PADI Divemaster without Advanced?

[TMHeimer]

Pretty sure your DAN insurance covers you for your certification level. They’ll also want to see your computer log to see what depth you dived to. OW - 18m. AOW 30m and so on….

What do they look at if you don't have a DC?

 

[Green Hand]

What do they look at if you don't have a DC?

Are people really diving ‘at depth’ without a computer? I don’t know any, and wouldn’t dive with them - but i guess they are out there…
I’d also be surprised if they had DAN insurance……given a computer is a key piece of safety kit (along with tables, signalling devices, good weighting, serviced equipment etc etc)

 

[TMHeimer]

Are people really diving ‘at depth’ without a computer? I don’t know any, and wouldn’t dive with them - but i guess they are out there…
I’d also be surprised if they had DAN insurance……given a computer is a key piece of safety kit (along with tables, signalling devices, good weighting, serviced equipment etc etc)

I haven't dived much below 30' for several years and would use my DC if I did. But when I started out (2005) I did quite a few charter boat dives to like 80+ feet with all analog stuff. I think back then it was not at all a rarity to see people doing that and the charters didn't seem to care. Being 68, I can say that wasn't all that long ago....

 

[Scubagolf]

Unpopular opinion, advanced is a worthless certification and it’s way for agencies to milk more money out of divers

It is not “worthless“ given the dive operators who will not take you on certain dives without the advanced certification.

 

[FF / EMT]

It is not “worthless“ given the dive operators who will not take you on certain dives without the advanced certification.

So if I go get a certification in each specialty as opposed sampling each specialty, I’m not going to be allowed to dive with some of these operators because I lack this “advanced” card.

Wonder how many operators ask for master scuba diver…

 

[tursiops]

So if I go get a certification in each specialty as opposed sampling each specialty, I’m not going to be allowed to dive with some of these operators because I lack this “advanced” card.

The AOW class today includes (by standards) more than the five adventure dives (first dive of each specialty), namely the "Thinking Like a Diver" material that is really pretty good. Mostly, the AOW card insures that the diver is not a complete newbie, and has at least some experience below 60 ft, plus some navigational skills. If I were a operator, I'd be happy to see someone with the Deep and the Nav full specialties, but no AOW card....if they also "Think like a Diver."

 

[Marie13]

So if I go get a certification in each specialty as opposed sampling each specialty, I’m not going to be allowed to dive with some of these operators because I lack this “advanced” card.

Wonder how many operators ask for master scuba diver…

I did four specialties and got my Advanced card but I did it with SDI. I refused to do the sampler platter.

 

[boulderjohn]

I did four specialties and got my Advanced card but I did it with SDI. I refused to do the sampler platter.

Why? When I did my AOW, I thought that with a couple of the dives (night, for example), one training dive was plenty. Why should I pay for extra dives and training if I don't need it?

 

[tursiops]

Why? When I did my AOW, I thought that with a couple of the dives (night, for example), one training dive was plenty. Why should I pay for extra dives and training if I don't need it?

It really depends on the diver and the specialty. Night, for example, in Dive #3 has 3 mins of lights out. That is really difficult for some folks (monsters in the dark...) so the full specialty really helps them get over a personal hurdle. Search and Recovery is pretty good on dive #1, but some really good techniques and practice occur on dives #2 and #3, and it all comes together on dive #4. It is a terrific specialty, with real skills, but is time-consuming and tiring to do and to teach, and can't be done well everywhere.

 

[FF / EMT]

It really depends on the diver and the specialty. Night, for example, in Dive #3 has 3 mins of lights out. That is really difficult for some folks (monsters in the dark...) so the full specialty really helps them get over a personal hurdle. Search and Recovery is pretty good on dive 31, but some really good techniques and practice occur on dives #2 and #3, and it all comes together on dive #4. It is a terrific specialty, with real skills, but is time-consuming and tiring to do and to teach, and can't be done well everywhere.

You did 31 dives! They really wanted you to practice!!!