Question Checking the Level of Divers, so many new Agency's. All are legit ?

[Pat@SunsetDiversPalawan]

Good day,
As owner of a dive club in Palawan, and we check as normal the divers qualifications for the fun dives.
Where I can found a exhaustive list of all legit agency ?
I feel not confortable as im doing today, I check only the Level. But problems is; as I see during last months, many diving licenses issued by new agency's, ...
Some idea, some online database .
Thank you
Patrick

 

[Edward3c]

Good day,
As owner of a dive club in Palawan, and we check as normal the divers qualifications for the fun dives.
Where I can found a exhaustive list of all legit agency ?
I feel not confortable as im doing today, I check only the Level. But problems is; as I see during last months, many diving licenses issued by new agency's, ...
Some idea, some online database .
Thank you
Patrick

The reputable ones have their qualifications ISO accredited. For example BSAC has:


BSAC qualification - EN/ISO standard
Discovery Diver: ISO 24801-1
Ocean Diver: EN 14153-2/ISO 24801-2 - 'Autonomous Diver'
Dive Leader: EN 14153-3/ISO 24801-3 - 'Dive Leader'
Open Water Instructor: EN 14413-2/ISO 24802-2 - 'Instructor Level 2'
Sports Diver: ISO 11107 – ‘Nitrox diving’
Nitrox Gas Blender: ISO 13293 – ‘Level 1 Gas Blender’
Mixed Gas Blender: ISO 13293 – ‘Level 2 Gas Blender’
Snorkelling Guide: ISO 13970 – ‘Snorkelling Guide’

 

[Rich1280]

I'm not sure there is a true list anywhere, but a guide could be a few of the more recognised agencies charts on equivalence of qualification. It won't cover all the tinier agencies, but might cover a bulk of them. CMAS as the world governing body has a list of the national diving federations and organisations that may be of help too. Ideally an ISO number should give you the standard achieved though.

BSAC equivalence list:

Equivalent BSAC qualifications

BSAC recognises scuba qualifications from other agencies so it’s easy to continue diving or progress your scuba training with BSAC.

www.bsac.com

TDI equivalence list:

TDI Equivalent Ratings with Other Scuba Diving Agencies -

The goal of posting that equivalency chart was to provide a resource for divers and dive professionals to help navigate the web of diver certifications.

www.tdisdi.com

CMAS national federations list:

AFRICA

In addition to organizing international underwater sport events it is at the forefront of technical and scientific research and development. It can be associate

www.cmas.org

Rich

 

[Edward3c]

As you’ve most likely discovered. Your best option is to assess customers on their checkout dive. A paper qualification doesn’t mean they’re good to dive at your location. As an experienced diver I expect to be assessed on a checkout dive, it’s also my opportunity to checkout the dive operator.

Customers who object to a checkout dive usually have something to hide.

 

[Pavao]

As you’ve most likely discovered. Your best option is to assess customers on their checkout dive. A paper qualification doesn’t mean they’re good to dive at your location. As an experienced diver I expect to be assessed on a checkout dive, it’s also my opportunity to checkout the dive operator.

Customers who object to a checkout dive usually have something to hide.

What is a check out dive? How and when is it conducted? Does it have a cost to the costumer? How is the one conducting the check out dive compensated?

In my experience, the divers most likely to have issues are the ones who come for a single boat outing, in that case they have already committed to the trip and any issues discovered will be discovered on the actual dive.

 

[Edward3c]

@quietlife4me could you explain why you disagree with my post?

 

[Searcaigh]

What is a check out dive? How and when is it conducted? Does it have a cost to the costumer? How is the one conducting the check out dive compensated?

Generally at dive resorts where people are going to spend several days / weeks diving there is a check out dive, although I only experienced this once by Borneo Divers at Mabul because we were going to Sipidan the following day and my daughter had only recently qualified as AOW the previous month (this was in 2011). As far as I'm aware no cost for that dive.

In my experience, the divers most likely to have issues are the ones who come for a single boat outing, in that case they have already committed to the trip and any issues discovered will be discovered on the actual dive.

This does make it complicated, but any decent certification agency should have a website where the dive op can run checks e.g. PADI, TDI, etc.

But even turning up with an AOW card doesn't necessarily mean the card holder is proficient to deal with local diving conditions and this has been discussed within this forum ad nauseam since SB started, but it covers the dive ops ass if things go sideways.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I've never been asked for a checkout dive at any dive shop or resort. Diving in Maldives since 28 November 2024 and when filling out forms, showing my certs and DAN insurance I was asked for proof of when I last dove which was in June this year and I showed them I did 30 dives in 10 days there was no check out dive. Esp when they saw my dive log number is in the 900's on my Perdix.

The only thing dive op has to provide for me are weights and tanks.

 

[Wibble]

Problem with "qualifications" is they're pretty meaningless. A test dive will quickly give you the answer as to how the person's skills are today, not years ago.

Any diver with experience will not object to a checkout which would only need two minutes to see the diver in action. Even in a shallow pool.

 

[Germie]

What is a check out dive? How and when is it conducted? Does it have a cost to the costumer? How is the one conducting the check out dive compensated?

In my experience, the divers most likely to have issues are the ones who come for a single boat outing, in that case they have already committed to the trip and any issues discovered will be discovered on the actual dive.

A checkdive that must take more than 30 seconds must be free and done before the normal dives start, so there is no waiste of time and money for the customer. Otherwise a checkdive is not done. If you observe a diver with kitting up, then you know the most important things already. And in the first 30 seconds of a dive a good guide or instructor knows if a person can dive or not. There is no complete dive needed.
Have you ever done a checkdrive when renting a car? I guess not. And so it is with diving.