French exception

[Jacgul]

Not so recent, but now at least it's clear and easy to check. Think (but can't prove it) the web page I relayed here is about 2 or 3 years old.

Something funny about FFESSM rebreather training, it does exist, but there are not so many training opportunities, so many French rebreather divers get certified by TDI or IANTD and then ask an equivalent certification card from the FFESSM. That's what I did.

That's what I plan to do for the N3. I found a place that will do it for PADI rescue and deep. For the aforementioned problems with certs being recognized.

 

[Celt]

There is an understanding that if you're a good FFESSM diver, you'll make a poor military diver.

I'm pretty sure it's the opposite. FFESSM was founded by military divers, but they opened diving to women in the 1970s and relaxed many physical requirements over time.

N2 is limited to 20m without a DM and 40m with a DM. GIven that the overwhelming majority of rec divers dive with a DM, that makes sense.
Of course an instructor for PADI who never did a deco dive in his life would be limited to either 20m or 40m within the NDL.

You are right, the reason FFESSM cert. is mandatory in France is because the FEESSM writes the law on the practice of diving. However, the FFESSM introduced the "aptitudes" or capacities which allow someone with no FFESSM/CMAS cert to legally dive in France. These capacities are only granted at the discretion of the dive director, though. It's merely a question of legal liability.

If people can't manage narcosis at a given depth, they shouldn't dive to said depth.
The Trimix cert allows diving to 70m, which follows an incremental logic from the 60m on air allowed by the N3 cert.

So can people get a 70m trimix cert without getting a cert to dive air to 60m. There’s a big difference between 20m and 60m on air. Why would a DM be needed to accompany a diver who’s completed training.

 

[JMarc]

That's what I plan to do for the N3. I found a place that will do it for PADI rescue and deep. For the aforementioned problems with certs being recognized.

If you want you can get a PA40 cert. That should prevent the (minor IMHO) risk of getting your cert not recognized in France.

 

[Jacgul]

If you want you can get a PA40 cert. That should prevent the (minor IMHO) risk of getting your cert not recognized in France.

Something like that's the plan. I've already had the local club and one I've contacted in Montpellier not recognize PADI or GUE.

 

[ginti]

Something like that's the plan. I've already had the local club and one I've contacted in Montpellier not recognize PADI or GUE.

Are you in Montpellier? And are you having troubles in finding a good club, or you solved the issue?

 

[JMarc]

Something like that's the plan. I've already had the local club and one I've contacted in Montpellier not recognize PADI or GUE.

The risk is increased with non-profit associations. They don't have money as motivation and some replace it with unwarranted self aggrandizing and petty power grab. Or just ignorance of everything which isn't their way.

 

[Jacgul]

Are you in Montpellier? And are you having troubles in finding a good club, or you solved the issue?

I'm not, I'm looking for something with easy, relatively quick, access from Avignon. I usually dive out near Antibes, but I'd like to find somewhere closer.

 

[ginti]

I'm not, I'm looking for something with easy, relatively quick, access from Avignon. I usually dive out near Antibes, but I'd like to find somewhere closer.

Plongée tek Marseille. Not close, but closer than Antibes.

Nico is a cool guy, he often dives with people with very diverse backgrounds (including GUE, since you mentioned it)

Btw, what is your level?

 

[Adamastor]

So say you're someone who gets narced hard at 45m every time...

To be fair, the N3 cert doesn't require you to go dig sand at 60m. IIRC my "deep dive" for the cert was to 48m.
The Trimix training requires formal proof of 15 dives below 40m.

So can people get a 70m trimix cert without getting a cert to dive air to 60m.

Not to my understanding, no.

The risk is increased with non-profit associations. They don't have money as motivation and some replace it with unwarranted self aggrandizing and petty power grab. Or just ignorance of everything which isn't their way.

Not having money as a motivation gives no incentive to try and bend the law.

 

[Adamastor]

Why would a DM be needed to accompany a diver who’s completed training.

Several reasons :

According to French law, only adults can dive unsupervised (I believe it is about to be changed to 16yo).

Notwhistanding an anecdotal exception for diving in pools, N1 (more or less OW) divers are not trained to dive unsupervised, but to follow DM instructions.
Certified N1 divers can get access to a qualification that allows unsupervised diving to 12m.

Unsupervised diving really starts at N2 (more or less AOW), up to 20m. An N2 diver is not expected to be able to manage his own desaturation without a DM, so he can't dive unsupervised to 40m.

The N3 gets full access to unsupervised diving up to 60m.