PADI Master Diver Certification

[ScubaTexan]

I finished my PADI Master Scuba Diver in June and got my card a few weeks ago. Click on the PADI Master Scuba Diver link on my sig line for more information on the courses and requirements. It's well worth it, IMO...

 

[SterlingDiver]

Anyone out there working on this certification? I am not really interested in a new career path like DM or Instructor. However I think going for Master Driver would be cool. After all, at 56, I am already a Master in other sports. I read a post by Timeliner that he was also going for additional classes. That inspired me to think, why not do the same. So I went by my LDS to gain additional information. I found out that continuing education isn’t cheap. The cost for AOW is $250, Rescue is another $250.00. I don’t think this was unreasonable but then the surprise. Master Diver is $500.00. When I asked why this cost so much, I was told it included 5 specialty courses. I suggested I would have already taken 5 in the AOW class. They said this was different but could not explain. I am currently OW certified. I have 102 dives logged. So what am I going to learn? What is involved in the Master Diver Certification?

Thanks

After OW certification, and I realized I was hooked, I set a personal goal to obtain my Master Diver designation. I completed that goal about a year ago and have gotten great satisfaction in doing so.

I would go for it.

The designation itself is fine but the greatest part of it all is the learning and experiances you accomplish as you work towards the designation. I am a much better all around diver now than before and having a greater respect for the sport.

BTW, the $500 doesn't sound too unreasonable. I have invested more than that for mine.

Good Diving,

Dave

 

[Damselfish]

Depending where you are with your diving, AOW may or may not teach you alot. Depends on who's teaching it too.

Having the AOW card is useful because occasionally an op will require it for certain dives, even though it doesn't make you particularly advanced. Usually this is about deeper dives so a deep dive specialty may suffice if you get that.

But AOW is required for Rescue, which is a really good course to take.

Master Diver isn't worth anything in itself. But any or all of the 5 specialties you take to get it might be. You can get MD (and AOW for that matter) by choosing meaty specialties, or by doing mostly lightweight ones. If you want to take a specialty, take it. If you happen to accumulate 5 and want to send PADI $35 for another card saying so, up to you.

 

[Cudabait]

Dutchman.......

I think what you are contemplating is great!

Do your AOW. Make sure the dives tou do on AOW are in the specialty areas you would like to do for your eventual MSD. Each dive in the AOW can count as the first dive in the respective specialty course. (Have the instructor provide you with the applicable form to keep in your log book corresponding to the dive made. Then take EFR and Rescue. Rescue is probably the most rewarding and fun course of them all. If you never go on to MSD, you will be a very prepared diver. Good luck!! I'll look forward to seeing you as an MSD!!

Regards,

 

[Damselfish]

If you do want to take the specialties included in the package they are offering you for $500, that's $100 a specialty which sounds like a pretty good deal. But if all your choices lean toward things like FishID or Boat Diving, well it's still fine if you want to do those, just that specialties like that rarely do much to improve your actual diving.

 

[stardust]

I think Id just do AOW first and then see; everyone wants to put the cart before the horse. Have fun at it Good luck too Dutchman

 

[TruckDiver]

Well, I'm working on Master Diver, I have enough specialties to get it now. I've done Rescue and EFR, also have night, wreck, search and recovery, underwater nav, nitrox, and PPB.
I've been waiting until I had the "core" specialties (night, navigation and deep), before I apply for the card. I'll be earning my deep specialty this coming weekend so I'll have that goal completed. :14:

I've found it to be worth it overall, but it does depend on your choices. Some specialties will teach you alot, some won't really teach you much.

 

[amascuba]

Sorry can't agree with you on this one Amascuba. The specialties teach more than a combination of AOW and Rescue. Check out an instructor specialty manual sometime. It's a wonderful resource of information.

By SSI standards it's 4 specialties, stress & rescue, and 50 logged dives.

SSI standards for AOW = 4 specialties + 24 logged dives.

Stress & Rescue should be similar, but w/ SSI you can take Stress & Rescue straight out of OW, infact SSI basically encourages Stress & Rescue straight out of OW.

I never purchased my AOW and stress & rescue cards when I took my classes, I just purchased a single card (My Master Diver card) and it lists all my specialties + stress & rescue on it.

Going by the padi.com website it looked as if it would basically be the same thing as the SSI Master Diver rating. Of course you would know best! You have a copy of the PADI teaching standards and I don't. I just have a lonely copy of the SSI teaching standards.

Funny thing is I haven't even broken in my DiveCon card yet and I'm already going to be crossing over to PADI due to local LDS politics. So I may have a copy of the PADI standards before long.

 

[Debraw]

Ahh yes, if it is SSI then I guess a combo of AOW and Rescue would get you the goal of MSD. I liked the suggestion of Cudabait "Make sure the dives you do on AOW are in the specialty areas you would like to do for your eventual MSD. Each dive in the AOW can count as the first dive in the respective specialty course." I also like Truckdivers goal of achieving the "core" specialties before you get the MSD rating. I totally agree, it's personal achievement, not just a card.

 

[Debraw]

Funny thing is I haven't even broken in my DiveCon card yet and I'm already going to be crossing over to PADI due to local LDS politics. So I may have a copy of the PADI standards before long.

LOL Amascuba, welcome to the "dark side" ! ftroest: