Is the PADI SMB specialty a waste of money?

[MXGratefulDiver]

When I was teaching, DSMB deployment was part of the AOW curriculum. We'd cover the gear and its uses during the classroom part, and it would be part of of one of the dives ... usually the one where we used the earlier part of the dive for gas consumption measurements. The exercise provides practice for several skills, actually ... buoyancy control while performing a task perhaps one of the more important ones. But there were other lessons ... like what happens to line underwater if you don't maintain a slight tension in the line (aka, "underwater macramé"). We used 3-foot bags and spools. I'd have the students shoot the bag, then I'd pull it down, release the air, have them stow it, and repeat a few times. After it looked like they were getting it clean, we'd ascend up the line, winding up the spool as we went. It taught them how to use the line as an ascent line, and gave them more practice managing their buoyancy while they were busy thinking about some other task. Overall I found it to be a useful skills practice for more than just the act of deploying the SMB.

We'd typically do the exercise at a depth of around 30 feet, and spend maybe 10 minutes doing repeated deployments before making the ascent ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm happy to charge for mentoring.

By strict definition, that is really a contradiction. If you are getting paid, you are providing professional instruction, not Mentoring.

There is a point that has not been mentioned--just because you take the course does not mean you have to get the card. the cost of a class is determined by the instructor, not the agency. If the course does not include required course materials, and most don't, then the only money the agency gets is the certification card fee. If the student does not want the card and the instructor is fine without issuing it, the course is just between the instructor and the student. The agency would not even know it happened. If you came to me and said you wanted to take the course and didn't want the card, I could teach it to you for whatever we agreed on for the price.

 

[RainPilot]

Sorry you are correct. The context I used mentor in was to differentiate from a structured cert course.

I recently did the PADI Tec sidemount course with an instructor, don't need a card so it was paid teaching but not official

 

[mdb]

Of course it is a waste of money.

The multi PADI courses are just a money grabbing scheme.

A good instructor, regardless of "brand" is the best investment.

I was very fortunate to have several-NASDS, NAUI, PADI.

 

[RainPilot]

Of course it is a waste of money.

The multi PADI courses are just a money grabbing scheme.

A good instructor, regardless of "brand" is the best investment.

I was very fortunate to have several-NASDS, NAUI, PADI.

We've already established that the course is not for everyone but there are circumstances where it may be a useful course to do. PADI has spent money on developing the course so why should they remove it from the available courses?

Nobody is forcing anyone to do it. I believe the question of whether or not it is a waste of money depends on what you received in training and how you plan to proceed.

There are a HUGE amount of specialities in most agencies that may seem to be a waste to an individual but someone somewhere needs/needed that cert at some time.

 

[BoltSnap]

Diver0001 has been helpful in a private conversation with sharing how he conducts his courses. I also look to Harry Averill, Jim Lapenta, and Andy Davis.

You are selfish for not sharing the knowledge. I always thought of you as a generous guy before

 

[BoltSnap]

So, what would you say if a diver certified by someone other than you came to you and asked you to teach them how to deploy a DSMB safely from depth? Would you refuse to teach them because you believe they should have learned it in a previous course? Would you require them to take another more advanced course that includes DSMB deployment along with the other skills the student is not interested in? If you decided to teach the student what the student is asking you to teach, would you charge for that instruction or provide it for free?

Scary, I have to agree with you and side with PADI on this.

 

[mdb]

We've already established that the course is not for everyone but there are circumstances where it may be a useful course to do. PADI has spent money on developing the course so why should they remove it from the available courses?

Nobody is forcing anyone to do it. I believe the question of whether or not it is a waste of money depends on what you received in training and how you plan to proceed.

There are a HUGE amount of specialities in most agencies that may seem to be a waste to an individual but someone somewhere needs/needed that cert at some time.

PADI will not remove any course-only add more and more.

If it works for you, or others, that is fine.

 

[RainPilot]

PADI will not remove any course-only add more and more.

If it works for you, or others, that is fine.

They are a business. It costs them nothing to keep it on their system and if one person buys it they make some return. Whether it was necessary for that person to buy it is left to the instructor and student to decide.

All agencies do this to some extent or other, especially with e-learning making it free to keep stock of manuals.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

You are selfish for not sharing the knowledge. I always thought of you as a generous guy before

Okay, here's the summary: top-down buoyancy (enough weight for them to sink and be able to float in the water). Small ratios (1 instructor to 4 students, plus another CA, so 2:4).

I'd be happy to send you the outline (which I haven't sent to returner) for my confined water sessions once I'm finished with it. I can share how I do my OW dives that worked very well this past class. Via FB?

I'll post a new thread on Instructor to Instructor for feedback as well.