Master Diver specialties

[Dody]

I never said a MSD "knows everything there is to know about diving".

According to the above, the MSD does not have to be trained to dive at night, below 60' or light penetration of wrecks. The PADI MSD cert as described now sounds like a participation trophy that you pay for and little if anything has been MASTERED.

100 ft not 60

 

[kaylee_ann]

MSD for PADI requires:

• Rescue (which requires AOW (which requires OW) and EFR of some sort),
• 5 other completed specialties (value depends on what you want out of it, what courses you choose to take, the instructor, etc YMMV),
• 50 logged dives, and
• a credit card.

I'm a couple of dives short of MSD, but all other requirements are there. Don't know if I will pick up the card or not. A couple of the specialties I took were wasted time and effort (underwater naturalist - I still can't figure out what the frack that had to do with scuba diving nude - and I figure I pretty much figured that one out at 3 years old in the tub all frothed up with Mr. Bubble), some not a waste (I found the Equipment Specialist really good - a semi-serious diver kinda needs an appreciation for how our equipment evolved and how it goes together and works - aside from being better prepared to fix minor issues that may crop up on that liveaboard. It may sound like a dry, boring non-wet specialty but I'd suggest you put that one on your list of specialty certs to get.)

I think the basic specialty programs have value in that it gets folks involved and provides a very basic amount of knowledge to build a base from.

My next adventure, in about a year, will be solo diver (probably from SDI - if nothing else to get exposure to a different cert agency and since it's been reported that there are operations that look at "Self-reliant" diver card and go "Hey, that's cute, but you don't have a card that says "Solo Diver" do you(?) so here's your newest and bestest dive buddy friend!).

After that then I'd like to do some tec learning. I don't want to be a pro, I don't want to go in caves, I don't think I want to go INTO wrecks, but I'd like to understand more about the deco process/planning, the physio models of what is happening in the body/tissues, gas requirements, equipment requirements. I would like to go a little deeper, for a little longer, than 10 minutes at 130. And I am less impressed with seeing a hard-to-find-sand-burrowing-worm or flashy colourful little fishy dandy than I am taking a look at some of our naval or maritime history and some of that is a little bit deeper.

Not to throw shade on Padi's program (or NAUI, or SSI or SDI or anyone else), but I'll likely do something more along the lines of IANTD or RAID when I actually get to that point. I am an academic nerd and lean towards the more esoteric theory side of stuff.

OMMOHY

the physics/physiology as you go into tech is super interesting. I'm nowhere near being a tech diver, but am interested in the same stuff as you regarding the academics. super fun to research and talk about it all.

 

[Blackcrusader]

TDI for Tech level courses also has requirements for 50 and 100 logged dives and dives beyond 100’. It’s not a telephone book its a dive log book.

You claim tech level courses have a requirement for 50 logged dives.

This TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver - International Training - SDI | TDI | ERDI | PFI only has a requirement for 25 dives for an OW diver. Therefor it is for recreational divers or are you going to claim an OW diver is a technical diver?

It is a better course to take than the PADI Deep course when the OP is looking for a specialty course in my humble opinion. I am a recreational diver who has been deco diving since 1986. Trained for that as a recreational diver. Quite normal. The AN course adds to the basic nitrox course for recreational divers. Certainly a good course for the OP to consider. Depth limit is still 40m and the OP would learn far more from this course than a padi deep course and the cost will not be a lot different.

 

[wlecyt40]

I did PPB with my Master Diver. My buoyancy was just fine but since I was shooting for my MSD, I took it. That and night, deep, nitrox (which I love!!) and equipment specialist (cuz we have about $10k in gear!). Just because you have good buoyancy doesn't mean you can't take the course. It's always good info. It has made me a better diver because I am much more cognizant of where I am in the water, especially around a reef while taking pictures. So, yes, it would take the course.

 

[TMHeimer]

I never said a MSD "knows everything there is to know about diving".

According to the above, the MSD does not have to be trained to dive at night, below 60' or light penetration of wrecks. The PADI MSD cert as described now sounds like a participation trophy that you pay for and little if anything has been MASTERED.

It's a certification that you've completed the requirements. My only beef has always been that I think only certain specialties should be allowed. I think almost everyone on SB agrees that like PADI AOW, the word Master (like Advanced) is used as a marketing tool and no one actually thinks it really means mastery. Master of what? Which type of diving? How do we define mastering something?
Sorry to repeat stuff from so long ago.
But, I wouldn't exactly label it a participation trophy. For one thing, you do have to take Rescue.

 

[Blackcrusader]

It's a certification that you've completed the requirements. My only beef has always been that I think only certain specialties should be allowed. I think almost everyone on SB agrees that like PADI AOW, the word Master (like Advanced) is used as a marketing tool and no one actually thinks it really means mastery. Master of what? Which type of diving? How do we define mastering something?
Sorry to repeat stuff from so long ago.
But, I wouldn't exactly label it a participation trophy. For one thing, you do have to take Rescue.

I have done all the dives MSD would do without the MSD cert. I think my BSAC sports diver course covered most of it except for Nitrox as was not available back then. I am not sure what benefit the MSD card would give over any other diver with AOW or rescue really when getting dives at a dive center. I rarely ask a diver unless they are an assigned instabuddy about cert levels and I have never come across anyone with an MSD in my last thousand dives. Lot's of recreational divers that have DM though.

 

[TMHeimer]

I have done all the dives MSD would do without the MSD cert. I think my BSAC sports diver course covered most of it except for Nitrox as was not available back then. I am not sure what benefit the MSD card would give over any other diver with AOW or rescue really when getting dives at a dive center. I rarely ask a diver unless they are an assigned instabuddy about cert levels and I have never come across anyone with an MSD in my last thousand dives. Lot's of recreational divers that have DM though.

Maybe the marketing isn't going so well now? I came across one a while back, but dive mostly solo now. I sometimes wear my MSD cap around non divers, but not around divers. Maybe the DM one for that....

 

[TravelGas]

But, I wouldn't exactly label it a participation trophy. For one thing, you do have to take Rescue.

The PADI Master is completely unregimented, other than the Rescue requirement. You can select Fish ID, how to grow Coral, Photography and under water basket weaving and become a PADI Master. How does any of that improve your diving skills or show that you have Mastery of the Basic skills? If you take the time to look at the NAUI MSD course requirement everyone does the same program, highly structured, no Fish ID involved. One legit requirement out of 6, does not a Master make.

 

[TravelGas]

100 ft not 60

Uh no, you need to read the whole thread.

A member who I wont call out, said if I never plan on going below 60' why can't I still be a Master diver. I went thru the program, so I am familiar with the requirements.
PADI's MSD program is a watered down marketing tool to generate money for them, their Dive Shops and their Instrs., NAUI is trying to train better divers. Take the time to go to both web sites, review both MSD course descriptions, be honest with yourself and then tell me I am wrong.

 

[TravelGas]

it does not mean you know everything there is to know about diving and can stop trying to learn now.

I never said, nor implied that. A good Diver evaluates post dive how the dive went, what went right and what can be done better and skills that need improvement. Learning never ends.