NAUI Master Scuba Diver: what exactly is it

[Kingpatzer]

I'm a huge proponent of the NAUI Master Diver course. I learned far more about diving from that one course than from any other course I've done since, including the PADI professional courses I've done.

It will make anyone who passes it a much better and more knowledgeable diver (well, unless they've already been through courses that have that level of rigor -- which tends to be found in technical courses, but not recreational ones).

It's a great course and well worth it.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

SSI Master Dive requires OW + 4 complete specialty classes and 50 dives. One of the specialties must be Stress and Rescue. Also each of the specialties requires a number of dives (depends on the class).

Terry

Yes, I know.

My point was that SSI does not require a specific "Master Diver Class" for the certification. Any diver who has taken 4 specialties (presumably AOW) and Stress/Rescue and has made 50 dives automatically becomes an SSI Master Diver merely by asking for the card.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Toorish]

As a NAUI-trained diver, I was curious about the answer. According to the NAUI website... Master Scuba Diver.

Jeff Toorish, here's a link to NAUI's training progression.

Um...thanks.

FYI, in the NAUI Intructor Manual Master Diver comes before Rescue Diver, however neither is a pre-requisite for the other.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Thanks Jeff, but as a NAUI instructor would you be able to answer the specific questions I asked in the first post? I've read up the description on NAUI's site, but I'm not quite clear what level the dives are aimed at and how this fits in with specialties and other courses.

Sure, no problem.

The basic requirements are you must be 15 years old AOW certified show adequate knowledge and capability before beginning the course. Students should also own their own equipment.

I'm of the philosophy that this is an excellent course to take shortly after AOW. I've always felt that working closely with an instructor (or several instructors for different courses) is a path to more proficient and safe divers. This is based on the notion that the student/diver actually became proficient in the skills from previous courses.

To me, it makes more sense to progress relatively quickly from OW to AOW and then on to Master Diver or Rescue Diver for two reasons: it allows students to reinforce skills learned under the eyes of an instructor, and it helps prevent students from "perfecting their mistakes."

To be honest, I also think it's a good idea to switch instructors from course to course, or at least occasionally, because that exposes you to different styles and everyone brings new information (plus, instructors only have so many stories and after a couple of classes you have probably heard them all).

Clearly I can't tell you if you are ready for the NAUI Master Diver course because I don't know you personally. But if you are proficient in your diving and want to continue, that would be a very logical course to consider. One thing I recommend is to ask an instructor to take you out on a dive to evaluate you, then work with him or her to plan your next course.

Just to be clear, these are mostly my opinions and others may have different points of view.

Jeff

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Sure, no problem.

The basic requirements are you must be 15 years old AOW certified show adequate knowledge and capability before beginning the course. Students should also own their own equipment.

I'm of the philosophy that this is an excellent course to take shortly after AOW. I've always felt that working closely with an instructor (or several instructors for different courses) is a path to more proficient and safe divers. This is based on the notion that the student/diver actually became proficient in the skills from previous courses.

To me, it makes more sense to progress relatively quickly from OW to AOW and then on to Master Diver or Rescue Diver for two reasons: it allows students to reinforce skills learned under the eyes of an instructor, and it helps prevent students from "perfecting their mistakes."

To be honest, I also think it's a good idea to switch instructors from course to course, or at least occasionally, because that exposes you to different styles and everyone brings new information (plus, instructors only have so many stories and after a couple of classes you have probably heard them all).

Clearly I can't tell you if you are ready for the NAUI Master Diver course because I don't know you personally. But if you are proficient in your diving and want to continue, that would be a very logical course to consider. One thing I recommend is to ask an instructor to take you out on a dive to evaluate you, then work with him or her to plan your next course.

Just to be clear, these are mostly my opinions and others may have different points of view.

Jeff

Okay thanks, that's useful to know. I think the next course I'll be taking is PADI (or whoever) Rescue Diver (I've heard good things about this course as well), and possibly a Bouyancy Specialty. After that I may consider taking this course, it sounds useful. How long does it usually take to complete (I realize it will depend on scheduling, but just in general, like I could say an OW course can generally be completed in about 2 weeks, even though shorter and longer are possible)?

Although one more thing I asked in my first post, is how do the various parts of the course relate to specialty courses? As an instructor you must know say how the navigation element of this course compares to the navigation specialty? Or does the deep dive take you all the way to 130 feet like the deep specialty, etc?

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I'm a huge proponent of the NAUI Master Diver course. I learned far more about diving from that one course than from any other course I've done since, including the PADI professional courses I've done.

It will make anyone who passes it a much better and more knowledgeable diver (well, unless they've already been through courses that have that level of rigor -- which tends to be found in technical courses, but not recreational ones).

It's a great course and well worth it.

That's good to know. While I'm not a huge card collector, I can see some value in having the Master Scuba Diver card, but I also don't like paying PADI $50 to send you a piece of plastic. I think NAUI has the better solution where you actually complete a (apparantly useful) course.

Having taken it and I assume a variety of other courses (since you have PADI pro ones), do you have any opinions on the question I asked Jeff at the end of my last post (how does its content compare to specialty courses?)

 

[Lead_carrier]

Even if you don't take the NAUI Master diver course. Just getting the book and doing it will teach you a lot. I think it should be a required course for anyone going pro. Regardless of agency.

 

[Thalassamania]

...
To me, it makes more sense to progress relatively quickly from OW to AOW and then on to Master Diver or Rescue Diver for two reasons: it allows students to reinforce skills learned under the eyes of an instructor, and it helps prevent students from "perfecting their mistakes."

While I agree with your reasons, there is a problem. The NAUI MSD is about perfecting diving skills at the level expected of a NAUI Instructor, and the written exam is at a similar level, someone who has recently completed AOW is no where near ready for the NAUI MSD. People taking NAUI MSD should be either preparing to make the step to a pro course or should be fairly experienced divers who have decided that they have no interest in taking a pro course but who aspire to a pro level of diving skills and knowledge (which I'll, grant you today are not what they were when I wrote the standards for the NAUI MSD, the major reason that it has been gently downgraded).

 

[Xaryo]

I'm currently finishing PADI DM course and I'm clearly not quite satified with the level of hard diving theory there was in the cours. I have a very good instructor, but the course material isn't just advanced enough from what I would have thought of a professionnal level course.

That's why I'm thinking going for the NAUI MasterDiver course. Hopefully, the theory will be good.

 

[Kingpatzer]

Having taken it and I assume a variety of other courses (since you have PADI pro ones), do you have any opinions on the question I asked Jeff at the end of my last post (how does its content compare to specialty courses?)

I have not taken any other NAUI courses, so I can't comment on how the course compares to other NAUI specialty courses. But I found a slightly higher level of rigor than typical PADI specialty courses covering similar topics (such as search and recovery). In my mind that is what Master Diver should be about -- taking what is already learned and taking it to a higher level.