Deep Diver Specialty vs Advanced Open Water

[Blackcrusader]

Yeah--isn't it a shame that professional dive instructors are looking to be paid when they provide instruction? They have no shame. They should offer all their services for free, the way it is done by everyone else.

You mean like BSAC instructors? lol

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I was very surprised, SDI requires 2 dives as posted by @Rebreather Rabbit. SSI requires 3 dives.

SDI Deep Diver Course

www.tdisdi.com

View attachment 912956

NAUI also requires 3 dives.

The SDI requirement is kind of misleading. 2 is the minimum. Instructors are encouraged to increase requirements to meet student needs. I never taught a deep class with less than 4 dives.

 

[lowwall]

The SDI requirement is kind of misleading. 2 is the minimum. Instructors are encouraged to increase requirements to meet student needs. I never taught a deep class with less than 4 dives.

That is confusing. Most of us were trained by PADI, where the minimum is also the maximum

 

[NothingClever]

My observation is that Florida charter operators are going to more readily recognize your Advanced OW certification over a standalone Deep Diver certification. The Deep Diver certification is likely to lead to probing questions to gauge your experience and if you don't have recent reps, you may very well find the charter trying to sell you an Advanced OW course or simply declining your booking. I've seen plenty of charter operators that stipulate an Advanced OW certification in their booking process but never anyone stipulating a Deep Diver certification.

 

[scubadada]

Thanks @lowwall

I have posted this before also. Nineteen of my first 75 dives after recertification in 1997 were >100 feet, 4 were over 110 feet and 1 over 120 feet. Then I did AOW, my deep dive was to 108 feet. I did AOW mainly so that I could show the cert rather than my logbook in Key Largo to dive the Spiegel Grove and the Duane. Made it much easier.

 

[Rebreather Rabbit]

With what agency? PADI requires 4.

Can you quote a policy statement from an operator? I find this hard to believe.

SDI only requires 2 dives and only OW to be completed. PADI requires Advanced Diver as a prerequisite.

Last time we called Rainbow Reef, the intake staff indicated they required AOW.

 

[boulderjohn]

Last time we called Rainbow Reef, the intake staff indicated they required AOW.

Did you ask if they would accept only Deep Diver in lieu of AOW?

 

[Rebreather Rabbit]

This is incorrect. OW divers are certified to 40m.

OW divers certified TODAY (2025) through most training agencies are only nominally certified to 60Ft/20m.

To keep it brief, WRSTC has adjusted requirement 5.2.3 to not exceed 60 Ft, and ISO 24801-2 Section 4 specifies limitations that include 20m and conditions to not exceed what you were trained in. Any sizable agency is either already conforming with the ISO standard or is rapidly moving in that direction.

Did you ask if they would accept only Deep Diver in lieu of AOW?

Yes. We specifically asked this because a friend of ours that lives out of town only has Deep and was curious in joining us for a trip in the future.

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As for the original topic; everything I've seen and experienced indicates AOW has more 'weight' and recognition than Deep Diver. If Deep was seen as important it would not be lumped under 'specialties' in course charts published by PADI, SDI, SSI, etc.

 

[Blackcrusader]

OW divers certified TODAY (2025) through most training agencies are only nominally certified to 60Ft/20m.

To keep it brief, WRSTC has adjusted requirement 5.2.3 to not exceed 60 Ft, and ISO 24801-2 Section 4 specifies limitations that include 20m and conditions to not exceed what you were trained in. Any sizable agency is either already conforming with the ISO standard or is rapidly moving in that direction.

WRSTC can issue directives to a training agency. It has no authority over certified divers.
The issuing dive agencies are private organizations with no legal authority over how deep certified divers descend to.

What are they going to do? Review a divers logs and revoke the certification?
These are recommendations with no force of law.

Depth limits only apply to a diver under instruction with an instructor. Certified divers are not limited to training depths regardless of what WRSTC opines. This is why DAN basic level insurance covers OW divers to 40m, the recreational depth limit.

Standards Downloads - WRSTC

Dive Standards & Medical Statement from the WRSTC

wrstc.com

 

[lowwall]

OW divers certified TODAY (2025) through most training agencies are only nominally certified to 60Ft/20m.

To keep it brief, WRSTC has adjusted requirement 5.2.3 to not exceed 60 Ft, and ISO 24801-2 Section 4 specifies limitations that include 20m and conditions to not exceed what you were trained in. Any sizable agency is either already conforming with the ISO standard or is rapidly moving in that direction.

You are clearly confusing training standards with certification limits. Section 5.2 is for "Open-Water Training Parameters". Here's what 5.2.3 actually states:

"5.2.3 All dives prior to open water certification shall be conducted during daylight hours at depths between 15 and 60 feet (5 to 18 metres)." [emphasis added]

There would be no need to specify a depth restriction for divers prior to OW certification unless it did not apply after OW certification.