Cheap Fast Open Water Class In Florida- Any Ideas Where?

[simbrooks]

If you want to do a 2-3 day course, i could recommend a number of dive shops i wouldnt step in that offer 2-3 day courses - they are a little cheaper than the price you have quoted - there is a reason for this. None of the LDS's that i go in offer anything but a 2-3 week type of course. This doesnt mean that you cant practically do a quick course with a private instructor or one of these shops, and even though you have done most of the course before, what about your fiance's learning speed - has she been through this before or is she completely fresh to it? Will she pick it up as quickly as you hope to? It is a pain when things get in the way of the plans you have, that includes broken legs and i can understand your frustration, but that leads me onto my second question - if you get certified down here in a weekend, what are you planning on doing back up in IN, just seems like you are taking it before it gets cold, just for the sake of having done it - then letting your skills get rusty whilst you wait for warmer water or another vacation. I would think they will let you do the OW course up there with a drysuit, or at least a 7mm to try to keep you warm in the chilly water? Just my thoughts on what i have seen posted in a number of forums from you on the same subject - i am not trying to tell you that you cant do it, just that it isnt as beneficial, particularly if your fiance isnt as versed in this as you might be from doing the course before. My course resembled a weekend course, one day in class and pool, then a weekend spent in the lake - which my GF and i spread over longer as i had equalization problems and couldnt dive the following day - thats when i found the board and realised there was a whole bunch of stuff we didnt cover, or only touched on, or got rushed through rather than mastering - and the deficiency of the course that i took - essentially a weekend course.

 

[Scuba_Dad]

Most places I deal with do it over two weekends. The first weekend is all the classroom and pool work. The second weekend consists of the 4 OW dives. It's difficult to get everything done in one weekend, but it's possible.

The problem I have with teaching weekend classes is the student doesn't get enough time in the pool. You blast through all the skills, and you don't get enough time perfecting the basic skills, practicing buoyancy skills, etc. Minimum standards are met, but... I personally feel like a lot of students are not really prepared for real diving.


Al

 

[baitedstorm]

I think the only safe way you can get certified in that short amount of time (and that's even still questionable) is to take a private class. Have all your book reviews completed and the movie watched prior. There's a wonderful instructor here who might do it in that amount of time if he's comfortable with your skills. The biggest problem here right now is finding somewhere to dive. Good Luck

Vickie

 

[JRScuba]

Can you get your class and paperwork out of the way and then take your open water in Florida. If you are able to do that I can set you up with a dive shop that does referrals in the
FT. Lauderdale area.

PM me if your interested.

Joe

 

[Orlando Eric]

I can not say enough bad things about any SHORT class! WHY cheat yourself!?! Can people be that LAZY? If you have a choice between taking a class that is three weeks full of comprehensive learning or a three day whizz bam thank you ma'am class why would you want the short class? Get the bigger better deal.

My original class included knot tying, ditch don, equipment rodeo in the 15' diving well. Retrive a 5# weight from the diving well and hand it to the dive instructor sitting on the diving board (without any equipment), running dive tables through various dive scenarios including deco stops in an emergency (with failing as an option not keep trying till you get the right answer.)

When it was time for the wife to learn to dive I called shops out of the phone book and asked if they had a quick weekend class when they said "Yes" I hung up, finally I got lectured and told to call somebody else and the LDS owner hung up on me! THAT's my choice! she took a four week class three nights a week and Saturday pool time plus boat/ lake dives. Ran a navagation course and did a night dive.

I know if I was going to take up parachuting I would pass on the one hour class that says.. okay this stuff is easy just jump out, count to three and pull the RED handle.. okay lets go!

I always wondered where the people come from that hook their rigs up bassackwards, bounce off the bottom on thier descent, and just generally swim like their tail rotor is out, now I know it is someone looking for a quick and cheap class.

 

[Cen_Fla_Keith]

I did SSI because I have a limited number of nights free BUT I wanted to feel as though I knew enough to start diving without doing anything stupid. Basically you read the book and watch the videos at home, eliminating a bunch of the classroom time. Then there's a 8 day cycle to certification... Sunday is review and exam of the book/video. Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday evenings are pool. Saturday and Sunday are open water dive. In comparing my training to my fiance's NAUI training, it seems like we did the same stuff (indeed, in comparing notes, the main difference seems to be that we had to take our equipment off and put it back on at the surface, something she didn't have to do).

I did Cypress Gardens Scuba in Winter Haven (about an hour from Orlando). Their number is 863-324-0559 and private lessons are available. While it was quick, I really did get the feeling that he was absolutely NOT going to certify people without the requisite basic skills and that, while a novice diver, I did learn the necessary basics.