skymama 37 #26 August 16, 2007 Quote Aren't there &^%$#* aligators in those there Florida canals!!!???! They only eat the tourists, not the locals. I did my water training in a pool, no big deal.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #27 August 16, 2007 Did mine at McGregor Lake at LP '05. Loved to swim as a kid, but nearly drown when a non swimmer used me as a flotation device. The thought of having the canopy over me was un-nerving. But with livendive tossing the canopy over my head and guppie01 acting as my personal lifeguard, I thrashed about and got out from underneath. It got it signed off. Still don't like the water though.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #28 August 16, 2007 QuoteMy first water landing was at Bridge Day 93. Landed in water about 8 feet deep, moderate current, really cold. Got out from under the canopy and started to swim. I was towing the whole canopy since I figured the boat would be there soon, but I kept swimming in case they were late. They pulled up about 10 feet from me and just looked at me. I kept swimming towards the shore (I was about 50 feet from it) expecting them to pull alongside. Finally I said "well?" "Stand up," the guy said. I discovered I was now in three feet of water over the sandbar. After that, my 'actual' water training was somewhat anti-climactic. That made me laugh! I did a round jump at the last Bridge Day, and as soon as I surfaced I started swimming HARD for the boat. One of the guys in the boat starts yelling at me, "Hey buddy, calm down, you're ok, we're comming to get you." I get up to the side of the boat and start climbing the step to get in and he says "Slow down dude, you're ok! No need to rush." I paused, looked at him like he was crazy, and said, "I'm not scared, this water is TOO fucking cold!" He, I and the driver just started laughing!---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peckerhead 0 #29 August 16, 2007 We still do water jumps and everyone who jumps lands in water and gets wet. It should still be a requirement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,466 #30 August 16, 2007 Did mine into Battleground Lake. Donated a main ripcord to the bottom of that lake. Came in on a ParaCommander with lots of brakes on and just before touchdown, let go of the toggles and it surged forward (nothing like what would happen on a modern canopy, though), I came back up between the risers, popped the leg snaps, dropped under a riser and held on to the rig until the boat came over and said "Wanna lift?" That lake was COLD. Jerry Baumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #31 August 16, 2007 Quote "Stand up," the guy said. I discovered I was now in three feet of water over the sandbar. After that, my 'actual' water training was somewhat anti-climactic. Note - on a sandbar, that is OK. But it is far from the correct thing to do in a river that has a flow where there are debris on the riverbed and you can't see the bottom. Rebar, trees, and rocks all can catch your feet, and then the flow's pressure against your body can break limbs and hold you under water. But, in your case, the story is very funny. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peckerhead 0 #32 August 16, 2007 Hey Jerry, I did my first into the Clackamas river back in 83 and it was COLD! T-10 mains...Ralph would not let us use the good stuff (paracomanders) Anyway, last weekend my local DZ put 3 loads into the Susquehanna in southern PA. The water is soo much warmer here. Square mains and warm water....These kids are spoiled I tell ya! But...At least they jumped. None of that sissy swimming pool bullshit! Ha! . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #33 August 16, 2007 Quote Maybe...or then again it could be we're still around so long 'cause the training was 'different'. Or because you made all of your mistakes back before the earth had really firmed up and the landings were softerI am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
angrypeppers 1 #34 August 16, 2007 I was in the pool with a rig on and a canopy over my head. Yep...same here....it was fun too ============== Ditto. The rec center we used has an indoor water slide which we claimed for our own after the training until the lifeguards yelled at us. Apparently, head down and three ways aren't allowed on the slide. Prudes...Burn the land and boil the sea, You can't take the sky from me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Broke 0 #35 August 16, 2007 Whats water training? Of course you realise I am just being sarcasticDivot your source for all things Hillbilly. Anvil Brother 84 SCR 14192 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #36 August 16, 2007 I did mine into Lake Utah, west of Provo, back in '80. 28 foot cheapo a couple of hundred yards offshore. My coworker wasn't there with the boat, but I had a wet suit and life preserver, so I just climbed out of the harness, popped a capewell to streamer the canopy in the water, and swam to shore towing it all. Not too bad.My second water landing was unintentional, bad spot on a windy demo, but I was prepared when I hit the water. Seemed to have survived somehow. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #37 August 16, 2007 I got wet. I'm pre "water training." I had to do a water jump, which was into the sea, some 1.5 miles off the coast of Hermanus, South Africa. