GUE OW Training

[ucfdiver]

I know it's been rumored, but do you guys think GUE-OW gets announced this weekend at the conference?

Do you guys think the GUE curriculum can be marketed to new divers, or does the time required to teach things properly, and the "technical" gear cost too much to a person who's just starting diving?

I wish someone had pointed me that direction when I was new, but this is talking nearly 10 years after my cert dives, and I'm not so sure that when I wanted to get in the water and dive, I wouldn't have just chose the cheapest, fastest method.

 

[Hyper-limits]

I'm not so sure that when I wanted to get in the water and dive, I wouldn't have just chose the cheapest, fastest method.

You're right, most will chose the cheapest, easiest and fastest way. I'm not DIR but I consider myself pretty dedicated to the sport so I don't mind paying top dollar for a good course, put in the effort and spend the cash. But most people that walk in a LDS don't even know if they will like diving and will not invest the time and money to get a better course and that's too bad, some will if they have friend to direct them in the right direction but I suspect that will be a small number.

Al

 

[ppo2_diver]

That is what I hear as well. I've also heard that they will be rolling out scooter courses this year. Rumor also has it they are looking into wreck courses for the future.

 

[TSandM]

The OW course is on the agenda, and I believe they are offering breakout sessions for the instructors about it.

I don't think it will ever be taught very much, for the reasons Hyper-limits lists. I would not have taken it when I was learning to dive. You simply need to know far more than the vast majority of people presenting for diving classes know, to be willing to invest the money and the time. I'll bet the majority of GUE OW students are family or friends of people who are already GUE divers.

Nevertheless, as I believe Dean Marshall wrote in Quest, I think it's a laudable effort, simply because of the possible spillover effect.

 

[nadwidny]

I remember reading on rec.scuba a few years ago when a shop on the Eastern Seaboard (I think it was Bob Decker at Olympus Dive Centre in Morehead City) tried to market a standard OW course and an "enhanced" OW course. The enhanced course had more pool time and a bunch more dives but it was more money (I don't remember how much more). The benefits of the enhanced course was explained to the prospective students and the result was that pretty much nobody would spend the extra time and money.

 

[Gombessa]

The benefits of the enhanced course was explained to the prospective students and the result was that pretty much nobody would spend the extra time and money.

Why would you spend extra money when you can get the card for so much less?!!

Anyways, that was my entire attitude towards certification - I knew there was something called NAUI that was not PADI, but other than that it was just about being able to sign up and get onto that boat loaded with about 30 people at the pier. If someone tried to explain GUE OW to me, I'd glaze over and stop listening before the 1 minute mark.

 

[ucfdiver]

The OW course is on the agenda, and I believe they are offering breakout sessions for the instructors about it.

I don't think it will ever be taught very much, for the reasons Hyper-limits lists. I would not have taken it when I was learning to dive. You simply need to know far more than the vast majority of people presenting for diving classes know, to be willing to invest the money and the time. I'll bet the majority of GUE OW students are family or friends of people who are already GUE divers.

Nevertheless, as I believe Dean Marshall wrote in Quest, I think it's a laudable effort, simply because of the possible spillover effect.

I think that's what I'm looking forward to seeing the most, is how this effects other agencies.

 

[grazie42]

I actually know one of the guys who´s been developing some of the course materials and he´s been able to sell his "padi aow" for something like 2,5x the cost of a regular aow(it´s more life gue-f+) and he does get some people to take it. Mostly after seeing him or his students in the water or thru "referrals"...

I think it´ll be the same with the OW, people who know the instructor or who´s seen him or his students in the water might see the added value but most people won´t...

 

[TSandM]

Well, I think it's MUCH easier to sell quality advanced training, once people have gotten in the water a bit and found out what doesn't work, and maybe gotten a glimpse of what does. The problem with OW is nobody has seen anything, and most students (I think) are like me . . . They have a mental image of swimming with pretty fishes, and no idea that there are skills involved.

 

[MonkSeal]

I'll bet the majority of GUE OW students are family or friends of people who are already GUE divers.

Which is I guess quite enough

I think that's what I'm looking forward to seeing the most, is how this effects other agencies.

I seriously doubt that this course will somehow impact mainstream training agencies.