PADI: Scuba Diver to OW

[sdiver68]

Due to being off my 1 day on timing, I was not able to get my OW cert while in Mexico this month, however I did get my Scuba Diver cert.

In order to attain this, I studied the first 3 chapters of the study book, took the quizzes, and passed the first 30 questions from the final 50 question OW test. I also did all the UW skills from the book including those from Ch 4 and 5, both in the pool and on the 2 OW dives.

Now I'm interested in completing my OW cert, but the shops around here act like they don't know what to do. 1 shop wanted me to take the whole OW course, another just the "second day" and 2 OW dives BUT retake the entire written test. They said I could audit the first day of the OW if I wanted.

Now, I'm all for the extra practice but what was the point of the "Scuba Diver" Cert if I virtually need to take the entire OW course?

 

[Thalassamania]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the PADI Scuba Diver certification is, as you have discovered, pretty useless. About the only good it will do you is if you go back to the people you did that course with, they might be willing to tack on the additional stuff and upgrade you to OW, but most prudent operations whom I'm familiar with will require you to go back to square one. The problem is the the PADI Scuba Diver certification is sometimes used (not as it was intended) as an exit credential for a student that was not up to par.

 

[oly5050user]

Due to being off my 1 day on timing, I was not able to get my OW cert while in Mexico this month, however I did get my Scuba Diver cert.

In order to attain this, I studied the first 3 chapters of the study book, took the quizzes, and passed the first 30 questions from the final 50 question OW test. I also did all the UW skills from the book including those from Ch 4 and 5, both in the pool and on the 2 OW dives.

Now I'm interested in completing my OW cert, but the shops around here act like they don't know what to do. 1 shop wanted me to take the whole OW course, another just the "second day" and 2 OW dives BUT retake the entire written test. They said I could audit the first day of the OW if I wanted.

Now, I'm all for the extra practice but what was the point of the "Scuba Diver" Cert if I virtually need to take the entire OW course?

All you have to do is to attend module 4 and 5 in the classroom and complete the kr's -quiz for it and pass the final exam-then do ow dive 3 and 4 with the certifing instructor./OR complete kr's 4 and 5,do quiz and pass the final exam,then on to the ow dives 3 and 4. The difference between the 2 is the classroom presentation.I would suggest going for the classroom presentation.As to what the costs should be,it is up to the individual LDS.Your being in the last 2 modules in the classroom and pool changes their overall costs very little, you are taking up a space in the class that can be filled by a student paying full rate..I would think perhaps they could ask for 1/2 of what a ow course goes for and 1/2 of what they charge for ow training dives,that would be very generous on their part.They also have to get you into the pool to be sure of your skill levels before going to ow.

 

[scubamama5]

What good is your "Scuba Diver"certification? You are qulified to dive..just everytime you do dive, you'll need to buddy up with a pro, till you do your upgrade. 5050 explained the process for your upgrade to "Open Water" well.

 

[OceanEd]

It should be an easy process to just complete the work that will qualify you as an OW diver. It's not rocket science and you LDS can easily call PADI and they would talk them through it. If you came to me I would just have you do the additional trainng and certify you. At the end of the day you will be judged by the instructor by how well you perform in the open water and by the final theory exam.

If your LDS was smart they would do this at a minimum fee to help you and gain your loyalty.

 

[azchipka]

I think the big problem you may be running into here is its at the whim of the instructor and shop if they run Scuba Diver to OW upgrades. Many only do full OW courses. As noted before technically you need to do Confined Water Divers 4 & 5, Knowledge Development 4 & 5, Open Water Dives 3 & 4, and the final exam.

Being your cert was issued in Mexico you may have a hard time finding an instructor who will just let you do the upgrade. Mexico isn't really know for its high levels of instruction and I have seen dives come to me with OW cards issued out of Mexico that did nothing more then a DSD course.

There really isnt any reason to not do the whole OW course as it will just provide you with additional practice.

Lastly the Scuba Diver cert is perfectly useful as already noted it just means you need to dive with a pro aka have a guide with you.

 

[azchipka]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the PADI Scuba Diver certification is, as you have discovered, pretty useless.

That may be the most uneducated and uninformed comment I have seen on SB in a long time.

Since clearly you lack a proper understanding of what the Scuba Diver Course is good for heres a rundown.

•Parent often use this course to ensure that there kids are always under professional supervision when diving.
• A person who goes on vacation all the time and doesnt want to do the full OW course but does not want to repeat the DSD every time they want to dive.
• A person who doesn't have time to complete the entire OW course while on vacation. Many shops use the Scuba Diver course as a method of doing a referral to get around the one year limit.
• Divers who for what ever reason are unable to complete skills like the CESA, still have the ability to go diving.

