Advanced Open Water Disappointment

[Forbin's Descent]

These are just ideas. I'm sure there are some flaws as I'm just quickly writing this.

Here is the problem right here

https://www.padi.com/sites/default/files/documents/about-padi/7.2.4%20quality%20mgmt%20flowchart.pdf

Look up the definition of reactive and you'll see this. Jeez. I would be more than happy to take a position with PADI as their director of QC/QA and fix this for them by making QA/QC proactive. And hell, I'd probably cost way less than just one of their lawyers.

 

[tursiops]

You make a lot of unsubstantiated, erroneous statements. I'll address a few of them.

these courses were put in as money makers.

Many of them are designed as courses to point divers toward ocean awareness and conservation. Not every course has to be about one's personal skill set; it is perfectly OK to take a course )i.e., spend money on it) to have some fun and to learn something new about the ocean, or to be made aware of the fact that there is more than one kind of turtle or shark and how to tell them apart.

Certifications given by private corporations with no oversight are.

There is indeed oversight. There could be more, but then you and others would probably whine about overreach and interference in your personal freedom.

I read the PADI rescue manual and between SWR and WFR I had it pretty much covered except for a few diving specifics.

There is a reason that these course require hands-on expertise for certification; you really can't get it all -- especially the muscle memory -- from rading about something. Reading is good; it is not enough.

Yep, It's the beginning diver thing.

That's you. You don't know what you don't know. You might learn, but I'm beginning to doubt it.

My local shop is PADI 5 star which sounds impressive to the new diver but all that means is he's done x amount of certifications.

Incorrect.

We don't rise to the occasion, we fall to our training.

True; so you are willing to be rescued by someone who has read a book but has not had any training?

I like the survey idea as a cheap start.

This is exactly what PADI does with its OW courses. Random surveys sent out to new divers; and they DO act on them, if only to call up an instructor and explain they really DO need to follow the standards. It is the repeat and egregious offenders that get kicked out of PADI. For continuing education courses, PADI depends upon customer input/complaints; which it seems the offended divers (at least on SB) refuse to do. They are willing to come onto SB and explain in great detail about how their course sucked and their instructor sucked and their dive shop sucked, but they refuse to report any of this to PADI or to even name names so others can avoid the offending instructors/shops. We need a new emojii that means, "Report this or shut up."

 

[Forbin's Descent]

True; so you are willing to be rescued by someone who has read a book but has not had any training?

I'm not only trained, just not by PADI or dive agencies, I am experienced. Been part of numerous rescues including one where I was the sole rescuer performing CPR and saved the person and another that I was part of a team performing CPR of a drowning victim that survived. We also practice scenerios regulary on the river. Other than an S drill I don't see divers regulary keeping their skills sharp. They get the card and done. Believe me if **** goes down, you want me around, not somebody "trained" by my local LDS.

 

[tursiops]

I'm not only trained, just not by PADI or dive agencies, I am experienced. Been part of numerous rescues including one where I was the sole rescuer performing CPR and saved the person and another that I was part of a team performing CPR of a drowning victim that survived. We also practice scenerios regulary on the river. Other than an S drill I don't see divers regulary keeping their skills sharp. They get the card and done. Believe me if **** goes down, you want me around, not somebody "trained" by my local LDS.

You really should take a dive rescue class; it is so much more than CPR.

 

[Forbin's Descent]

You really should take a dive rescue class; it is so much more than CPR.

I have Wilderness First Responder and Swiftwater Rescue which covers most of what's in there and more. I actually have also completed the online portion of the SDI training and am doing the in water work when I complete my cave with my SDI buddy. I figure I should throw him some business since he essentially trained me without getting the pay.

 

[tursiops]

I have Wilderness First Responder and Swiftwater Rescue which covers most of what's in there

How can you possibly know that without having taken the class?
Please come back on an report if you learned anything from the class that you did not already know,.

 

[Forbin's Descent]

How can you possibly know that without having taken the class?
Please come back on an report if you learned anything from the class that you did not already know,.

Oh I will definitely learn something. I ain't saying I know everything. There is always something to be learned.

 

[Forbin's Descent]

How can you possibly know that without having taken the class?

Because it is my experience that the in person training for SCUBA is typically a small fraction of what's in the standards and manuals and I've completed book work for two different agencies.

 

[Forbin's Descent]

I'm off to go dive. I'll pick up with you keyboard warriors later... if I survive!!!

 

[tursiops]

Because it is my experience that the in person training for SCUBA is typically a small fraction of what's in the standards and manuals and I've completed book work for two different agencies.

I'll repeat: the value in the rescue class is the in-water water work, NOT the book work.