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #38 August 16, 2007 We dont do water training, it's not a requirement for anything here.You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #39 August 16, 2007 Quote Quote I jumped in a pool... and while climbing out of the harness I inadvertently pulled the reserve handle... That is funny! Did you have to pay for the repack? no... it was packed as a "practice" reserve repack by a rigger in training and the rig was not a servicable (read "in use") rig... but we got a good laugh about it (at my expense... ) and she was really happy to see that her repack would have functioned... Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #40 August 16, 2007 According to legend, here was a time when the number one cause of death in the US for skydivers was drowning. The response was required water training. I did mine in a heated pool, swimming trunks, no chest strap, round parachute. Then we all played on the water slides and sat in the hot tub with the hot skychics. Just because it's required, doesn't mean it shouldn't be comfortable and fun Never landed in water, but there isn't much still water in Colorado. Maybe they'll require swoop training next (or swoop awareness, or something like that). Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psipike02 0 #41 August 16, 2007 Quote I was in the pool with a rig on and a canopy over my head. Yep...same here....it was fun too ============== Ditto. The rec center we used has an indoor water slide which we claimed for our own after the training until the lifeguards yelled at us. Apparently, head down and three ways aren't allowed on the slide. Prudes... hahah I forgot we did that...yeah 3-ways down the waterslide is a new activity we should start...that was awesomePuttin' some stank on it. ----Hellfish #707---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,587 #42 August 16, 2007 Water jumps used to be a whole lot more common (well, now we call the biffed swoop pond jumps ). Before the Cypres, before zero-porosity fabric, they weren't as troublesome. There was a pit fairly close to the DZ that I'm told folks would jump into as the last jump on Sunday sometimes, and I know there was a water demo that a couple of guys did every week for quite awhile. Of course, they did get free beers as well as some pay for them, and repacks were only $10... Wendy W. There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #43 August 16, 2007 Quote Quote At the old Indiantown, Florida, DZ, we would jump into a nearby canal, with a rescue boat in the water... Aren't there &^%$#* aligators in those there Florida canals!!!???! Yes, and you got extra credit for wrestling an alligator. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #44 August 16, 2007 QuoteWe dont do water training, it's not a requirement for anything here. Where is "here"? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #45 August 16, 2007 Quote Quote Quote At the old Indiantown, Florida, DZ, we would jump into a nearby canal, with a rescue boat in the water... Aren't there &^%$#* aligators in those there Florida canals!!!???! Yes, and you got extra credit for wrestling an alligator. Too bad Steve Irwin is no longer with us. It would have made a great episode of The Croc Hunter to have him come to Florida, do 1st jump course, go up, do his AFF Level 1, land in a Florida Canal and have to wrestle a Florida Aligator on the way out of the water.... Crikey!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #46 August 16, 2007 SD San Marcos has a pool..... And you def should get wet for training........ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
micduran 0 #47 August 16, 2007 I am not a strong swimmer so never wanted to cheat on the water training. While at a beach boogie an instructor took a few of us to the pool with a harness and canopy. The best thing I learned is that canopy lines REALLY get tangled in Tevas. Be patient with the faults of others; they have to be patient with yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #48 August 16, 2007 He is on that really dry continent... down under. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airathanas 0 #49 August 17, 2007 QuoteWe meet at a local YMCA, go over the SIM, ask questions, talk about it, then head to the pool. Once we are told how to get out of the harness and away from the rig, one by one we put on a rig, jump in and canopies are thrown over our heads. According to what I remember we aren't encouraged to touch the bottom of the pool (it's about 6 feet in the area we used). Then we do it again. I don't think it should be any easier than that. Honestly, I wouldn't have any problem with them requiring us to jump from a diving platform. It would make plenty of sense to me. The college that I got my Bachelors Degree from made passing a swim test a graduation requirement. And yes, I actually got in the water for my water training.http://3ringnecklace.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #50 August 18, 2007 My water trainig consisted of: Hey J what are you going to do if you land in the water? I said, get the %$^# out of my gear! And that was it, of course it was over 15 years ago.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
