DM or Master Diver????

[Diver Dennis]

I would expect a Master Diver to know what their SAC is. I'm talking about any agency, not just PADI. I was certified by PADI many years ago by the way when there were real courses. It's my opinion that all agencies have much less stringent courses now than they have in the past. This is tempered by the instructor who can turn out superb divers with any agency if they are contentious.

 

[HowardE]

Personally, I think any "Master Scuba Diver" or whatever the highest level of recreational certification for ANY agency is a waste of money. For what you pay for the "course" you could probably do 3 times as many dives on your own (or maybe spend a week in Cozumel or Roatan even), and gain the same "valuable experience" just from diving, and getting better, without proving it to an instructor and having a flashy card for it.

 

[Damselfish]

maybe Master Diver is simply just as misnamed as Advanced OW...

 

[TheRedHead]

I've taken 2 specialties: Deep and Wreck because I was interested in diving fairly deep wrecks. I've never taken any just to get a card. I did learn about SAC rates in my Deep Diver course. And I did learn useful skills in wreck: reels and liftbags.

I have never had the desire to take "Boat Diver."

 

[Thalassamania]

Should I start a thread? How many NAUI OW graduates know what a SAC rate is and how to calculate it?

Feel free, I'll be glad to contribute a small amount to it.

I know I didn't get this information in my NAUI OW course

There are screw-ups in all the agencies

What do you expect a "Master Diver" to know exactly?

You don't feel that SAC rate calculations belong on such a list?

 

[Diver Dennis]

Personally, I think any "Master Scuba Diver" or whatever the highest level of recreational certification for ANY agency is a waste of money. For what you pay for the "course" you could probably do 3 times as many dives on your own (or maybe spend a week in Cozumel or Roatan even), and gain the same "valuable experience" just from diving, and getting better, without proving it to an instructor and having a flashy card for it.

I do agree howarde but for some people, that is what they dive for. Sort of like I dive for the freedom to explore and to take photos or videos, similar to you I think. Some divers like the regimented DIR program, some to keep taking classes and collect cards.

That said, I base my opinions of diving skills by seeing someone in the water, not by the quantity of their cards.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I've taken 2 specialties: Deep and Wreck because I was interested in diving fairly deep wrecks. I've never taken any just to get a card. I did learn about SAC rates in my Deep Diver course. And I did learn useful skills in wreck: reels and liftbags.

I have never had the desire to take "Boat Diver."

I'm taking U/W Bikini Model Photographer.

 

[TheRedHead]

I'm taking U/W Bikini Model Photographer.

That's doing it right, Dennis.

I wonder how many specialty card joke threads I can find? I'm getting so jaded....

 

[Diver Dennis]

I have been jaded for years Red...

You're too young for that yet...

 

[HammerNoMore]

You don't feel that SAC rate calculations belong on such a list?

No I don't. IMHO SAC rate calulations are important to divers who need to know such information. That list is restricted to those who need to know that they can man a certain dive on a certain amount of air.

That need is technical. I.E. not recreational. By my definition a recreational diver should be able to end a dive at any time. Since MD is a recreational certificate, an MD does not need a finite time for the dive.

As an instructor I make many such decisions. Is XXX pressure enough to get me through this training dive? I don't go calculate my SAC against the depth each time, I base it on my experience. I know that XXX pressure is enough to do the dive with time for problems built in or not. Can I calculate my SAC, you bet. Is it a required skill? No way.

James