Master Diver Questions

[mbroom]

Hey there,

I've just found out about a Master Diver course given by Sub-Aquatic Survivor in Key Largo in early September http://www.sub-aquaticsurvivor.com/instructors2.asp . Is a reputable outfit? Is it the equivalent upon completion of PADI's master diver certification?

If this isn't the right forum for this question, I trust the administrator will put it where it belongs.

Thanks!

Michael

 

[matt_unique]

Hey there,

I've just found out about a Master Diver course given by Sub-Aquatic Survivor in Key Largo in early September http://www.sub-aquaticsurvivor.com/instructors2.asp . Is a reputable outfit? Is it the equivalent upon completion of PADI's master diver certification?

If this isn't the right forum for this question, I trust the administrator will put it where it belongs.

Thanks!

Michael

In the beginning of their description: "The recreational community has long perverted this term as a marketing tool for average specialty programs producing average divers with a wallet full of purchased c-cards. "

Yet a few paragraphs down they say it's open to any divers with at least 10 logged dives. So in my opinion it's actually less than that of PADI - PADI requires a whole 25 dives for MD.

As I say this with sarcasm - I am a PADI MD and I enjoyed the courses. I specifically sought good, practicing instructors and got a lot out of it. It's also (unfortunately) possible for someone to reach MD with very few skills because the standards are so low. I have written PADI about changing the standards for MD to have it represent a more advanced credential.

Once again...it all boils down to the instructors and your choices as a student. The exercise of setting a goal that would require exposure to different environments is a good one.

--Matt

 

[Charlie99]

IIRC, the PADI "Master Diver" doesn't have any specific course associated with it. If you have done Rescue Diver + X number of other courses, then you can pay another fee and get another card.

My recommendation is to dive a bit, figure out what you want to learn more about in a formal course, and then do those courses.

I highly recommend Rescue.

 

[mbroom]

IIRC, the PADI "Master Diver" doesn't have any specific course associated with it. If you have done Rescue Diver + X number of other courses, then you can pay another fee and get another card.

My recommendation is to dive a bit, figure out what you want to learn more about in a formal course, and then do those courses.

I highly recommend Rescue.

I've got over a 100 dives now. I know I want to do Rescue Diver course and the navigation course. The Sub-Aquatics program would let me do both of those in a week plus solo diver.

Need to know if Sub-Aquatics with Mike Ange is a good choice.

Michael

 

[mike_s]

Not trying to start an agency war here, but I was surprised that PADI's MSD program didn't actually include a course when I looked into it at my LDS, which is a PADI store. You only had to pay a form/filing-fee after you get I think 5 of their speciality ratings.

I looked into the NAUI MSD at another shop "out of town" and they actually have a class that I think does 8 or 12 dives for Master Scuba Diver.

So if you just want the card, to PADI, if you want an actual class, try NAUI or maybe one of the other agencies (which I haven't looked into other agencies since where I live they are fewer and far between).

-mike

 

[matt_unique]

The discussion about the NAUI MSD program is often misleading. The NAUI MSD requires a course...but it has less prerequisites than the PADI MSD...both in terms of minimum number of dives and in certifications required to begin the course.

There is not a course required to get your Bachelors Degree for example - you pay the $40 or whatever it is now to the registrars office and you get your piece of paper. The PADI MSD is no different in terms of design - there is no course for the card itself - but there are 8 courses required before you can pay for it.

If you look at the NAUI course description - your elective dives can include fluffy/easy topics just as is possible with the PADI specialties. I do like some of the topics listed for the required dives.

The entire concept of Master Diver is misleading from any agency, very much including NAUI and PADI. "Master" on other fields represents much more skills and experience than it does with diving which is unfortunate. I think it should be much more rigorous - 100 dives minimum to start, a comprehensive test that covers OW through Rescue, real tests for each specialty, "Master Diver" dives to demonstrate several skills per dive, etc.

--Matt

 

[mbroom]

From the responses should I gather that no one has heard of this outfit Sub_Aquatics run by Mike Ange? No reputation? Which is what I originally asked about though the ensuing discussion has been interesting.

Michael