Certified in Late 70's?

[cheftim]

Are you sure that NAUI doesn’t have paper records based on your name and location? I had them replace a tired old card and it seemed like they had all the records. This is not true for NASDS, now owned by SSI, because records were lost in a fire. You might try calling NAUI and make a personal appeal. The lady that I worked with was very helpful.

Thanks for all the help folks. An old buddy of mine who took the class remembered the guy's name. I had spoken with the folks at NAUI and they said I needed to fill out the form and that having the actual instructor name was crucial to getting the right paperwork to look it up. That's why I took a long shot trying to find a local forum that might have some older divers on it. Didn't mean to step on anyone's netiquette toes by signing up and immediately asking a question. Just figured a bunch of like minded folks was the best place to start.

All great advice regarding refresher courses, but, I've been diving regularly. Had to take the past couple of years off battling an illness and am looking forward to getting back down. And honestly, although equipment sure has improved over the years, same principles still apply.

Be safe and thanks for the help.

 

[Mr.X]

I didn't mean to sound too harsh - best with getting a card replacement. Additionally, NAUI and most agencies have some type of qualification for experienced divers, or military divers who know what they're doing but don't have recreational certs. If you are unable to track the original instructor down and have proof of your diving experience a NAUI, or other qualified instructor can eval. you, do the paperwork and issue a card based on your past and current experience. In short - it shouldn't be too hard to get a new card other than shell out for the registration stuff and minor time and effort on the part of the gaining instructor to follow standard procedures.

I haven't been to Cape Cod in a while - but I do remember a store out of Hyannis that was pretty helpful.

Cheers,

X

 

[gypsyjim]

Good luck. Safe diving.
And nothing wrong with coming to SB to ask a question; that is how many of us first found SB.

 

[Johnmpcny]

You get one here also
https://copper.he.net/~bwana/orderrepcard.htm

Some people here hate this guy. I lost my NASDS card from 1975. After the fire no records could be found and my olds LDS was gone and so SSI would not help. Dove for 15 years and took a break. Wife last year want to get c card and start diving after 25 years of me trying. I wanted to do a refresher. 3 LDS said I had to do full course. Became a matter of principle, I had over 70 OW dives and was willing to pay for refresher course. They all said no card no refresher so I got this one and then was allowed to do a Padi refresher, then one LDS then got over $7000 in sales from my wife, son and I, the other 2 lost out. Did I save a lot of money or time doing this - no but I wanted credit for my past history. I now carry Padi and my SDA card, I always present my SDA card never had someone not fill my tanks or let me on a dive boat. Over 25 new dives now and counting.

He even has a online refresher Scuba Certification Refresher Course - Get the book work done from home.

I am sure someone will point out all the reasons this is not good. It works for me.

 

[oly5050user]

You get one here also
https://copper.he.net/~bwana/orderrepcard.htm

Some people here hate this guy. I lost my NASDS card from 1975. After the fire no records could be found and my olds LDS was gone and so SSI would not help. Dove for 15 years and took a break. Wife last year want to get c card and start diving after 25 years of me trying. I wanted to do a refresher. 3 LDS said I had to do full course. Became a matter of principle, I had over 70 OW dives and was willing to pay for refresher course. They all said no card no refresher so I got this one and then was allowed to do a Padi refresher, then one LDS then got over $7000 in sales from my wife, son and I, the other 2 lost out. Did I save a lot of money or time doing this - no but I wanted credit for my past history. I now carry Padi and my SDA card, I always present my SDA card never had someone not fill my tanks or let me on a dive boat. Over 25 new dives now and counting.

He even has a online refresher Scuba Certification Refresher Course - Get the book work done from home.

I am sure someone will point out all the reasons this is not good. It works for me.

so you got a worthless card from someone that did not even see you in the water. Sounds like FRAUD to me..Even with 70 dives you are considered new at the activity. Over a 15 year time span you did 70 dives..that comes out to 5 a year,not very experienced. I try to get in 5 dives in a day on some trips..
Then you have not dove for 21 years(1990-2011).
In that time frame gear has changed and more important your physical well being has changed.
I applaud the PROFESSIONAL facilities that denied you dives/refresher at a lost to business revenue and requested you to take the course again.The UNPROFESSIONAL facilities that accepted your sda card are at best, either do not know how to read or their do not care for your safety or the safety of the people you dive with are NOT there for your best interests and at worse do not care if you have an accident until they get sued by your survivors.

