Getting nitrox certified...

[miketsp]

Find a TDI course, they don't require the dives.

the K

Given that some individuals are consistently oxygen intolerant in hyperbaric situations, I for one felt more reassured doing my first dives at 1.4 exposure with an instructor.

The statistic I saw was about 1.9% of navy divers failing their OTT (Oxygen tolerance Test). Although this statistic is probably a little outdated. I would be curious if anybody has a newer figure.

Edit: well, before I get flamed, I just found an old post by Dr Deco from 2001 which reads:
We are looking at the old concept of the Oxygen Tolerance Test. This was abandoned first in the Royal Navy and then in the US Navy because the data was of little value. The toxic response to oxygen is just too variable from day to day in an individual.

Found the thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=4252

Of course I didn't know this when I did my Nitrox checkout.

 

[wheelietaco]

my lds is classroom only and they are sdi. its just like a 3 hour class with no dives.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

I simply do not understand why you must do 2 dives as part of getting nitrox certified. You simply breath the same as you do a normal mix right? Basically all you are learning is different dive tables with different times correct?

Not for this reason only but.........

Because I'd take the opportunity to drill you on basic skills you probably don't yet have down well enough. Anything else would be a wasted opportunity and is a disservice to the client IMHO.

YMMV.

EDIT: It's my understanding that PADI is contemplating dropping the dives to make it more in-line wth courses such as TDI etc.

This is not what I like to hear personally, and I hope the rumours are not true, but it does coincide with a host of other decisions made recently by other org's that have decided to "dumb-down" some standards to match those of their peer's courses. At least this was the discussion I had recently with an Instructor with another agnecy who had spoke of those changes within his org, and the reasons they stated.

Regards

 

[av8er23]

PADI will let you do an online course to complete most of the book studies. Then you must meet with an instructor and review the material. Finally it says doing a dive is optional.

 

[HowardE]

av8er23 - Where will you be when you plan on doing the Nixtrox Cert? Will you be in Florida?

Like other people have said... the class + dives usually = less than either of them by themselves...

So if you're already going to be diving from a boat in Key Largo anyway...

For example... My wife and I did our nitrox class in Boynton Beach, FL. It cost

$150 for the 1st person, and $125 for the second.

2 Tank Day Dive -------------- $55.00

So... we paid $82.50 each for the Nitrox C-Card, and the Course... The shop let us borrow the books, and we went diving.

Not so much that you HAVE TO dive to prove your knowledge of the EANx Course, but since it was "included"... why not?

 

[WileEDiver]

PADI will let you do an online course to complete most of the book studies. Then you must meet with an instructor and review the material. Finally it says doing a dive is optional.

That's the Discover Nitrox course. Unless you do the dives, your c-card will state that you are only to get fills to 32%, must dive with a profofessional (divemaster or above), and only within the limits of the air RDP. It's designed primarily for people going on vacation and not having the time to complete the dives before they leave. However, if you have an instructor accompany you on two dives, then that instructor can sign you off on the full nitrox cert (but I'd bet that the combined cost of all of that will far exceed the cost of the full nitrox cert in the first place).

 

[The Horn]

What would an instructor teach you about breathing nitrox while underwater on a dive? I could see if you were involved in deco stops etc from deeper dives or longer dives but whats up on the dives for nitrox?

 

[HowardE]

What would an instructor teach you about breathing nitrox while underwater on a dive? I could see if you were involved in deco stops etc from deeper dives or longer dives but whats up on the dives for nitrox?

That argument has been well hashed out. You obviously don't learn how to breathe.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

PADI will let you do an online course to complete most of the book studies. Then you must meet with an instructor and review the material. Finally it says doing a dive is optional.

LOL. it may very well be that way eventually, but the dives for a Nitrox Course (PADI) are not optional at this point in time.

I figured there was a reason we made less than minimum wage.....now I know it's because we're not really needed except to spread the blame around a little more evenly....LOL

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I'm still trying to figure out why people want to get cards but they don't want to dive. I've had advanced students complain about having to do too many dives to get their certification (you get 4 weekends of diving for your $125). If you don't want to dive why bother getting any specialty c-card unless you're trying to collect the whole set You're going to dive with the gas eventually right? Why not get in the water now? I understand the money thing, find a shop that does the class and will take you somewhere cool like the Great Lakes to do the dives, make a vacation out of it the class instead of getting the card to take on vacation.

This was not intended as a flame, just an expression of personal experience.
Ber :lilbunny: