuba divers in the community and my final exam for jr open water is in a few days. Thank you so much for this video! Thank you for the help with calming my nerves and the advice! Update: I’m now fully certified!

I just finished my Junior open water course just waiting for my certification card to show up in the mail:D

I’m gonna be doing my scuba diving lesson today, wish me luck

Who in their right mind would turn off someone else's air? Thats effectively attempted murder. Isn't equivalent to intentionally suffocating someone?

Awesome I live in Apollo beach Florida and I’m about to start my open water course wish me luck!

Can I start a Poll? How many people would like to have Katt as an Instructor?

I actually failed my open water course because I missed one too many questions on the written test related to dive tables. It was at a university so I couldn’t retake it. However, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. In my field it’s definitely a good skill. I’m also applying for a job that requires it because it involves doing dive shows. Whether I get the position or not I’m signed up for another PADI open water course with classroom and pool next weekend, and open water the following.

Yes pls. Do share the tricks you used to equalise during descent on your next video

Me and my wife just got open water certified. She really struggled with her ears and went to see a doctor / specialist... turns out her nosebone is so crooked it pushes one of the eustachian tubes witch combined with an "chronical allergic nose" made clearing almost impossible. She comforted us and gave the okey to go on diving... a anti allergy spray solved most of it now... but at 4 -5 meters she still struggles sometimes taking some time to go down. Peeps when in doubt please visit a doctor with dive knowlege... it will make you alot more comfortable and safer in the water! Thx btw for the diving vids. Learned alot already from them even before i hit the water... Grtz

Diving is a great experience and now I have my padi advance open water which got last year. You out get of it what you put into.

Great vid Katt. I've had an experience that I have learned from and one tip I have is make sure your gear fits and functions (this is more common sense than anything). I've had a problem with a hood in the past (that felt fine) that stopped my ears equalising together and throwing my vision out 90 degrees whilst ascending from 25m through 18m. Stupidly(?) repeated the dive later in the day with no hood and no problems at all. Absolutely the scariest experience being vertical in the water but seeing things like your head is tilted sideways.

what a lovely T- shirt, diving kangaroo with fins and the tank...very funny!

Love your video but love your Regulator even more! Very cool s620ti !

Wow, you have a podcast now!....I'll definitely will go and check it out.

I’m currently in training. Wow thank you for this video! I needed to hear this. It will help me a lot to go all the way. 🦈 🐠 🐢 🐋 🐬

I did not fell my OWC, but I do have really bed ear problems (always did) and between my course I did catch ear infection (likely I had medicine with me and enough time for whole course of medicine) and still managed to finish my OWC!!!!! I just learned how to deal with my problem. Now I have advanced and deep water certifications 🍷💃👍

I love your videos! So inspiring! I was wondering if you have any advice on eco surf suits or wetsuits? Or if you could do a video about eco friendly ones you know of/how to buy the right suit and care for your suit? Love your videos, they inspire me to keep going and manifest my dreams of becoming a diver for ocean conservation!

Maybe "breathtaking" may be the wrong word to comfort a panic Diver :D

Great vid! I had an abysmal Discover Dive in Sri Lanka (mild panic attack) then still decided to get OWD certified. First attempt (in Brisbane, Aus) I had what I thought was a heart attack in the pool (just a pulled muscle) so had to reschedule to somewhere else. First open water dive I got the hiccups and started throwing up and had to reschedule again. While I didn't technically fail anything, I was not meant to be a scuba diver! But now at 100 dives and gong into Tec!

I’ve got my pool and classes done and I got the open water dives in a month. I worry that I might rely on the bcd to much to ascend and descend and equalization any tips?

As always, love your video!!!. I just want to say, as one dive pro to another, thanks for the info about Leaf. I actively try to reduce the amount of plastic in my life and this Leaf Shaver meets that goal and looks beautiful. Ordering it now. Keep up the great videos!

I did basic try diving for 5times now im planning to get open water certificate soon

I’ve had issues equalizing my ears due to a chronic sinus issue, but as bad as it sounds, I take more drugs on dive trips than I do at any other time. Decongestants, antihistamines, antiemetics, and ear drops, along with a couple prescription meds. The added medication allows for a much more enjoyable time though.

