Diving with a non certified diver?

[swimmer_spe]

I am not going to do this.

I repeat.

I am NOT going to do this.

I ask the following because my curiosity makes me wonder how bad this actually is.

I am working on my AOW. I am 32.

My father, 70, told me stories that when he was around 18 (around 1960), he worked for a tourist camp. After the guests got their fishing lures snagged, he would jump in the lake with SCUBA gear and go after them.

He has not SCUBA dived since. He enjoys snorkeling.

So, if I wanted to show him some amazing sites here, and instead of snorkeling, we scuba dove, with me renting gear for me and him using mine, how horrible would that be?

I know death could happen.

I will NOT do this, but am curious, since he dove back when there was no such thing as a certification, realistically, how bad could this be? Would it be better, or worse than someone who has never dove?

Again, NOT GOING TO EVER, EVER, EVER, DO IT.

I do like the 'what ifs' though.

When he visits, we will definitely do some snorkeling.

If curiosity killed the cat, I would have been dead a long time ago.

 

[ajduplessis]

Part of any dive planning includes a goal and risk assessment that needs to be evaluated. Understand the risks associated for both cert and no-cert diver in engaging in such activity and make your own call. You are certified, you know what is involved. Asking on a public forum (even hypothetically/wondering etc) to engage into any potentially dangerous activity without the required training will end up in a mess. I did see your status "diving is easy....", you know the answers, do ask "silly questions.

I would not do it.

 

[DevonDiver]

I'm not sure what to contribute to this thread. As far as 'what ifs'.... well, basically any of the negative repercussions that you would otherwise be trained to avoid on an Open Water course....

A truly hypothetical thread would be more responsibly titled something like "What risks does Open Water training prepare us to mitigate?"

In terms of age and training....
Grandmother, 75, to become UK’s oldest female scuba diver

 

[BDSC]

since he dove back when there was no such thing as a certification, realistically, how bad could this be?

To me it would depend on the depth you are talking about going. Since he has experience scuba diving, and I'm assuming it wasn't a one time thing but he did it numerous times over the course of a season, I don't see you two going on some shallow dives as a big deal.

 

[WB2GLP]

The scuba police will revoke your cert card and lock you and your dad up for life. Maybe longer.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
[R]ealistically, how bad could this be? Would it be better, or worse than someone who has never dove?

The question could be asked: What diving skills does my father likely have? Well, since things have changed since 1960 he will likely have difficulty putting the rig together and donning it, but I suppose he would be capable of walking into the water and breathing underwater through a regulator. Beyond that, he probably has no knowledge of the type that is taught in OW class. "Someone who has never dove" probably is capable of breathing underwater through a regulator. So it seems to me your father likely has essentially no more diving skills than "someone who has never dove."

 

[SailNaked]

I dived with my wife about 10 times before she was certified, she was fine with it, I taught her the basic skills, mask clear, reg recovery, share air. we were diving in BVI, max depth 45 ft, I held her hand litterally the whole time, we had a great time she went on to be an AI. I can no longer recommend it officially however.

 

[chrpai]

I'd start with a local discover scuba dive. I don't know your area but here's one that is offered:

PADI Discover Scuba Diving Experience

It includes all of the gear rental and a pro to teach the skills and guide the diver. Seems like a decent deal to me.

If he wants to do it again, well at that point do it again, take O/W course, or make his own choices and just have you rent gear...

 

[DCBC]

I am not going to do this...

I've been diving with quite a few non-certified recreational divers over the years; some professional commercial divers, others that were self-taught. They have all been safer than some of the certified tourist divers that I've experienced.

Competence is more important than a C-Card. A C-Card is no guarantee of competence.

 

[swimmer_spe]

Asking on a public forum ...I would not do it.

... is a great thing. It allows me to excersise my brain with competent people who can tell me just how stupid my thought is.