The Scuba Diver is a great intro level course for people with very limited time and don't want there training to expire in a year.

Your guide title should be replaced with a stroke title just for making a comment like that.

 

[Thalassamania]

That may be the most uneducated and uninformed comment I have seen on SB in a long time.

Since clearly you lack a proper understanding of what the Scuba Diver Course is good for heres a rundown.

•Parent often use this course to ensure that there kids are always under professional supervision when diving.
• A person who goes on vacation all the time and doesnt want to do the full OW course but does not want to repeat the DSD every time they want to dive.
• A person who doesn't have time to complete the entire OW course while on vacation. Many shops use the Scuba Diver course as a method of doing a referral to get around the one year limit.
• Divers who for what ever reason are unable to complete skills like the CESA, still have the ability to go diving.

The Scuba Diver is a great intro level course for people with very limited time and don't want there training to expire in a year.

Your guide title should be replaced with a stroke title just for making a comment like that.

What's a matter, trouble handling the truth? Get real, in your rush to be a PADIphile you're just (as most of your type) spouting the party line, but neglecting the reality that the OP is finding out. It's not that the Scuba Diver certification (which by the way was developed in order to downgrade the incompetent instructors with which PADI had swelled it ranks in the early 1970s) does not have the potential uses that you describe, it's just that it is rarely used in those ways ... it is typically a salve poured on the wounded ego of someone who is such a bad diver that they can't even meet PADI's minimal minimum standards. Other instructors and shops (who of course know this) really don't (correctly or incorrectly) want to be saddled with such baggage and thus do not offer upgrade programs.

 

[KJackson60]

Due to being off my 1 day on timing, I was not able to get my OW cert while in Mexico this month, however I did get my Scuba Diver cert.

In order to attain this, I studied the first 3 chapters of the study book, took the quizzes, and passed the first 30 questions from the final 50 question OW test. I also did all the UW skills from the book including those from Ch 4 and 5, both in the pool and on the 2 OW dives.

Now I'm interested in completing my OW cert, but the shops around here act like they don't know what to do. 1 shop wanted me to take the whole OW course, another just the "second day" and 2 OW dives BUT retake the entire written test. They said I could audit the first day of the OW if I wanted.

Now, I'm all for the extra practice but what was the point of the "Scuba Diver" Cert if I virtually need to take the entire OW course?

Hey sdiver68,
Welcome to The Board and to SCUBA Diving! After reading you OP and looking at where you are from I would suggest taking the course over again. The differences from diving in Mexico and diving in the Mid-west are tremendous. While your skills are fine for escorted dives in clear warm water I would suggest that additional practice in the cold green murk we dive in here in the mid-west would be very necessary.

This applies to the open water dives of your course as well as to any diving you do after you complete your certification. In addition, re-exposure to the academics is never a waste of time. I am sure you will learn something new or gain additional knowledge from an instructor with a different experience back ground than the one in Mexico.

And hopefully you will find Mid-west diving as fun (although very different) as mexico

My opinion, hope it helps.

 

[otterdive]

Due to being off my 1 day on timing, I was not able to get my OW cert while in Mexico this month, however I did get my Scuba Diver cert.

In order to attain this, I studied the first 3 chapters of the study book, took the quizzes, and passed the first 30 questions from the final 50 question OW test. I also did all the UW skills from the book including those from Ch 4 and 5, both in the pool and on the 2 OW dives.

Now I'm interested in completing my OW cert, but the shops around here act like they don't know what to do. 1 shop wanted me to take the whole OW course, another just the "second day" and 2 OW dives BUT retake the entire written test. They said I could audit the first day of the OW if I wanted.

Now, I'm all for the extra practice but what was the point of the "Scuba Diver" Cert if I virtually need to take the entire OW course?

First of all, congratulations on getting started with diving! You are in for a lifetime of adventure, and you will meet some very interesting people along the way.

Your PADI Scuba Diver cert is NOT useless. Sorry, as a new diver, and member of SB, that you had to be subjected, right from the start, to comments from certain members. You have begun your adventure, and that counts for something!

The PADI Scuba Diver certification can be easily converted to OWD. Your local may not have much experience with that path, but all they have to do is study up on the upgrade path, and fit you in. If the school in Mexico processed your Scuba Diver cert, get back in touch with them and request a referral form. Your local shop, or an independent instructor can easily handle the bit of extra training. Just push them a bit. Insist the local shops do their homework, and the upgrade is quite easy to do.

I assume you want to upgrade, but even if you don't, you can still dive with a DM, or an instructor! You don't have the level anywhere close to diving independently, but you are on your way there. This is a minor stumbling block.

Welcome to the community of divers!