I failed my first OWD because the current was strong and I couldn't even swim properly with my heavy fins and my 6mm wet suit, shoes, gloves 8kg extra weights. I had a mild panic attack and had to quit. I am still working on getting my OWD but I secretly really don't want to do this in the cold water (plus I don't plan on diving in cold water ever). Where are you operating? Maybe I should travel to you and get my OWD with you :) I pass my theory and all of the exercises in the pool, I just need my 4 open water dives.

Great video! I wanted to get a padi license but due to the current situation haven’t been able to:/ hopefully can get one soon!

you look and sound like Blake Lively. I loved your video i am starting my classes today. your confidence in people is amazing.

Great video thanks for posting! I'm a total newbie,the most I've done is snorkeling and free diving. Are you based in the U.K? I only ask to know if these are applicable to the U.K. (although the ones like don't act like a idiot I'm not a kill joy, just time and place comes to mind! and don't go down if you have medical issues are common sense I'd have thought.) But I'd love to pass my open water diving course,my friend did it just before lockdown and he couldn't recommend me doing it highly enough. Even while free diving I found being underwater so peaceful! Do you have to buy your own kit first? I have a 6mm wetsuit,fins and mask with snorkel but as for the scuba side of things I wouldn't know what is need first! Also not that well off financial due to being laid off due to corona Thank you for the video and your time

Good advices, and yes I would like to receive more tips for equalizing or fighting panic-attacks when f.e. breathing some water through the nose. It happened to me when lifting the mask in 15m depth during the OWD and it wasn't funny. Another time, in 30m depth, not breathing enough, developing a CO2-excess, and then wasn't quite able to breath quickly enough, got very near to panic and felt so much need to quickly ascent to the surface ! Fortunately I didn't. BTW, nice balance between being serious with teaching, without forgetting how to combine it with fun :-)

Well I love your shirt, it looks cute.

Yes a video about equalizing your ears!... I have issues with that... I can equalize, ears pop easy... then I start feeling slight pain the deeper I go.. like pass 50ft almost like a little needle poking my ear drum... wondering what could cause that? My ears not equalizing all the pressure? But after the dive at the surface, my ears feel fine 🤷‍♂️

Would you recommend getting certified somewhere where your open water dives are in the ocean vs in a lake? I live in Pennsylvania and up here the dives would be in a lake, but I am considering going to the Florida Keys to get certified because the open water dives would be in the ocean and I would be diving in the ocean once certified not in lakes. What do you think?

I’ve got mine this Friday and I’m only 16 and don’t know anyone who’s in my class so I’m nervous as. What if there’s an uneven amount of people in the class do you do a three way buddies?

Equalizing can be a problem. It took me years to find proper technique to equalize my ears but I'm still THAT diver who hovers above the group for a minute or two, constantly showing equalization problem sign followed by ok 😄. I never abandoned a dive for equalization problem because I know my ears will start to cooperate, but they need some extra time. After that, I can go down as fast and as deep as I want.

The equalizing problems is the only reason i have had so far to not pass students. But each time its happened it was simply because they were sick or had some sort of cold. They eventually came back later on and were able to do it without the same problems 🙂. So the not passing thing was only temporary thankfully.

My first dive for the open water at a lake scared me. I personally watched someone panic on my left when we did the half-mask flood skill. He said that just couldn't connect mind-to-body and when he flooded his mask he breathed the water through the nose and then continued to full panic and made a run to the surface- our scuba instructor grabbed his back of the tank and helped him. .... I was like shiiiiettttt.

How about the fun dive program without certification on padi, is that only a few meters or can you tell me the detail of that programme?

Where were you diving in Cambodi?, I'm moving out there next to do my dive master.

Really entertaining video 😊. I plan to take my course this winter in mexico. Seems not super difficult, and since I'm really interested in it, I will soak up the information easily. The most ridiculously obvious thing on this list is the can't swim. The fact that a lot of people actually can't swim seems crazy to me, and irresponsible on the parts of the parents for not teaching them. Its a basic human survival skill and everybody should know it. If people can't swim I don't know how they might think it's a good idea to learn to dive. One step at a time, no?

I am reading my manual and getting so freaking nervous .....my course is this weekend

I ran into problems with filling my mask up, at my open water certification, my instructor , he got me over it, by having an extra pool day, but because it took so long to get past the mask filling problem, I got certified as a PADI Scuba Diver, he told me get some more dives under my belt and try the open water certification again.

