ISO rigorous (NAUI) Master Diver course

[Zef]

Your entire statement is grossly misinformed and most simplistic to the point of being wrong. With your "logic," we should just get rid of all training, training agencies and instructors and just "gain the skills, knowledge, and experience on their own."

I am not sure how you can judge me as or my opinion as "grossly" misinformed given the fact that I am certified by NAUI as a Master Diver. I have taken the course of instruction, obtained the certification card, and realized afterwards that there are other ways to obtain the same level of knowledge and skill and more.

By your logic, perhaps one should take every certification course available on any subject in diving (basically the PADI mentality of Put Another Dollar In) because one will get personal satisfaction and instruction out of the course. I never implied that we should get rid of instructors or certifications....a certification should lead to something, it should open up opportunities at the least. MSD certification does not do that. You can obtain the list of course requirements and obtain the book and work on the skillset on your own with a fellow dive partner. There is no reason to spend time and money for someone to say "here is a certification card that indicates you have the skills and knowledge to teach but oh by the way you cant teach because you don't have an instructor level certificate", or "here is a certification card that states you are good enough to lead a dive, but oh by the way you can't get paid for it because you are not certified as a dive master and you also could have led a dive with just an OW certificaiton card if you are not getting paid."

I believe there is value in training, I also believe there is value in having certain certifications, I also believe that my money is better spent in my pocket or invested in something that provides me real value or return on my investment. Spending money on MSD certification does not do any of that....at least not in my mind....and I am speaking from personal experience.

It is kind like, if you can take AOW and Nitrox together, why would you want to pay a premium to take them separately if you had the chance? If you can gain the knowlege and skills of MSD course while at the same time gainiing the knowledge and skills of dive master from that course of instruction/certification why would you opt for the lesser certificaiton? Unless there are factors such as time or expense, but in that case I would suggest that the OP, or anyone is better served to wait until they could afford the time and expense of the higher level of certification.

-Z

 

[Zef]

On the NAUI website Master Scuba Diver is a requirement for taking Dive Master. Since the tech page dosen't come up, I can't see if it is a requirement for tech, although it implies it is on the certification progression chart.
Bob

Thanks for sharing this. I was not aware of that. From looking at the NAUI website it seems MSD is a pre-req for NAUI Fit certification, and NAUI Fit is a pre-req for DM, Assistant Instructor, and Instructor.

Good to know, but I think NAUI FIT has only been a requirement for a couple of years...I may be wrong but my understanding is it was implemented sometime in late 2015 early 2016.

Based on this news, I wish the OP much luck in his endeavors to earn the MSD certification. I know a great and rigorous NAUI instructor but you would have to come to Belgium where the water is anything but warm and the skies are often anything but sunny.

-Z

 

[tomfcrist]

You have made the wrong inference. I never stated that the individual with the card earns respect by having the certification. I implied that certain levels of certification come accompanied with a certain amount of "street cred"...it is up to the individual to live up to that street cred or not

Respect...credibility...those things are synonymous.

What is more realistic is that certain qualifications bring with them higher expectations...but neither respect nor credibility are a given.

If you show me an card that says “divemaster”... I will expect you to have your **** together. But I won’t respect or give any credibility to your skill set until I see you use it. That’s just reality. Joe blow vacation diver may be impressed, but the majority of industry professionals know better.

 

[Zef]

Respect...credibility...those things are synonymous.

What is more realistic is that certain qualifications bring with them higher expectations...but neither respect nor credibility are a given.

If you show me an card that says “divemaster”... I will expect you to have your **** together. But I won’t respect or give any credibility to your skill set until I see you use it. That’s just reality. Joe blow vacation diver may be impressed, but the majority of industry professionals know better.

We are basically in violent agreement on the subject, we are just using different words/thoughts to try to express similar sentiment. You just expressed it a bit more succinctly.

Cheers,
-Z

 

[BoltSnap]

On the NAUI website Master Scuba Diver is a requirement for taking Dive Master. Since the tech page dosen't come up, I can't see if it is a requirement for tech, although it implies it is on the certification progression chart.


Bob

Yes, the NAUI MSD rating is prerequisite to all.

 

[Wookie]

I've never personally thought of a MSD cert as anything aside from a reward for gaining 5 specialties and Rescue. Maybe other agencies look at it differently.

 

[100days-a-year]

The more claims I initially hear the less I am inclined to "respect" a diver's ability.

Divemaster or Master diver titles mean nothing to me,and instructor means only a little more as some of the least talented divers I've had on my boat had them and some of the most talented hadn't even AOW but only basic OW.

Spending a lot of time in a class type setting doesn't prepare you as well as you'd think for the reality of a pitching boat,variable current and visibility and interactions with sealife.

 

[BoltSnap]

I've never personally thought of a MSD cert as anything aside from a reward for gaining 5 specialties and Rescue. Maybe other agencies look at it differently.

Perhaps that is the case with some agencies but it isn't the case for NAUI. The NAUI MSD course is a rigors course with lots of academics cover all areas of diving (except of teaching theory) that are equal to the level of knowledge and entry level instructor should/would know. There are also diving requirements in the course in confined and in openwater.

 

[azstinger11]

If it’s being offered anymore you can look at Los Angeles County’s Advanced Diver Program. It used to be the case in addition to the LA County Certification for a small fee you could receive the NAUI Master Scuba Diver Certification as well. It has a history of being phenomenal training. However it’s most weekends over th course of a summer, so probably not practical if you don’t live nearby. Also with their website being down, I’m not sure they are having a course this summer

 

[MichaelMc]

Rescue and the Master scuba diver *class* (e.g. via NAUI) or an intro to tech (in single tank gear) might be a good choice. You should learn a lot. People will understand the intro to tech, though they may not understand the (NAUI) master diver. Oh well. In all cases, the card just puts you in provisional OW, AOW, post AOW, and maybe really Ok bins. Talking, gearing up, and in water will tell more of the truth.

Unless you want to start teaching, I would not yet do a leadership class. Yes, you will learn a lot, but you also gain legal liability as you are then a professional who may have a duty to have performed in some manner. And you might feel the need for yearly insurance to guard against that liability.

In NAUI, all the leadership level physics, physiology, etc, are tested in the non leadership NAUI master diver class. So NAUI Dive Master needs NAUI Master Diver (or equivalent).

For the side discussion:
That equivalency requires at least passing the master diver exam, though you do not need to become a NAUI master diver. I'm currently a NAUI Dive Master candidate, I've passed the NAUI Master Diver exam, but I am not a NAUI Master Diver. And as of recently, leadership grades start with a FIT class that then branches out to the others, like Assistant Instructor and Dive Master.

Edit:
Mephki, It seems you may be asking where to get such dive training. It would help to let people know where you are based, or what warm water you have in mind, like Florida, the Caribbean, etc.