 

[Johnmpcny]

LOL not worthless and if read my post you will see I did the pool and OW PADI refresher and have been on over 20 boat dives now with that card. Fraud nope he has own certification group and does do pool training and open water. People hung up on their alphabet org is the best or only one hate him. I dove from 75-85 then took a lot of years off to 2010 when I got back in, and yes I never thought just getting in your words a "fraud card" would do I took the full padi refresher before I hit the water... Your line of thinking cost the other 2 LDS over $7000 and counting from a family 3 local customers and soon my daughter will be getting her c card and more spending.

The guy who started the thread is facing the same issues, and he is willing to get more training, I guess not a single % of blame should ever be put on the groups who lost the our training information and I should just pay them money again just to get to have privilege to spend more money with them. Sorry I do not comfrom to that mindset.

 

[beester]

LOL not worthless and if read my post you will see I did the pool and OW PADI refresher and have been on over 20 boat dives now with that card. Fraud nope he has own certification group and does do pool training and open water. People hung up on their alphabet org is the best or only one hate him. I dove from 75-85 then took a lot of years off to 2010 when I got back in, and yes I never thought just getting in your words a "fraud card" would do I took the full padi refresher before I hit the water... Your line of thinking cost the other 2 LDS over $7000 and counting from a family 3 local customers and soon my daughter will be getting her c card and more spending.

The guy who started the thread is facing the same issues, and he is willing to get more training, I guess not a single % of blame should ever be put on the groups who lost the our training information and I should just pay them money again just to get to have privilege to spend more money with them. Sorry I do not comfrom to that mindset.

I'm sorry John but I believe you are missing the point here... the point is not whether or not X agency doesn't want to accept your 70s C-card but if you believe that those 70 dives over 10 years and the experience (or lack of) that comes with those dives... 25 years ago mean anything at this point.

I'm not talking about money... and don't know if this or that LSD refused you because they could make some more money out of you getting you fully re-certified as OW. What I want to know is if you think you are a safe self-reliant diver... because between 35 and 25 years ago you did 7 dives a year.

I started diving in 1990....as a 14 year old... I did between 14 and university (5 years) some 50 dives and got my ** CMAS (more or less rescue), then I got out because of various stuff (student life, girls, work, etc). I started again in 2006 and realized that those 50 dives aren't worth anything from safety and experience point of view. So I started back at "square 1"... I don't even count those 50 first dives... they are not important.

From my point of view that C-card or those 70 dives you once did are not important. What is important is that you understand that you are new at this... and your past "experience" is just that, past. Try to do alot of dives, in different circumstances with some experienced buddies. That's how you become self-reliant... not by having a new card from this or this agency. It's not about the $... it's about you and your experience and training. The only way to become this experienced diver is by diving alot. Not just on holiday... but as much as possible both on holiday, locally, etc. If you only do 5-10 dives a year you are basically starting from scratch every year.

 

[beester]

BTW... what am I doing on a board for New England divers... blame the "new posts" settings...

Sorry guys (not to say that my above post isn't valid )

 

[Johnmpcny]

Same here Beester new post setting led me here.

I do not put a lot into my old dives. Yet I can tell you as tech head who loves gear and learning how to use it, as former competitive swimmer I have spend my life on and under the water. I do white water kayaking also since 1975 and have 3 camps on lakes in Upstate NY. Handling myself around water comes natural.

Each time I dive on a trip I use a DM each time I never tell them about my past diving just tell them I have dove before but not much for years, I mostly talk about my wife or son being new. After each dive I hear you have been not diving for how long??? as my buoyancy and comfort level is not what others on the dive fight. I can tell you the old course I took was much longer and much more in depth. We spent far time in class and in the pool and open water. You had to know your gear better as you had less back ups.

So I would guess something must have carried over...

Living in Upstate NY we only get to dive May-Oct in most cases, so each year we do start all over. Lucky for me I have a pool at my house, 3 camps and a great lake to dive in. MY limited time to dive is the factor and I never strive to be a dive counter just the best and safest diver I can be. I gave up on log books long ago and use my computer for that. To little time for something I do not need to prove to others. I love to dive and spend what time I can doing that with all my other activities.

 

[beester]

Hey John, I'm glad you are thinking it through... I also want to stress that I'm not judging you in any way. You dive the way you dive, and make your own informed choices.

However wouldn't it be nice if your self-reliance and experience would be sufficient to dive on your own. Take your wife and kids out on a dive (locally or on holiday) without having to rely on a DM? Being self-reliant enough that you can enter the water on a trip after listening to a DM briefing, and knowing very well, that you on your own can guide/dive/help your buddy (ies), without a DM or instructor by your side. To be quite honest I never dive with a DM... never. On trips I might ask suggestions regarding specific critters I would like to encounter, I obviously take into account their advice during a briefing (they know the sites and dangers specific to those sites much better than me), but that's about it. I don't do "follow the leader leader" dive.

Anyway... I hope you enjoy the sport/hobby!