Diving before getting certified

[cyklon_300]

There was a recent thread (forgot the topic) in which several posters mentioned getting certified after diving for some period of time.

Although I did receive some 'unofficial' training via friends and books, there were 11 years and 250+ dives between my first dive and my OW cert class.

Just wondered how prevalent this 'reverse' order is among divers.

[Note: I don't recommend this route to those desiring to become divers, it's just how it happened in my case.]

 

[voidware]

Several organizations have programs for certifying experienced divers (notably ex-military divers). I don't know how common it is, but it is common enough to allow for a modified certification procedure.

brandon

 

[Rick Murchison]

Re: certification as an afterthought.
It was fairly common up 'til the early 70's, when it became suddenly difficult to get air without some kind of "C" card. That drove a lot of us over to the local "Y" to get "legal."
Rick

 

[Walter]

In the early days, it was common. Today, there's no reason for the practice. All US Military divers receive extensive dive training from the US Naval Diving & Salvage Training Center. The training they receive there is much more comprehensive than any training given by the certification agencies. Issuing c-cards to graduates of the NDSTC is not the same as issuing a c-card to an "experienced" diver with no training. Some agencies will issue a c-card to an "experienced" diver. Others have no program in place to issue a c-card to "experienced" divers with no training, but will issue c-cards to NDSTC graduates.

 

[luvdiving]

I had all my own gear, tanks was diving diving for many months before I got my C card.:boom: