Common Practice??

[ArcticDiver]

I met a guy the other day who, when he discovered I was a diver, informed me he was also. He said he didn't dive cold water, only warm and that Hawaii was his favorite dive location. I asked how much diving he was able to do in a year. His reply was that he only got in 5-10 dives a year.

Then he proceeded to tell me that he was not certified, had never been certified and that "I know a Dive Master over there on XXXX who just lets me borrow gear so I can dive". As far as I'm concerned this is an injury or fatality just waiting to happen.

This is not the first time I've run into someone with a variation of this story. So, either this is a fairly common practice, or it is a fairly common tale.

Which?

 

[grassyknoll]

Not being certified = Unknown level of experience, ability or skill.
Certified = A known (and perhaps even acceptable) level of experince, ability and skill.

I would guess that there are some damn competent divers who hold no certifification, and for your original question, is it a fairly common tale? We'' I can't say how common it is, but that is how I started, I unfortunatley was NOT one of those damn competent uncertiifed divers so I finally sought out formalized training.

 

[miketsp]

I met a guy the other day who, when he discovered I was a diver, informed me he was also. He said he didn't dive cold water, only warm and that Hawaii was his favorite dive location. I asked how much diving he was able to do in a year. His reply was that he only got in 5-10 dives a year.

Then he proceeded to tell me that he was not certified, had never been certified and that "I know a Dive Master over there on XXXX who just lets me borrow gear so I can dive". As far as I'm concerned this is an injury or fatality just waiting to happen.

This is not the first time I've run into someone with a variation of this story. So, either this is a fairly common practice, or it is a fairly common tale.

Which?

Neither. It's not common, but it's also not unknown.

On various occasions I've witnessed a scene where at the jetty there has been a private boat loading or unloading dive gear alongside our dive boat and our DM (instructor) has shouted across on the lines of "when are you coming in to do the theory course?" and the reaction has been on the lines of "we don't need no @$%&@#* course..."

Then the DM confirmed to us that the other guys were not certified but were regular divers.

In my particular case more than 30 years elapsed between starting to dive and getting my first c-card but this came about because I used to have a job involving marine operations and worked alongside professional divers that made sure I picked up both the theory and the practice before letting me use their gear.
My official OW course didn't cover a fraction of what those guys put me through.
I only got certified when my wife wanted to learn to dive and we started going out on recreational dive boats.

 

[Hemlon]

I agree with Mike...not common but not unheard of.

Most people find the need to get air fills to be a good reason to get certified.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Most people find the need to get air fills to be a good reason to get certified.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Welcome to 1974 - the only reason that I got certified (after I had made 300+ dives already). Certain shop owners would not sell you air AND any life support equipment (regs, tanks, BCs) without the card.

 

[RonFrank]

I think it is rare, but it does happen. I have a friend who's parents live in FL, and they go and dive off of their boat every couple of years. When I discovered they were not certified, I strongly recommended they stop this, or get certified.

They are generally doing shallow reefs, and they don't want to spend the money to get certified even if they could easily afford it. I'm not going to make enemy's with people over this, so I gave them my thoughts, and warnings, and will leave it at that.

If they die while diving, that would be horrible, but I've learned over the years that you can only do so much to change peoples views. They don't think Scuba is a big risk, and have done it for some time uncertified. At least they are doing this on shallow reefs, and seem content with that. If they announced they were doing deep wrecks, I'd have to speak up, and I'm sure my advice would be less than welcome.

 

[Hemlon]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Welcome to 1974 - the only reason that I got certified (after I had made 300+ dives already). Certain shop owners would not sell you air AND any life support equipment (regs, tanks, BCs) without the card.

Same here...although I had fewer divers as an uncertified diver, I wanted to be able to get my own air fills.

At that point, I wasn't concerned with safety.

 

[TSandM]

The fellow whose name is on my OW card dove for three years before he got certified. I can see how you could do it -- I've never been asked for my C-card to get a fill, just to get on a boat.

 

[texdiveguy]

Same here...although I had fewer divers as an uncertified diver, I wanted to be able to get my own air fills.

At that point, I wasn't concerned with safety.

I am shocked!!! :11: Our very own Texas Princess.

 

[Hemlon]

I am shocked!!! :11: Our very own Texas Princess.

Easy there.