'Maximum' dive depth based on certification

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Money drives the operation of depth limitations. It doesnt make sense to let ow's go deep when teh rec range is to 130 ft. teh courses that cover eh skills for that depth range is OW AOW DEEP. How does it make sense to say with the beginner OW you have the skills to do 130' ... If it were true that OW makes you good to 130 they why do the other courses exist????? Once there was one course that did it all. you left with the conbined traiing to do 130. now you dont but like a pit bull the industry tries to protect that the idea that a beginner course is equal to the older fully inclusive combined courses. That you have to have an instructor to sign on your ability to go to 30' but you can sign off your self to go to the limits using the experience crutch.

Next. This is a equal to the Ow thing. why do you get a tech 40 card and a tec 65 card. Why should not a tech beginner card be good to go to the bottom of the limits of the tech range.

Finally You need a card to get air. You need a card to get nitrox. you need a card to get O2. Why no card to go to 100 ft when the agency itself recommends not to go deeper than 60'. Why not take OW's into ship engine rooms with an RB with the OW card. That answer lies in the liability insurance coverage. As such any limits is not imposed to protect the diver it is there to protect the operators and agencies.

Whut? I am confused by your post.

It is well known that there are operators that limit depth based upon your certs. They also sell courses to solve that problem....

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Whut? I am confused by your post.

It is well known that there are operators that limit depth based upon your certs. They also sell courses to solve that problem....

And to be fair. The Caribbean LOBs we use set a max depth of 110 feet, regardless of your cert. They also pump 32 nitrox....

 

[Snoweman]

Sorry Snoweman - this really is not the case. I'm curious how much real world outside of the dive shop experience your rescue instructor has that he/she would say that because it is not an accurate statement.

Here's a few things to ponder which may help put this in perspective.

If in fact there were hard depth limits for OW certified divers, with Cozumel's competition and the newly formed dive shop association, don't you think shops would be more discreet about "breaking the PADI rules"?

Or wouldn't shops that are PADI resorts be enforcing limits if that were the case - because PADI resorts operate by the book, otherwise they don't keep their "status." Every dive shop in Cozumel averages 80 - 100 feet for the first dive because those are the appropriate depths for the features of those dives. If this was a standards violation, we would have NO PADI shops on the island. Even so, as has been mentioned, the recreational depth limit is 130ft, not 60 feet. I can speak for PADI and there is nothing anywhere that says you are limited to 60 feet as an OW certified diver. This is only a hard rule with OW students. If your rescue instructor claims this, then I would suggest he or she needs to study their standards manual again.

There is a training and standards department you or anyone can call to ask PADI directly about this.

I'll also add that it is each divers responsibility to diove to their comfort and ability. Each diver is responsible for their dive, including how deep they go. Divemasters are not "responsible" for whether someone dives to 60 feet or 130 feet. They give the dive plan which usually has a max depth for that dive based on the currents and attractions of that dive. They are guides and not responsible for divers actual depths.

PADI would not even consider this an infraction or a standards violation UNLESS you were an OW student.

I've read your release form. The form absolves liability whether passive or active. That pretty much covers all accidents.

 

[NAM001]

Whut? I am confused by your post.

It is well known that there are operators that limit depth based upon your certs. They also sell courses to solve that problem....

Thgere are some operators. It should be as standard as needing a card to got air/ OW no deeper than 60' 2 tank dives. Perhaps they should put on the card OW60 or another agency that teaches more content OW80 etc. This is and has been a topic that is riddled with so much BS about instructor optional training and more but in the end you get the same card that says OW and the agency says dont go below 60' with out experience or training which has no agency requirement or mandate as to who is qualified to certify experience.

 

[tursiops]

Money drives the operation of depth limitations. It doesn't make sense to let ow's go deep when the rec range is to 130 ft and the courses that cover the skills for that depth range is all 3 classes of OW AOW DEEP. How does it make sense to say with the beginner OW and nothing more, you have the skills to do 130' ... If it were true that OW makes you good to 130 they why do the other courses exist????? Once there was one course that did it all OW to Master,, you left with the conbined training to do 130. now you don't but like a pit bull in the industry tries to protect the idea that a beginner course is equal to the older fully inclusive combined courses. You have to have an instructor to sign on your ability to go to 30' but you can sign off your self to go to the 130 limits using the experience crutch.

Next. This is a equal to the OW thing. why do you get a tech 40 card or a tec 65 card. Why should not a tech beginner card be good to go to the bottom of the limits of the tech range.

Finally You need a card to get air. You need a card to get nitrox. you need a card to get O2. Why no card to go to 100 ft when the agency itself recommends not to go deeper than 60'. Why not take OW's into ship engine rooms with an RB with the OW card. That answer lies in the liability insurance coverage. As such any limits is not imposed to protect the diver it is there to protect the operators and agencies.

Almost everything you've said here is wrong or your own personal hobby horse. I'm not going to waste my time again trying to give you the facts. Just one comment: I had one of those single do-it-all classes many years ago; it was 3 months long, several days a week, many dives. Todays classes are the same total content, but modularized.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Thgere are some operators. It should be as standard as needing a card to got air/ OW no deeper than 60' 2 tank dives. Perhaps they should put on the card OW60 or another agency that teaches more content OW80 etc. This is and has been a topic that is riddled with so much BS about instructor optional training and more but in the end you get the same card that says OW and the agency says dont go below 60' with out experience or training which has no agency requirement or mandate as to who is qualified to certify experience.

I am still confused by your post. OW card is good for air fills to 130 feet.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

I am still confused by your post. OW card is good for air fills to 130 feet.

Various dive ops are free to invent their own rules....

 

[tursiops]

I am still confused by your post. OW card is good for air fills to 130 feet.

Good luck trying to make sense of his post!

 

[NAM001]

Almost everything you've said here is wrong or your own personal hobby horse. I'm not going to waste my time again trying to give you the facts. Just one comment: I had one of those single do-it-all classes many years ago; it was 3 months long, several days a week, many dives. Todays classes are the same total content, but modularized.

and again you just agreed with very thing i said. You did the full RANGE OF TRAINING IN ONE CLASS. How does doing one module become equal to the whole range of training? No answer required. others get it.

 

[tursiops]

and again you just agreed with very thing i said. You did the full RANGE OF TRAINING IN ONE CLASS. How does doing one module become equal to the whole range of training? No answer required. others get it.

Thanks for putting words in my mouth; I never mentioned doing only one module. That is your horse to flog, not mine.