Divemasters/Resorts making you flood and clear?

[friscuba]

Glad to, with an examiner who is not wasting my time (and in most of your cases money).

It's all about familiarity. I figure anywhere I go I'll go along with the game. I could see with the amount of experience you have you might be tired of it, but it's all part of the product they offer.... one check out with every trip. It's a small price to pay.

I, and most of the operators over here, basically force divers to do one dive before the manta night dive, and they're charged extra for it. I worked for an operator who did just one tank night dives for quite a while. Believe me, there can be a huge difference in the enjoyability of the experience for both crew and passengers between a single tank night dive and the two tank trip.

I haven't actually ever dove with an operator that requires the type of checkout the original poster (notice their profile and their self described experience level) is complaining about. You may look at it as a waste of your time and money, I look at is as - I want to go out on that boat, and the boat has a rule that everyone must do those skills first, even if the examiner has poor skills themselves, so I guess I've got to do it. It's part of the package, just like signing waivers.

later,

 

[jd950]

....the original poster (notice their profile and their self described experience level) is complaining about.

And the significance of my limited experience and training to the question is ?

 

[Thalassamania]

It's all about familiarity. I figure anywhere I go I'll go along with the game. I could see with the amount of experience you have you might be tired of it, but it's all part of the product they offer.... one check out with every trip. It's a small price to pay.

I have no problem doing checkouts, as I said earlier I’ve done many, but then I get paid when I’m doing one rather than having to pay for the privilege, something I doubt I’d be too pleased with.

It does bring up the point, and perhaps I’ll start a thread on it … where we can exchange ideas of how to conduct a checkout and describe good and bad checkouts that we’ve seen/experienced. And here it is: Thread

 

[JeffG]

so what did you do to cause him grief instead?

Emptied the beer cooler.

 

[chickdiver]

It's all about familiarity. I figure anywhere I go I'll go along with the game. I could see with the amount of experience you have you might be tired of it, but it's all part of the product they offer.... one check out with every trip. It's a small price to pay.

I, and most of the operators over here, basically force divers to do one dive before the manta night dive, and they're charged extra for it. I worked for an operator who did just one tank night dives for quite a while. Believe me, there can be a huge difference in the enjoyability of the experience for both crew and passengers between a single tank night dive and the two tank trip.

I haven't actually ever dove with an operator that requires the type of checkout the original poster (notice their profile and their self described experience level) is complaining about. You may look at it as a waste of your time and money, I look at is as - I want to go out on that boat, and the boat has a rule that everyone must do those skills first, even if the examiner has poor skills themselves, so I guess I've got to do it. It's part of the package, just like signing waivers.

later,

So... does that mean that if I find deficiency in the examiner's skills, I get my money back or a different DM? 9 times out of 10 the DM's I see at resort locations don't meet my minimal skill level, and I avoid diving with operations that require me to dive with their DM's for that reason- Im on vacation, not being paid to supervise.

 

[KrisB]

$150 for a check out is nuts, but 10 minutes out of a two tank 60-100 buck (not srre what the going rate is where he dives) dive day the original poster is bothered by isn't asking a whole lot. That better be awful cool diving off Molokai, then again if they're the only game in town and people are willing to pay it you kinda have to go with the rules of the region. I think I'd probably find something else to do if I'm ever over there.

Well, *some* operators will go to Molokai from Maui *sometimes*...

I'm sure the "checkout" turns into a normal 2-tank dive after the skills verification... and it *is* Hawaii's only barrier reef (apparently).

But still... $275 for a 3-tank excursion seems high enough they could afford to take whomever was willing to pay.

 

[Charlie59]

I am not sure I see the need to protest. Ego? In Bonaire a checkout dive is "the law" to ensure you can control your bouyancy. I would go back to Bonaire in a second. CoCo View only asks for a checkout dive on your first visit and it never occurred to me to stay away. Small potatoes, no matter what your level and experience.

 

[jeckyll]

I'm thinking of making my local buddies do checkout dives before I head out with them... wait ... ummm ....

Seriously, I find it very interesting how different 'resort' diving seems to be. I just spent the long weekend in Port Hardy, diving on 400 foot walls, some current, up & down wellings etc. No one has ever asked for a check out dive on the charters I've been on. Though last weekend, the dives on day one were over a bottom.

I don't think I'd have a bit issue with doing a checkout dive. Though if I felt that the DM doing the checkout was not as skilled as I was I may chuckle along the way

 

[friscuba]

And the significance of my limited experience and training to the question is ?

Well, earlier on you stated something to the effect the fact one is certified should mean they shouldn't have to prove themselves to dive operators. I'd been reading this tread assuming you've been through this a number of times and were just sick of it. Then I looked at your profile and realized, if it is accurate, your experience level may be playing part of your opinion.

I think in the future you'll look back at your skill level today and realize it's not to where it is then. I was pretty pleased with how my skill levels were progressing coming out of the YMCA course, moreso after 15 or so dives, thought I was getting it wired at 30-50 dives, got to 100 and realized I was a pretty crappy diver at 30 dives, got to 300 and realized 100 was only a start.... and so on. I'm pushing 2K now and I realize I'm gonna learn more and improve from here on. It wouldn't surprise me if after time and more exposure to these little skill checkouts some of these ops do, you might have an opinion that differs from today's... you may even see numerous divers that make you happy the dive ops do the checkouts.

 

[friscuba]

Well, *some* operators will go to Molokai from Maui *sometimes*...

I'm sure the "checkout" turns into a normal 2-tank dive after the skills verification... and it *is* Hawaii's only barrier reef (apparently).

But still... $275 for a 3-tank excursion seems high enough they could afford to take whomever was willing to pay.

That one make more sense, more of a check out dive day than a $150 skills test. There are dives here I wouldn't take people on who's skills I don't know.

$275 is steep for a three tanker, but then again I thought Maui boat diving prices were generally steep compared to Kona 'til most everyone here raised theirs over the last year or two. It all depends on where you are.