So if I take the PADI to get my diving certificate and I’m 12 how deep would I be able to go if I get my certificate?

I've already given up because of the e-learning Is it so confusing with the dive tables and everything

I used to suffer asthma few years ago and I went to the doctor and he said that I am be able to do scuba diving, the thing is he didn't make me any kind of exams about it so I feel I little nervous to take my open water course, what do you recommend?

Dear Ocean, i'm on a predictament here with my Padi open water diving, and pardon my english please, I did all my pool sessions, i did even 4 sessions at sea, my instructor was quite atentive to my limitations, but i still can't do 2 exercises 1 - take the mask out completely and put it on my face 2 - take my bcd out and and put it again, on the first one i'm trying alone with apnea at a low depth to control any panic of taking my mask out, and i'm practising at sea, but the other one of the bcd i just don't have the ability to do that... and furthermore i don't want to dive at 60 feet, cause i don't feel confortable neither i want to dive at that depth in any way shape or form, i want to be on a "controlled" depth.. at least for me of no more than 7 meters, so, 35 feet max, do you think, in your professional opinion, that by these limitations i shouldn't be a padi certified open diver? Thank you

That’s so sad, doing something you love all your life and having to give it up.

I've been taking the open water diver course and I think I'm probably going to have to quit. I really tried my best. I studied the materials and got perfect scores on all the quizzes and test. I have watched dozens of hours of videos on RU-vid to try to figure out different techniques for improving my weaknesses. But from the first time I stuck my head underwater and took a breath out of the regulator it felt so unnatural to me. I was very anxious the entire time under water and threw up in the pool parking lot after the first pool day. About 50% of the time when doing a mask clearing I panic and surface because water going up my nose gives me the sensation of drowning and it is overwhelming. I don't swim well with fins, am bad at maintaining proper trim, and am not good at buoyancy control. I'm basically on the verge of being out of control half the time underwater. Yesterday was the first open water dive, and when we went down about 20 feet I was much slower at being able to equalize my ears and descend than everyone else in the group. They had to wait for me for a couple of minutes as I slowly worked my way down the rope, but I finally got down there. But around 20 feet I lost some buoyancy and descended slightly, the pressure built up in my ears, I was unable to equalize it fast enough. My left eardrum ruptured, and we had to end the dive early without a safety stop because of my issue. I didn't fully realize how bad it was and actually went back into the water to attempt the second open water dive with the group after about an hour on the surface. But as soon as my head went underwater there was just a lot of pain in my ruptured ear and I was unable to continue. The doctor says I can't swim or dive again for at least several weeks until the eardrum heals and the infection clears. I really don't want to quit. I really wanted to be able to do this, but it is way outside of my comfort zone. I think scuba diving is just beyond my psychological and physiological limitations and that is very disappointing to me, but I think I just have to accept that. Recreational scuba diving is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, and so far absolutely nothing about it has been fun or enjoyable for me. It's basically been equivalent to waterboarding torture for me.

When you have a few hundred dives under your belt you realize that certifications mean nothing. I've been with divers who had only 35 dives, but were pretty solid and a few over 500 logged dives who were dogshit. Being good in the water is a question of attitude. You either invest energy into improving your skills or you don't. Failure is good. It means you have an instructor who cares about you not being good enough. Embrace it as a chance to grow and improve.

I was looking forward to scuba diving but I have asthma so I can’t😢😢

Hey Katt. Concerning the Asthma Condition you referred to. Back in 06 I was diagnosed with (Cant remember the name) a condition like Asthma. When the Ozone Levels are high, I have trouble breathing. Smoke tends to cause problems as well. I was given a prescription for an inhaler, Albuterol and Singulair. Would that prevent me?

I failed my advanced on the navigation test...

I found tons of ppl can't swim but pass diving license though.

I don’t have asthma very bad but could it still affect me

Hi I need help. I am a kid I wanna dive but I have asthma. It's been under control for months I havent had an asthma attack in months. Will I be able to dive?

Katt...good video..

Im 14 and going to get scuba certified in florida and i have aesthma but i have never had a asthma attack just general coughing do to allergies whats your opinion on that?

