Options for Diving in Tampa in March

[SafetyStopBait]

Hey all,

Can anyone recommend dive boats in (or near) Tampa that'll take care of a group of 8-12? Most of the group will be uncertified trying SCUBA for the first time.

Also, we'll be there in March. What will conditions be like, particularly temperature?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[Instructor_Tom]

No boat is going to allow uncertified divers on board to "try out diving". You need to schedule a class to get them OW certified before they will be allowed on a boat.

You could get a private class done for the group and get them certified in about 3to4 days depending on how quickly you can complete the academics.

If you need a recommendation on a shop PM me.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[SafetyStopBait]

Really, no shop will have a discover SCUBA class?

 

[Instructor_Tom]

Discover scuba class is a pool session, not a boat trip. Based on the PADI instructor manual any open water session is optional and requires a 1:1 ratio for untrained divers (way too expensive to the shop).

No shop or boat captain is going to take the risk of untrained divers doing an open water dive. Many shops don't even do a DSD course because in the time it takes to do the DSD training you could get your OW certification.

T.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[tursiops]

Discover scuba class is a pool session, not a boat trip. Based on the PADI instructor manual any open water session is optional and requires a 1:1 ratio for untrained divers (way too expensive to the shop).

No shop or boat captain is going to take the risk of untrained divers doing an open water dive. Many shops don't even do a DSD course because in the time it takes to do the DSD training you could get your OW certification.

T.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

This post is almost completely wrong, but he may be talking about local practice, not what the class and standards actually are.

The open water ratio is 4:1 and can be increased to 6:1 with a certified assistant. The 1:1 quoted is only for doing skills on a descent line if shallow-water is not available. As for time, a DSD can be done, with open water boat dives only (skills on a line, one person at a time, then a group (4:1) swim around) in less than 2 hours, easy. I've done it, well within standards. How does that compare with it taking the time comparable to getting OW certified?

 

[Instructor_Tom]

This post is almost completely wrong, but he may be talking about local practice, not what the class and standards actually are.

The open water ratio is 4:1 and can be increased to 6:1 with a certified assistant. The 1:1 quoted is only for doing skills on a descent line if shallow-water is not available. As for time, a DSD can be done, with open water boat dives only (skills on a line, one person at a time, then a group (4:1) swim around) in less than 2 hours, easy. I've done it, well within standards. How does that compare with it taking the time comparable to getting OW certified?

Ok 4:1 if taught by an instructor and an additional 2 for every DM. Now lets go back to the OP request of a boat dive which would mean at least 40ft depth on any of the dive ops working out of clearwater and we are back to a 1:1 ratio within 6 feet of the surface for none certified divers.

If you take the time to do a confined session in a pool and them do the OW session you have now invested at least 2 days in the DSD as most of the boats operated by the dive shops work off of confirmed reservation of at least 2 days in advance if not longer ( of which i think there are only 2). So for the time and money you could get OW certified in basically the same timeframe with a little bit of homework in doing the chapter reviews ahead of time.

Back to my original intent, local dive boats will not allow you on a dive boat as a diver without a cert card...the liability is just too high. If its going to the Sheridan or Blackthorn then your not getting on the boat without an AOW and a NITROX card.

T.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[tursiops]

That's exactly my point; you are talking local practices.
Other locations function differently.

 

[Instructor_Tom]

That's exactly my point; you are talking local practices.
Other locations function differently.

And what part of the OP request was not about the local tampa bay area?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD