Nitrox Certification

[del_mo]

Just for clarification...
Are you talking about getting Nitrox certified in Florida?

Yes. As long as we are mentioning names (and thanks for your leads), Fill Express is doing it for the $99. They say I would get a wall certificate (?), but wouldn't get my c-card until I did two nitrox dives.

 

[jagfish]

Yes. As long as we are mentioning names (and thanks for your leads), Fill Express is doing it for the $99. They say I would get a wall certificate (?), but wouldn't get my c-card until I did two nitrox dives.

Fill Express, they are quality guys over there. Wait until you see thier fill setup, truly amazing.

I forget the guy's name who works there (I think he runs the place), but after you see him, tell me if he still has that "little dutch boy" meets Robin Hood haircut...

 

[MB]

Reading through this thread on the different costs and what comes with the courses reminds me of some of those "Life's Lessons."

Rule #1: You get what you pay for
Rule #2: Sometimes you get more, sometimes less
Rule #3: Most often you don't know all the details until after you bought it
Rule #4: When businesses don't help with an apples to apples comparison, it usually means their apples (or oranges) are a bit tart

I am regularly asked why the cost of a course is different at different dive ops. Why is that one only $99 while the other one is $250. Inevitably, the difference involves either hidden costs or a quality difference. And sometimes an instructor will offer both the $99 course AND the $250 course.

Real instruction is worth paying for! A private golf or tennis lesson is far more expensive than dive instruction, and if they don't give you a thorough lesson, so what? The inherent risks of diving vs golf should play some factor in the quality, thoroughness, and cost of instruction. But many dive instructors insist that dive instruction should follow the rule of less and faster. If someone tells you they'll teach you all you need for nitrox in an hour, maybe its because they only have that much information and experince to offer you. If they say they'll do it faster, maybe its because they want to get on to the next deal rather than giving you a quality experience.

Typically, people sign up for a course without actually knowing much about the instructors they are hiring. On ScubaBoard, there are several instructors who teach well. There are board "regulars" who know the instructors. The feedback you got a couple of posts ago on Fill Express is a good example. Ask around for additional references. You are bound to find a good instructor who you can learn from. If its a good match, pay for good instruction. For the cost of dinner and a movie, you can get great instruction instead of just buying a certification card.

 

[DI_Guy]

I took the TDI course and found it extremely informative... It was $125 Canadian ( about $100 US ).... I was wondering why would you need to have the dives... Most divers are quite experienced by the time we go for the Nitrox courses. So again, are the dives really needed ? Comments ???

DI_Guy

 

[Diversion]

I guess I took the expensive one… It did include the 2 dives as boat dives… lots of theory on partial pressures (all the calculations by hand – not just use of the tables…) and the PADI EAN32, EAN36 and EAD tables.

Make sure your class provides you with the tables, or price them so you can see the difference.

I was wondering why would you need to have the dives... Most divers are quite experienced by the time we go for the Nitrox courses. So again, are the dives really needed ? Comments ???

DI_Guy

As for the 2 dives… You demonstrate ‘hands on’ experience in Analyzing your tank, Looking up your MOD, using the EAN tables to determine your residual, surface interval, etc. – makes sense to me.

 

[Padipro]

Fill Express, they are quality guys over there. Wait until you see thier fill setup, truly amazing.

I forget the guy's name who works there (I think he runs the place), but after you see him, tell me if he still has that "little dutch boy" meets Robin Hood haircut...

LOL. His name is Mark, great guy and you're right their set up is fantastic.

 

[DI_Guy]

I guess I took the expensive one… It did include the 2 dives as boat dives… lots of theory on partial pressures (all the calculations by hand – not just use of the tables…) and the PADI EAN32, EAN36 and EAD tables.

Make sure your class provides you with the tables, or price them so you can see the difference.

As for the 2 dives… You demonstrate ‘hands on’ experience in Analyzing your tank, Looking up your MOD, using the EAN tables to determine your residual, surface interval, etc. – makes sense to me.

I still don't see the need for the dives... I practised the those items that you mentioned above, during the course (maybe each course is slightly different) and since then have become quite profficient at it, during subsequent nitrox dives. I think all actual dive experience is very important but I still wonder if they are really needed on the course.

 

[jagfish]

Notice to all...

This thread has been split and commentary about whether dives should re required for nitrox certification can be found at.....

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97188

 

[vladimir]

Rule #1: You get what you pay for
Rule #2: Sometimes you get more, sometimes less

Got it. Thanks.

 

[cmcloughlin]

Wow! I'm taking the TDI course, here in N.J. and it cost me $180. Let's you kinda see the geographic markup.

I just finished the TDI course in New London Ct. $100.00
Then I went out bought 2 new "oxygen ready" 100 cf cylinders.
so Iguess the total was closer to $560.00