Is nitrox "briefing" enough without certification?

[Snakekid97]

Hi all,

I have a basic OW certificate with about a dozen OW dives. I recently moved to a coastline, but I haven't gone diving in the ocean in about a year (although I have done a couple of quarry dives since). I recently talked to a local PADI instructor/dive charter owner about easing back into things. After scheduling a date to go out on his charter, I found out they only use nitrox on all of their dives. They claim it's the better way to dive. Their website states " If you are not Nitrox certified, don’t worry, we will give you a Nitrox Briefing that lets you dive Nitrox that day...We will also put a _ Dive Computer on your wrist set for 32% so you can track your NDL."

I have read that I should have a certification for nitrox (which I don't have). My question is: would you trust a "Nitrox briefing that lets you dive Nitrox that day" or does this seem to be a questionable practice? I have no prior experience with Nitrox.

I should add, the charter is a 2-tank trip on reefs 40-60' deep over about a 3-hour period.

Thanks!

 

[johndiver999]

If they make a little mistake with the mix, you die. You should know how to check the mix in the tank yourself. Other than that, if you can't get deep, there is very little danger. I've seen tanks make it to the boat with 500 psi of pure oxygen in them.

 

[broncobowsher]

Bad precedent. There is a reason for the class. It isn't much of a class, but still there are some things that are important.

40-60', so long as you are on Nitrox32 there is nothing you will notice with the gas and there isn't enough depth to even be close to an issue.

The official answer would be no, get trained first. The reality answer, go dive it, take a Nitrox class (before or after, don't care) and learn about what makes it different. And how to be safe with it. There are a couple of things that add risk.

 

[Alekseolsen]

I'd almost argue that this would be a better way then the current course.

Get briefed on Nitrox diving on X amount of dives, with different depths, fill out a questionary - if you remember why this mix at this depth and what are the limitstions you are hereby awarded a "permanent" nitrox card.

Obviosuly doesn't work for people mainly diving on their own(which IMHO is crucial for developing other skills)

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Take the class. Three day-to-day takeaways: analyze your gas, calculate/confirm PPO and maximum operating depth limits, and program your computer so it tracks N2 load and NDL bottom times properly.

Other parts of the class are a little on oxygen toxicity, math behind calculating PPO and relation to the max operating depth (MOD), testing O2 concentration in your tank (should be hands on), labeling of your bottles.

Honestly, I would think, as others have suggested, talk to the captain/instructor about doing the online portion that will cover pretty much all of the above and the a brief briefing (realistically a five-minute to 20 minute briefing with the instructor and demonstration of testing/computer set up/MOD calc (also on computer...)) and pay money; that should get you your cert, depending on the instructor and her/his disposition. When I did the class, I did the eLearning and the instructor said it would be from 30 minutes up to two hours in the shop, depending on how deeply and thoroughly I wished to tenderize the horse meat.



Get the cert - question eliminated forever.

 

[L13]

... and pay money; ...

The real reason the class exists. But you are right that having the cert does make it easier to dive nitrox at a random dive op.

 

[Wibble]

...having the cert does make it easier to dive nitrox at a random dive op.

Daft question: would a trimix/CCR cert be acceptable?

Never thought about the Nitrox cert! I suppose nowadays you can't be trusted with plastic -- you'll only throw it into the ocean -- so they'd need to look you up on the diving database to see if you're qualified...

 

[Lorenzoid]

As others have alluded to, one of the protocols of nitrox diving is that the diver personally measures or “analyzes” the oxygen percentage of the tank he will be using. You need to understand it’s your responsibility to have personally determined what percentage is in your tank and understand that the consequences of breathing the wrong percentage can be fatal. My guess is that the “briefing“ covers that much. But the full nitrox certification course is not that much more involved and takes only a few hours, so why cut corners?

 

[Lorenzoid]

Daft question: would a trimix/CCR cert be acceptable?

You may have to request “32/0” trimix from them if you don’t have a nitrox card.

 

[OTF]

You (probably) won't die from a mini briefing and trust-me nitrox dive with an instructor. But it's technically not the right way to do it. You also won't have the benefit of learning from a full class that absolutely makes people better divers.

A full and well taught class is valuable in developing as a diver and aids tremendously in really gaining an understanding of dive safety and deco theory. Granted the student has to care (not everybody does) and the instructor has to be good (not all of them are), but I remember coming out of my nitrox class with a lot of questions answered, a much more in-depth understanding of the science of diving, and improved dive planning skills. It got me thinking about things that hadn't been considerations before. This baseline understanding was useful immediately, and indispensable as I eventually moved further into tech and CCR courses. So while it might not be necessary to do one or two guided vacation dives, it is necessary if you want to become a better diver and progress your learning.

 

[lowwall]

Here's the distilled content of a nitrox course. The only things missing are practicing with the 02 analyser and labeling your tank. They should show you how the analyser works at the boat if you ask.

IFDI - Nitrox Diver e-learning.

Learn scuba diving, easily and safely with IFDI: International Fun Diving Instructors. IFDI is a neutral and international diving organization, based on the international ISO standards which guarantee you high quality courses and a worldwide recognition.

www.ifdi.info

It's in metric, but the only conversion you need to do is meters to feet. "bar" is just another term for ATM or atmospheric pressure at sea level.

BTW, some boats require nitrox because it lets them do much shorter surface intervals. If that's the case, it negates some of the safety margin that nitrox is supposed to give you.