Is a group leader (DM) usually expected on a boat?

[Damselfish]

We do not excort divers round with a cattle prod! Self discovery is absolutely encouraged. But people usually like it when they discover something new themselves, show the guide and tap their head (our signal "remember that"), come back to the boat and have the guide tell them all about it, including how they would serve it for dinner back in the village!

Walter, that's a real shame as you are one of the people on this board that I would absolutely love to take diving in Fiji. I promise I would show you some really cool **** and you could set your own gear up on every dive!

well, what you said - "I would never let any certified diver (yes, any) in the water without a guide." doesn't really send a message I'm comfortable with.

 

[caseybird]

I'm not worried at all. The renewable certifications would protect the people who haven't been diving in 10 years, but who are too stubborn to accept that their skills might need a little "dusting off".

It would be both trivial and quick for proficient divers to demonstrate the basic OW skills. However, you have nothing to worry about, since the chances of this happening are slim.

Terry

I just don't get you guys. Half the board hates PADI with a white-hot fury, the other half thinks GUE is the moonies dressed in black neopreme. Yet you're lining up for a new certification that would require you to submit to an examination every few years, because the agencies think it would be good for you.
I work plenty hard to maintain and improve my skills, I do not need any agency recertifying me.
"Trivial and quick"? Please, make an appointment (with one of those 60 dive wonder instructors everyone's always *****ing about) pay him, show up at the pool and waste a day doing mask clears? Then you can come on the board and complain about spending 75 bucks.
Dive free or don't dive. Enough is enough already.
Oh yeah, the every five year diver can dive with an operation that closely supervises them. It's their choice to make.

 

[Web Monkey]

"Trivial and quick"? Please, make an appointment (with one of those 60 dive wonder instructors everyone's always *****ing about) pay him, show up at the pool and waste a day doing mask clears? Then you can come on the board and complain about spending 75 bucks.
Dive free or don't dive. Enough is enough already.
Oh yeah, the every five year diver can dive with an operation that closely supervises them. It's their choice to make.

This is all *** backwards, but not worth dragging out.

• No agency, including PADI ever suggested this.
• Demonstrating basic skills takes well under 1/2 hour
• Considering the number of recent posts from people who had problems with buoyancy, mask clears and regulator problems that they solved by bolting to the surface, I don't think a renewable certification is such a bad idea.
• You're getting your shorts all twisted over vapor. This isn't real, nobody is doing it, nobody has any plans to do it.

Terry

 

[caseybird]

This is all *** backwards, but not worth dragging out.

• No agency, including PADI ever suggested this.
• Demonstrating basic skills takes well under 1/2 hour
• Considering the number of recent posts from people who had problems with buoyancy, mask clears and regulator problems that they solved by bolting to the surface, I don't think a renewable certification is such a bad idea.
• You're getting your shorts all twisted over vapor. This isn't real, nobody is doing it, nobody has any plans to do it.

Terry

Terry, Terry, Terry,

#1 You suggested it. See post # 40.
#2 Making the appoinment, driving to the shop, doing the paperwork, suiting up, doing the skills, cleaning up, and paying takes more than 1/2 hour.
#3 What is stopping anyone from improving their skills now?
#4 Good thing.

 

[Walter]

One or two is not "lining up." I have a lifetime cert, I'm not giving it up.

 

[friscuba]

I just don't get you guys. Half the board hates PADI with a white-hot fury, the other half thinks GUE is the moonies dressed in black neopreme. Yet you're lining up for a new certification that would require you to submit to an examination every few years, because the agencies think it would be good for you.
I work plenty hard to maintain and improve my skills, I do not need any agency recertifying me.
"Trivial and quick"? Please, make an appointment (with one of those 60 dive wonder instructors everyone's always *****ing about) pay him, show up at the pool and waste a day doing mask clears? Then you can come on the board and complain about spending 75 bucks.
Dive free or don't dive. Enough is enough already.
Oh yeah, the every five year diver can dive with an operation that closely supervises them. It's their choice to make.

I'd really doubt it'd cost $75 at most places. If they had a mandatory recert you'd have the 95-98% of divers who never do a refresher doing them. With 20-50 times as many divers requesting refreshers, you'd see regular refresher evenings popping up at nearly every dive shop and charter, it'd likely be done simple and cheap. You seem to assume the worst.

 

[Web Monkey]

Terry, Terry, Terry,

#1 You suggested it. See post # 40.
#2 Making the appoinment, driving to the shop, doing the paperwork, suiting up, doing the skills, cleaning up, and paying takes more than 1/2 hour.
#3 What is stopping anyone from improving their skills now?
#4 Good thing.

Am I a cert agency? No? didn't think so.

Including everything you mentioned, it would still take less than an hour here.

Terry

 

[cornfed]

Including everything you mentioned, it would still take less than an hour here.

Good for you, it will be longer here.