Master Scuba Diver Course

[BoltSnap]

Wow, way to contribute to rational discourse.

Cheers,
-Z

With his way of thinking, we should just shut down SB and all go home. It is his way of coming back when he has nothing to say against facts.

 

[TMHeimer]

I agree with this sentiment. I am NAUI MSD certified and PADI DM certified. The PADI DM program was nothing compared to the paces I was put through for NAUI MSD. Even the PADI dive theory was ridiculously light compared to what was expected in the NAUI MSD course/exam.

To be honest, I feel the only things I got from the PADI DM program are a certification card, ability to work in a limited professional capacity, an open door to move on to instructor if I choose, and an annual bill for professional membership dues and liability insurance.

As I observe DMs in the real world and those discussing training/certification requirements here on SB I am totally dismayed at how watered down the PADI DM program is and how much further watered down it seems lots of folks would like it to be. Just look at all the angst filled discussions about the swim test requirements.

The NAUI instructor for my MSD course only took on a limited number of students who possessed appropriate skill sets based on his observation and recommendations from other experienced divers. At the beginning of the first class he ensured everyone was aware that this was not the class to learn how to dive...the expectation was that when you said you wanted to be a Master Diver that you were making a statement about your ability as a diver, that you believed your skillset was well rounded and refined enough to lead and set the example for other divers. As an example, he explained that one was not going to learn how to navigate in his class but we would do activities that required navigation and we would be evaluated, so if your navigation skills needed work then you had better dust off your compass and figure it out.

I came out of that course a better diver over all. The exercises were challenging, the conditions were challenging, and the expectations were high. Not everyone passed, in fact not everyone who started completed the course. We started with 5 people, and only 4 of us made it to the end of the program and only 3 of us passed. The diver who dropped out realized that his skill level was not up to snuff with the rest of us and needed to spend more time in the water gaining experience/refining his technique.

Perhaps the PADI DM course of instruction I engaged in was super easy because of the NAUI MSD course I took. But upon reflection of who and what I see out there, the standards to become a PADI DM are not that high.

-Z

I would not dispute any of this, as I have no personal experience with any NAUI course since they are nowhere near here. I do know that prior to 2010, there was a ton of physics in the "old" PADI DM course (I was probably one of the last to take it). I hear that quite a bit of the physics has been removed in favour of more practical stuff, such as required deep diving and some S & R I believe. Not sure I disagree with that since it was difficult for me to really see how knowing the formulas to raise a 100 pound outboard motor which displaces blah blah cubic feet salt water helped me in my DM duties. The "missing" physics apparently now is taught as part of the IDC (?).
I took the PADI Nav specialty and we did the usual stuff, including squares, triangles, headings from here to there, etc. -- Not rocket science.
As I said, I don't dispute what you say. Perhaps a bit more in depth examples of the challenging NAUI MSD exercises would give me more info. to compare.

 

[MichaelMc]

I do not have any of the exercises, but physics is not taught in the NAUI pro sequence. It is all in the MSD class.

NAUI AI and DM academics are all about teaching or leading others. It is learning theory, presentations, teaching techniques, leadership of divers, and demonstration level skills, accident scene management. Not diver theory as experienced by the individual diver.

The NAUI physics, physiology, emergency procedures, etc are in master scuba diver, a leadership prereq, before starting leadership levels. DMs have to be or pass the master scuba diver exam just like for the class.

I don't have the instructor material, but their outline is all about teaching, leading, and safety. They take exams on all the physics, physiology, tables, etc. The master diver material. But there is no sign of that in their academics outline.

ETA: Among their mottos are Dive safety through education, and over-learning. So it is unlikely the physics is dumbed down, despite being all prior to the pro level. Not saying it is tech level deco gradient factors etc. though.

 

[Efka76]

I Like learning and various trainings as I can learn new skills or make them better. PADI MSD program can be very easy or slightly harder depending what you want. If you want to get MSD card you can go even with non-diving or other specialties which will not give you valuable diving skills (fish ID, Shark awareness and similar specialties).

I did the following specialties as they were interesting to me:

1) Deep - dived to 40 m, wanted to experience how gas narcosis affects me. Also, this course was rerequisite for TecRec courses. Initially wanted to to TecRec but finally decided on TDI.
2) Wreck - was interesting to learn wreck penetration basic protocols, experience diving in overhead environment. Also, this course is re-requisite for more advanced courses in other agencies (e.g. TDI Advanced wreck).
3) Nitrox - basic course which is required for further courses (e.g. TDI Adv nitrox).
4) Search & Recovery - very interesting course how to find various objects by systematic search. Also, learned few skills (e.g. how to tie different knots, how to recover , search for objects). This was the most interesting course.
5) Night - wanted to try night diving, learned few protocols, got some new skills related to practical navigation at night.
6) UW naturalist - almost useless course but learned some info about classification of fauna & flora (actually learned this during biology lessons but forgot long time ago).
7) Drift - experienced drift diving, it was fun but not worth paying money for card.
8) Dry suit - very valuable course, learned how to dive in dry suit.

Overall, getting MSD card was a pleasant bonus (it was free for me) as it indicated a small milestone in my diving training.

What other training I am going to try.... the list is following:

1) GUE Fundies
2) BSAC Practical rescue managent
3) BSAC Dive leader
4) BSAC O2, boat handling
4) TDI Extended range & Trimix
5) Maybe BSAC Advanced diver in the medium term future.