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!

 

[Jcp2]

Just basic run of the mill nitrox for OW divers. Setting the students computer to 100% is just so the instructor can show them what their computer would do if exceed the mod of a mix in the shallows. So instead of setting it to 32% and needing to hit 111/132ft to see it, can see it at 13ft/20ft. Yeah people should read their dive computer manuals, a large number don’t. So seeing the alerts/warning during training can be pretty beneficial.

No gas switching, no gas mixes above 40%, just run of the mill nitrox.

If he had a pressure tank he’d just use that I’d imagine. Dunno not my course, not my students, not my instructor.

Many puck computers limit nitrox to 40%, so you’d need depth more than 25 meters to go past simulated MOD at 1.4.

 

[lowwall]

Where is it illegal to own a boat, compressor and dive kit without qualifications? May not be sensible, but not illegal. Or is that just France?

France is not the only country that has laws or regulations prohibiting diving unless certified or in a class. It doesn't seem like anyone has compiled a good list, but you can start here if anyone wants to try. List of legislation regulating underwater diving - Wikipedia

 

[Adamastor]

Where is it illegal to own a boat, compressor and dive kit without qualifications? May not be sensible, but not illegal.

Not sure about owning, but taking your boat to the sea without a licence is definitely illegal.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Clearer in the head? Nitrox does NOT counteract narcosis. Only helium does that.

Actually some research did shows that Oxygen, being "heavier" than Nitrogen, is actually MORE narcotic than Nitrogen. Newer resesearch serms to contraddict this result, but I like to be on the safe side, so I do not consider Niyrox a way to counteract narcosys. So breathing Nitrox is potentially causing narcosis at shallower depth than Oxygen..But in my experience CO2 is even more narcotic, and the difference between Nitrogen and Oxygen is small.
Furthermore Nitrox is advantageous over air only for dives in the range 18-34 meters, a range where narcosys usually does not occur, or is very light.
Most of the training for becoming Nitrox certified is focused on gas analysis, marking your tank, entering the measured value on your computer, and respecting the Max Depth shown by the computer based on the oxygen percentage entered.
And for divers still using tables, there is a table of max depth vs oxygen percentage.
Narcosis is not a relevant topic during these courses...

 

[Lorenzoid]

Not really. The difference is real: either you must make the measurement yourself (as some have claimed) or you can just watch while someone else does it (the actual requirement).

Yes, I understand the “actual requirement,” and there have been times when I merely witnessed someone else analyzing my tank. But when doing so, you would be supposed to know how the analyzer works and watch that the person handling the analyzer is doing it correctly. The difference is only in who is physically manipulating the analyzer, which seems like a fairly trivial difference to me. The key bits of the analysis procedure should be the same, whether your hands are on the analyzer or someone else’s on your behalf. To the original topic, the nitrox course teaches how to use an analyzer and label a tank. The “nitrox briefing”—maybe.

 

[Belzelbub]

Not sure about owning, but taking your boat to the sea without a licence is definitely illegal.

Likely depends on location. I'm familiar with the US, so I'll answer with that in mind. Across the US, it is illegal to use a boat with a certain minimum horsepower rating that does not have a current registration sticker (unless it's a USCG documented vessel). This isn't a license, more like a tax. I need to pay every year (or two if I select that option), but there is no actual license issued for this. If using a kayak or something like that, no registration needed.

Now, the rules will vary by state on licensing requirements to operate a boat. In FL, there is no boating license, but if born after a certain date, there is an education requirement. The state provides a list of agencies that offer boating courses that meet the education requirements. That's all that's required for FL.

Apart from a couple environmentally sensitive sites that require a special permit, there is really no restrictions on diving in the ocean (outside of channels, of course.)

 

[Marie13]

Not sure about owning, but taking your boat to the sea without a licence is definitely illegal.

I see you’re in France. Not surprised.

 

[Adamastor]

I see you’re in France. Not surprised.

Hehe, fair enough

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Same difference, bro.
Your computer does calculus following a model. You do algebra for chosen values.

Nothing a 10yo didn't learn in school.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. When I took econ 101 at university, a fair number of students didn't know how to use y = mx + b, so.......

 

[John Bantin]

I think I recall @boulderjohn having an anecdote on this.

I was once refused nitrox in Bonaire because my cert was an original TDI (nitrox diver #4) signed by Rob Palmer (not the guitarist) and they only accepted PADI. I asked Bret Gilliam later if he's ever had the same problem!