does having many certifications make you a better diver

[caymaniac]

I agree that many certs. doesn't make you a worse diver, but then there are those that I've met who think they have really mastered diving by just taking courses and getting their DM rating and yet these people have only logged a dozen or so dives.
I on the other hand am not a DM, not a instructor, and I only carry one OW cert, and one Nitrox cert., and I'm near a thousand dives. I feel I'm the more experienced, safer, compotent diver with alot less certs.
:teach:

Just tooting my own horn!,
Caymaniac

 

[JDostal]

With a lot of people, it seems they are card collectors. There are a few people I know that actually took the time to read the material and study it, they did well in the class and continue to practice what they learned. These people are better divers for what they have gone through.

Unfortunately, many people seem to just breeze through the class never really absorbing what they learn...while they may improve a little bit because of the class it doesn't help them a whole hell of a lot.

 

[Ontario Diver]

Lots of cards could infer that someone is educated
(assuming that the course was good and the instructor was good and the student was paying attention etc....)

Education is different than experience.

I think that they are different and a good diver needs both.

 

[MikeFerrara]

It is possible to obtain many cards and not become a good/better diver. It is possible to get a college degree and still be an idiot. However, some amount of formal training combined with experience usually makes for the best education. The only useless class is one that you don't enjoy. Remember we do this for fun.

 

[TCDiver1]

Ontario Diver once bubbled...
Lots of cards could infer that someone is educated
(assuming that the course was good and the instructor was good and the student was paying attention etc....)

Education is different than experience.

I think that they are different and a good diver needs both.

Exactly! IMO, diving is no different in theory than any other education. You need experience in the field you were educated in, to become more "expert" in that field. Learning theory and experience go hand in hand.

As an analogy, you DO NOT want engineers right out of school designing the bridges you drive on, without practical experience or mentoring.

Practical experience is an absolute necessity.

 

[JDostal]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
It is possible to obtain many cards and not become a good/better diver. It is possible to get a college degree and still be an idiot. However, some amount of formal training combined with experience usually makes for the best education. The only useless class is one that you don't enjoy. Remember we do this for fun.

Very, very true...I think it mostly depends on the diver, like I said earlier. What they take from the course, how well they study everything and how much they practice.

 

[MikeSK]

My Masters is just cause i took the five specialties and whatever # of dives i had. Plus i think rescue is a prereg. In a large sense, yes it useless.

I also have DM but i decided shortly after finishing the course and doing some assisting with pool sessiosn and OW tours and whatnot that it wasn't something I wanted to continue with. I did not however, want to stay with just rescue on the other side. So i did a few more specalities so i could have the Master card.

I only have 120 some dives, most of those are from DMing. Well, about 1/4 or so. The rest are from Bonaire and and all the other courses

So in a sense, there aren't any useless courses becauses if they serve no other purpose but to get someone who otherwise might not get to dive much in the water, they've served the purpose. When i was certified I knew no one at all who dove and the only way i could dive was by taking classes.

 

[padiscubapro]

Extra training is always a good thing, but lets take it to the extreme someone gets ow, aow, rescue and lots of specialties(and a Master Scuba diver Rating with it).. All of theses dives are supervised and the person doesnt do any dives on their own.. How prepeared do you actually think this person will be without ever having to take responsibility for oneself or a buddy...

Training must be balanced with experience not just a means to make a buck for the instructor and store..

I suggest people take ow and aow in close succession and then get some experience, maybe a few specific specialties that professional assistance will speed up the learning curve.. come back for rescue once you have been diving and have a real idea what goes on in real life.. You get much more out of it that way..

If you decide you want to go past traditional recreational limits Professional instruction is a must.

 

[Walter]

padiscubapro,

"All of theses dives are supervised and the person doesnt do any dives on their own.. How prepeared do you actually think this person will be without ever having to take responsibility for oneself or a buddy..."

Excellent point!

"I suggest people take ow and aow in close succession and then get some experience"

Good advice, I personally recommend about 25 dives between OW and Silver Advanced for the exact reason you recommend a delay before Rescue, but we agree unsupervised experience is important.

 

[sillygrendel]

I just finished rescue this weekend and... I'm a bit sore! I think it was well worth taking. Much more so than the other classes I've had.