PADI question

[Shanener]

Hello all,

Quick question how long can I go in between dives and keep my PADI certification? I have heard that you need to dive at least once every 6 months, to keep yourself in good standings. Is that true?

 

[JP720]

Once certified you are certified for life. However, any decent instructor will tell you that after a pause in scuba diving (6 months to a year) you should take a Scuba Review to refresh some of the skills you have lost.
OWSI 338126

 

[TMHeimer]

Charters have usually asked me when my last dive was. Think this is common. If it's been a while they may require a "checkout" dive.

 

[claymore]

The OW C card is a life time card. Dive Ops may/will require a person has done a dive in the last X months. It is a CYA requirement. If you are a new diver with very few dives and a long lay off a Scuba Review or some time in a pool getting reacquainted with the skills maybe appropriate.

Like to get in the pool every couple of months in the off season, just to stay comfortable and practice some skills.

 

[moody s]

I think the recommendation is if you haven't dove in 12 months you should take a refresher, and if you haven't dove in 3 years you should redo the course even though your cert is still valid. I can't remember where I read that though. GUE is the only agency which requires you to do dives to maintain a certification.

 

[DjArie]

I did my OWD cert with SSI and waited over 10 years to do my AOWD cert and was at the very edge of needing to take a refresher course. Luckily most of what I needed to learn emerged quickly, but another year and I would've taken a refresher. That would've been embarrassing. But yes, to echo what people here stated, your cert is for life.

I simply want to dive where ever I can in order to not feel the urge to take a refresher course.

 

[Shanener]

This is my concern I am a new diver I'm doing my open water dive in March. I will do some diving at the lake this summer. My last dive of the year will most likely be late August. Of course I will work in the pool over the winter but it will be 6 months before I dive again August 2015 to February maybe March 2016. will this be a issues?

 

[TMHeimer]

How much summer lake diving will you do? If it's a lot and you use the pool a bit over winter to review skills I would think you'd be ready to go the next Spring. Of course everybody's different. I usually advise review-reading the manual, especially if not diving for a time. I review my several manuals a little each day. Practice the 20 skills you learned at the pool by mimicking them on land. It does help a lot. The only problem with just pool all winter may be as I said, a charter boat requiring a "checkout" dive, so big deal. Your diving should be OK for your own peace of mind.

 

[scagrotto]

Besides the simple factor of time, I think a lot depends on how much you dive during the periods that you do go diving, especially when you're new. Everybody's a bit different, but I think most people would be better off doing 10 or 12 dives shortly after getting certified and then waiting 10 months before diving again than only doing the certification dives and then waiting only 6 months before diving again. Similarly, I expect that most people who do one week of diving every year will remain more competent than people who do just one two tank dive every 6 or 8 months.

The range I've seen with dive ops in warm water resort areas ranges from 6 to 24 months of inactivity before they insist on a refresher. Some will just make sure your first dive is shallow and easy and keep an eye on you.

 

[KeithG]

Hello all,

Quick question how long can I go in between dives and keep my PADI certification? I have heard that you need to dive at least once every 6 months, to keep yourself in good standings. Is that true?

Nope - totally false. You have passed a training course. That will be true for the rest of time (as we know it) until you die.

You PADI "certification" is NOT a license. It is a training certificate. It does not expire (think of it like your high school diploma, except for doing stuff underwater). You took the course, you passed. End of conversation.

A very separate topic is "how recent is your experience" (and how can I make some more money from you). Regardless of your level of training or cost of the fancy equipment you drag around, some operations will attempt to pry more money out of your wallet based upon their totally arbitrary rules. One "rule" they use is the "stale diver" rule.

I claim you are really asking about being a "stale diver".

Sometimes and for certain people these types of arbitrary rules make a lot of sense. Other times not so much. The rules have no "legal" standing. BUT every dive operation is free to make up any rules they want. This can be a good thing. This can also be a stupid money grab.

Instead of worrying about "staleness", I would suggest that you become pro-active and focus more on performing a personal assessment of your readiness for the "expected current conditions". Do you have experience and/or training in the expected conditions? Do you feel rusty? A yes and/or maybe to these types of questions may (will!) mean that it is in your best interest to seek some help and guidance when you splash. Being pro-active in engaging a DM is a good thing.