Who takes or wants to take a dive class that can’t swim

I want to learn how to scuba-dive but I’m only 11 and I don’t think that I will be able to

Bring BSAC or SSI materials to a PADI class.

I managed eventually to get certified as a PADI Open Water Diver. This was after a lot of anguish and stress due to issues with my instructor. As I say I did get certified, did the four Open Water dives and that was it . I have not dived since. Just didn't get hooked at all. I did the training for the wrong reason. My wife who is a PADI rescue diver suggested I should, she even paid for it so I thought I should finish the course. That was in 2011. She hasn't dived since either. It all seems like too much hassle, driving 100 odd mile to the coast only to find the weather is too bad or going to an inland site and finding there is nowhere to park.

Hi

I guess to give up is even more awful reason to fail then not to listen, don't get me wrong, it's important to listen, but if you gove up just because it's a little bit to difficult etc. it's just losing a great chance. I'm not a dive instructor, but I believe you can pass, even if not everything perfect, because you can keep learning. So yes I believe you just beginn to learning if you passed the open water. Just similar to the diving licence. What do you think about?

Go deep, stay long, come up fast, run to the bar, smoke a pack of cigarettes, drink a liter of tequila, stay up all night and do it again. ;)

My daughter and I have just been kicked off a PADI course by a ln instructed who boasted that he could tell a diver and we would never pass our PADI course. He took us to tidal waters in the red sea surrounded by normal swimmers for our first time in scuba with low visibility showed us once what to do then expected us to master it with no further instruction other than the first. I could not master removing and replacing the 10 weights which I could bearly lift on land. It was not the 3 meter fresh water 100% visibility swimming pool that I had seen in the PADI commercials on youtube. It was fighting the tide going out in visibility of around 3 meters trying to avoid hitting swimmers and being instructed at the surface in chop and cross wind.

I passed my Padi classes, but after I decided to complain to Padi Quality Assurance, they decided not to issue me my cards! So one big reason if you complain, Padi may retaliate!

Taking my certification dives in two weeks done with the pool dives today...a little nervous

I can equalize ear pressure on land😂

Not the best swimmer but I can't tread water :(

Let's say Point one, not necessary and can do leisurely after getting a license.

I just turned 80 years old! I was certified back in 1980. I do snorkeling in a pool. However, my BC is not like the ones of today. I have to inflate it by going from my regulator, to the stem on the BC. Also, diving up in the NY area stinks! Visibility is poor and who wants to dive in Long Island Sound? Diving is dangerous at any age, but especially mine. Despite the fact that I am in good health, do not look my age, can carry a tank, have the stamina to descend, I will not descend below 20 feet. I took lessons from Fran Garr, and she was remarkable. Good luck with diving, but it's a dangerous sport and one that I am not inclined to pursue at any age!

I always accidentally destroy corals haha but I’ve not failed the exam so it’s fine I guess

How will trainees succeed in scuba diving if your buoyancy is so shit

turning of someones air underwater/ who tf does that

Awww man I have asthma 😫

If someone turned my gass off you wouldn't have to fail them

Hola. Princess. Hermosa

Swimming does not come into diving the idea is to sink not swimm.

If all the medical stuff goes well, I will be taking the open water course. About the instructions part...... are there really that dumb people to turn off their buddies air valves? Like wow..... not even a joke.

Thanks! Now I an leave in peace

HI CAN TALK YOU

you can fail a PADI course? I call padi divers seahorses. McDojo of the dive world.

Passed the theory test. gotta do the 3 day open water dives now. I hope I meet girls as hot as you on the social dives :P

Honestly I cannot swim but i pass my Course ..im feel so lucky

Why don’t some kids learn to swim you just putting your child at risk your kid gonna hit those wild teenage years get in the water with his friends and die and never come back home to you. Train your kids to swim at a young age

How do you know if someone is a vegan? Dont worry, theyll tell you.

How do you know that somebody is a Vegan? They will put it in their channels name even if it has nothing to do with diving, lol.

I don’t care what you eat.

useless...

Compared to your videos from 2 years ago, you have aged about 10 years. IF you are planning to have kids someday I would strongly suggest to improve your diet by adding fats and protein from animals. Seafood is one of the best choices, combining excellent nutrition and low carbon footprint.

vegans can't wait to tell you they're vegan....

Lovely 😍 👌 👍 🥰