Certification card dilemma

[Eyegore]

I'm not clear on why getting an Advanced cert would duplicate course work you've already done.

The YMCA OW included deep water and nav. and went beyond the ordinary cert. offered at the time. I opted for the OW and made the necessary extra dives for that endorsement.

 

[tursiops]

The YMCA OW included deep water and nav. and went beyond the ordinary cert. offered at the time. I opted for the OW and made the necessary extra dives for that endorsement.

If you can't get a replacment card from SEI, you are out of luck. Agencies don't offer equvalent croos=overs, but may recognize your card as a prereq for an upgraded cert. So you might be able to use your card to take a PADI Rescue class, for example. Your current card will have to indicate that it satisfies the prereqs, which might be difficult. Your word and explanation wil not be enough, I suspect.

 

[Bigbella]

The YMCA OW included deep water and nav. and went beyond the ordinary cert. offered at the time. I opted for the OW and made the necessary extra dives for that endorsement.

My certification was similar, from the late 1970s; and it was on the challenging side, as I recall. When I had an opportunity of taking, say, scientific diving, while at university, through NAUI, they recognized my YMCA card; gave me an OWII card, outright, to streamline things in their system, saying that the existing certification satisfied all of their prerequisites.

I hadn't even enrolled for that class, at the time. You might give them a try . . .

So you might be able to use your card to take a PADI Rescue class, for example.

For such a PADI fanboy, I am curious why you didn't recommend that "Dive Against Debris" trash collection specialty . . .

 

[rsingler]

For such a PADI fanboy, I am curious why you didn't recommend that "Dive Against Debris" trash collection specialty . . .

First, it's "fanboi".

Second, as any Boy Scout, or Girl Scout or soldier will tell you, there is a lot attached to those little bits of ribbon and cloth that you earn along the way.
So if some Millennial, convinced of the imminent demise of the earth from rising sea levels, wants to flash his or her badge testifying to their efforts to save the planet, I say, "More power to them!"
And if some dive association figures out a way to profit from our need to "get the t-shirt" or display a patch, well...more power to them too.

 

[tursiops]

For such a PADI fanboy, I am curious why you didn't recommend that "Dive Against Debris" trash collection specialty . . .

You're right, I am not a PADI hater, like yourself, but the OP's question was how to replace his cart that was a cert level, not a speciality. So since I was able to read his question and understand it, I suggested upgrading his certification level, not getting an irrelevant specialty card like your specious suggestion.

 

[rhwestfall]

Many of us dinosaurs have been through it. Look in my profile as to what I have taken. My YMCA cert covered everything up through my NAUI MSD. MSD and Rescue was to get to know more folks, and to up my game as my daughter became a diver. I got an Advanced card so it wouldn't hold me up with charters or travel. Just do it. It actually is refreshing if you find an instructor who will challenge you. Complacency can be a problem.....

YMMV

 

[formernuke]

So if I understand this right. The original cert also is a cert in what is now additional specialty certs but the new agencies don't recognize that fact?

 

[Bigbella]

You're right, I am not a PADI hater, like yourself, but the OP's question was how to replace his cart that was a cert level, not a speciality. So since I was able to read his question and understand it, I suggested upgrading his certification level, not getting an irrelevant specialty card like your specious suggestion.

I don't hate PADI, only scheißters who bilk the gullible; though there does appear to be some existing overlap. Damn, I missed that "drift diving" specialty. What's that course work like?

Drifting?

I did answer his question and was able to get an equivalent card, gratis, from a rival agency, years ago, without so much as opening my wallet, for anything more than postage; or, having duplicated material from previous courses . . .

First, it's "fanboi".
Second, as any Boy Scout, or Girl Scout or soldier will tell you, there is a lot attached to those little bits of ribbon and cloth that you earn along the way.

What are you smoking and not sharing? Any suggestion that there is an equivalency between members of a dilettante club and earned military rank is patently laughable . . .

 

[tridacna]

So if I understand this right. The original cert also is a cert in what is now additional specialty certs but the new agencies don't recognize that fact?

Nope, OP just wants to have a "backup" card in case he loses his current card. Does not want to take any other courses or pay an agency for additional training. All the other stuff is SBers (including me) offering extraneous advice. Post #3 is still the best advice so far.

 

[Kimela]

I got a Geo 4.0 wrist computer, and the software allows you to upload pictures of your cert cards (onto phone). It's made me wonder if dive ops would recognize the pics as legit. All that to say I also think it would be a good idea to take pics of the card (while trying to get a backup) - but wonder if it will do the trick if you need it.