PADI's dive depth standards - Vague?

[CAPNVINNY]

The PADI Scuba Diver course is the first half of the open water course,its designed to allow someone without the time to complete the entire course to dive under the supervision of a professional level PADI member within limits,as to encourage them in finishing the open water course.They must be under supervision because at this point they haven't been exposed to the tables and a professional must monitor their NDL status

 

[jbd]

The Passport Diver course is the same for both SSI and NAUI. These courses are not good ideas IMO. I discourage them because they don't teach anyone to be proficient at diving.

 

[cgvmer]

Just a note, my son and I started the PADI OW course on vacation but just over half way through and after 2 dives my son and I were not able to finish. If the scuba cert didn't exist we would have wasted the money and time. A couple months later we contacted another PADI shop and completed the class and dives with them finishing our OW.

So I realize the scuba diver course is not the "best" training but their is a place for it.

 

[serambin]

I do know that in the Maldives, it is illegal to dive below 60 ft without an AOW card. With an AOW card you may dive to 100 ft. You are also fined $300 if you touch the reef. If you don't have a log book, you are limited to 30 ft and must stay with the DM. These rules are enforced pretty well by the resort I was on.

I have been asked for the drysuit card when renting a drysuit. Never been asked when using it.

Yeah, I'm not paying for a dive trip to paradise and have some insurance idiot waste my money.

Stan

 

[jbd]

Just a note, my son and I started the PADI OW course on vacation but just over half way through and after 2 dives my son and I were not able to finish. If the scuba cert didn't exist we would have wasted the money and time. A couple months later we contacted another PADI shop and completed the class and dives with them finishing our OW.

So I realize the scuba diver course is not the "best" training but their is a place for it.

The key here is that you had plans to take the full course and circumstances prevailed against you. You then followed through and completed the course. Thats far different, IMO, than someone who wants just the Passport Diver or PADI's Scuba Diver program and considers that sufficient.

 

[GA Under Water]

The key here is that you had plans to take the full course and circumstances prevailed against you. You then followed through and completed the course. Thats far different, IMO, than someone who wants just the Passport Diver or PADI's Scuba Diver program and considers that sufficient.

Do you think it better to just take "Discover SCUBA" everytime they go on vacation? I have had a Friend of mine that I asked to get certified say, "I have been diving many times on many vacations but only took discover diving trips. Maybe I should get my certification."

I think even completing 2/3s of the OWD course is better than repeating Discover SCUBA. And safer for all involved.

 

[serambin]

Wow. That's possibly the dumbest thing i've ever heard of. PADI didn't have enough classes to squeeze money out of people so they made up a "pseudo-diver" course? :shakehead

I have responded to this in another thread, however the fact is that many people are introduced to diving in a resort environment. Imagine a one week condo rental in Cancun, with Mayan ruins, water parks, sailing available for your pleasure. Now, imagine a two morning pool diving event offered right in your resort pool with a 35' dive on the reef included for about the same money as the other activities. Get the picture. You get people who had no intention of becoming a 'SCUBA DIVER' willing to take an opportunity to experience the great silent world. Sure, they need additional training to get their OW, and they must get it to dive without a DM. But the awe and beauty of the water world is seen by them and appreciated, not like on TV, but first hand, in alls its beauty and splendor.

Isn't this the way we all want to experience the underwater world. Give people a chance to discover it, just like you had, and I can guarantee some of them will ask your opinions on SB in the next few weeks.

Stan

 

[jbd]

Do you think it better to just take "Discover SCUBA" everytime they go on vacation? I have had a Friend of mine that I asked to get certified say, "I have been diving many times on many vacations but only took discover diving trips. Maybe I should get my certification."

I think even completing 2/3s of the OWD course is better than repeating Discover SCUBA. And safer for all involved.

No, I don't taking Discover Scuba over and over is better. I think your friend should go ahead and take the full course and get certified as he/she seems to enjoy diving.

If one makes it through 2/3's of the OW course then they should finish the other 1/3 IMO. In and of itself I don't see the 2/3's as being acceptable. Referring back to the post by cgvmer, circumstances prevented them from finishing thier initial course as planned but the instructors were able to use PADI's Scuba Diver program to prevent them from potentially having to start all over again.

 

[rawls]

It is my interpretation that the Maximum depth an “Open Water Diver” can dive to is 130’

Nope...It is the "suggested" maximum depth. The premise is based on a diver at 132 feet is under a ppO2 of 1.4 ata O2. At this depth it isn't "impossible" to suffer an ox tox hit. It isn't likely but based on Dalton's Law you are breathing the equivalent of 100% O2 at the surface. Is it likely you will suffer an ox tox hit at 132'...no...but again, it isn't impossible and that's why PADI "suggests" 130. Above 132' you can't suffer an ox tox hit on air. Many divers have pushed it to 1.6...218'...and beyond and not suffered an oxygen toxicity hit...but theses guys are not recreational divers either.

 

[CompuDude]

Nope...It is the "suggested" maximum depth. The premise is based on a diver at 132 feet is under a ppO2 of 1.4 ata O2. At this depth it isn't "impossible" to suffer an ox tox hit. It isn't likely but based on Dalton's Law you are breathing the equivalent of 100% O2 at the surface. Is it likely you will suffer an ox tox hit at 132'...no...but again, it isn't impossible and that's why PADI "suggests" 130. Above 132' you can't suffer an ox tox hit on air. Many divers have pushed it to 1.6...218'...and beyond and not suffered an oxygen toxicity hit...but theses guys are not recreational divers either.

Possibly. It's also possible that it is just about as deep as you can go without incurring a deco penalty of some sort after spending more than a minute or two at depth, considering how long it takes to get down there, and get back up.