Posted by Ken Kurtis on September 06, 2000 at 01:48:26:
In Reply to: Re: What to cover posted by Ed L. on September 05, 2000 at 22:19:46:
(Ed L. wrote) Personally I think class size should be limited to allow for closer supervision of the class by the instructor and not say 20 people in a pool.
Ed, PADI and NAUI standards limit an instructor to a certain number of students. For NAUI, in confined water (generally a pool), it's a maximum of 10 with just an instructor (10:1 ratio), a maximum of 16 with an instructor and 1 certified assistant (8:1), a maximum of 20 with an instructor and 2 certified assisants (7:1), and a maximum of 22 with an instructor and 3 certified assistants (5.5:1).
In the open water, it changes. An instructor alone can handle a maximum of 8 (8:1), and with one certified assistant, can raise the number to 10 (5:1). However, you can't go above ten on a single dive in open water unless you add a second instructor, regardless of the number of certified assistants you have.
PADI's number are similar but I don't have them in front of me right now.
IMHO, if you know of an instructor who's teaching outside of these limits, he/she should be reported first to his/her dive shop, and then to their certifying agency.
Ken Kurtis
NAUI Instr. #5936
Co-owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Beverly Hills, Ca.