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dtbecker

USPA B Water Training

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Hello,

I am new to skydiving but am planning to work my way up to Wingsuit. I already have scheduled an appointment to meet with Douglas from Skydive Elsinore.

However, one of the requirements of obtaining a UPSA B license is of course water training. The problem is I am not that good at treading water, but am really good at floating on my back for long periods of time. In fact, I never really learned how to tread water as a young kid because I never had a reason to. Jumping from high dives is something that I prefer not to do either.

Would this disqualify me from obtaining the USPA B license? Douglas, from Skydive Elsinore, really stresses water safety with a Wingsuit.

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davelepka

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Douglas, from Skydive Elsinore, really stresses water safety with a Wingsuit.



Now you have two things to learn, skydiving and swimming.



Some DZ's pass you without even entering the pool. How can they get away with this?

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Dude, go take some swimming lessons. Discounting the fact that it could potentially save your life, it's also kind of fun. And as long as you're in the process of facing your fears and seeking out new experiences, why not?

I suppose in a sense I was lucky to grow up where I did. The idea of someone making it to adulthood without being exposed to swimming is just mind boggling to me. It's funny though, because everyone was treating the water training as this scary boogeyman, but I'm as comfortable in the water as my AFF instructors are in the air.

The water training really isn't that bad. The canopy seems to want to float on its own. Pro tip: Volunteer to be the first one to go, and it'll want to float even more.
I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

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FlyingRhenquest

Dude, go take some swimming lessons. Discounting the fact that it could potentially save your life, it's also kind of fun. And as long as you're in the process of facing your fears and seeking out new experiences, why not?

I suppose in a sense I was lucky to grow up where I did. The idea of someone making it to adulthood without being exposed to swimming is just mind boggling to me. It's funny though, because everyone was treating the water training as this scary boogeyman, but I'm as comfortable in the water as my AFF instructors are in the air.

The water training really isn't that bad. The canopy seems to want to float on its own. Pro tip: Volunteer to be the first one to go, and it'll want to float even more.



Did you guys jump off diving boards?

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Did you guys jump off diving boards?



Look man, your other thread is all about BASE jumping and proximity flying a wingsuit. If that really is your goal, add becoming a strong swimmer to your to-do list. Many BASE jumps happen off bridges and cliffs, two things that generally go hand in hand with a river or fijord. Not to mention you're going to need to learn some climbing and rope skills.

In the end, if a diving board and public pool with a lifeguard present are deal breakers for you, you're never going to make it to your goal of wingsuit BASE. If you can't overcome those irrational fears (and yes, they are irrational as a public pool and 1 meter diving board are 'safe'), how do you expect to overcome the very rational fears of jumping out of planes, doing while wearing a highly constricting suit, climbing and jumping off of mountains and tall structures, and doing the same in the constricting suit?

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Nope, the pool we ended up at didn't have one so we just went off the edge of the pool. I don't think it would have made a difference for anyone in my group though, and certainly not for me.

I could potentially see it being dangerous landing in moving water -- a river or surf. As with anything else, you need to think about that in advance. The guy who taught my training told us he nearly downed one time landing about a mile off shore in the ocean and trying to swim back with his canopy, which he didn't want to lose. Your canopy is worth a lot less than your life is, and it's really not worth dying trying to save it.
I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

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http://www.dropzone.com/fatalities/Detailed/720.shtml


dtbecker

Hello,

I am new to skydiving but am planning to work my way up to Wingsuit. I already have scheduled an appointment to meet with Douglas from Skydive Elsinore.

However, one of the requirements of obtaining a UPSA B license is of course water training. The problem is I am not that good at treading water, but am really good at floating on my back for long periods of time. In fact, I never really learned how to tread water as a young kid because I never had a reason to. Jumping from high dives is something that I prefer not to do either.

Would this disqualify me from obtaining the USPA B license? Douglas, from Skydive Elsinore, really stresses water safety with a Wingsuit.




Nice response first: One of the first major tragidies :S in skydiving was the load that got out over the great lakes!

On average excepting Arizona, you are never more than 30 miles from a body of water that you can drown in! In many locations you are never away from a body of water you can drown in. Many people have drowend in skydiving.

My real response:

FOLLOW THE FUCKING RULES! If you can't follow the fucking rules don't jump,...


Have a nice day! :)C
But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."

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dtbecker

I am not that good at treading water



Seriously? When you're in the water, just move your legs. If you can't figure this out skydiving/BASE/WS isn't going to be very kind to you.

In addition to swimming, you'll also want at least some basic climbing skills when getting into BASE. You scared of that too?

Is your goal to get into WS BASE as quickly and lazily as possible? That's certainly the indication based on this and other threads you've started.

Start your research here:

http://www.blincmagazine.com/forum/wiki/BASE_Fatality_List

Then learn to crawl before you try to fly.
Apex BASE
#1816

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davelepka

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Douglas, from Skydive Elsinore, really stresses water safety with a Wingsuit.



Now you have two things to learn, skydiving and swimming.



Agreed.

Regardless of skydiving, everyone should really know how to swim. It could save your life one day.

Treading water is easy, just ride a bike underwater and use your hands to create some side to side waves to keep you stable and afloat.

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BeteNoire

***Some DZ's pass you without even entering the pool. How can they get away with this?



Heck, even the swimming pool isn't really a great substitution. In the old days we actually made a live hop 'n pop jump into a real lake.

Hmm. I wonder if I could get our pilot to fly over the Boulder reservoir...

Meh. They probably wouldn't want me to use the rental gear, and I'm not doing that with my shiny new Mirage. Probably why we don't do that here heh heh heh.
I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

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