Padi's supposed depth limits for new divers

[stevenschwartz]

My wife and I have been certified by SSI for 20 years. We both have a decent number of dives at depths ranging to 110 feet. My kids (17 and 13) just got their PADI certifications. I just find out that supposedly the open water C card is good to 60 feet and the Jr. C card 40. Does this mean they won't be allowed on 2 tank dives where the first dive is probably 80 feet?

I am strongly in favor of safety training, but this seems like a way for Padi to make money! Also the Jr. Advanced OW C card is only good to 60 feet. So can my sone not dive with us until he is 15?

 

[whoji]

Why have you asked the same question in 2 separate posts??

Please refer to you previous thread for an answer.

 

[stevenschwartz]

They were in different threads read by hopefully different people. So in your 6-10 years of certification with 25-49 dives, I'm curious, have you experienced much narcosis at 100 ft? You are in far more danger of oxygen toxicity at 100 feet on nitrox.

 

[Walter]

The concept specific depth limits for specific certifications is a very dangerous one.

First, there are no "limits" for specific certifications. Agencies have no authority to set such limits. They only issue recommendations. An agency's authority to set limits extends only to their classes.

Next, some folks would have you believe an Open Water diver has a depth limit of 60 ft. That is very dangerous. Some Open Water divers have never been deeper than 20 ft. In what way is that diver qualified to dive to 60 ft? He's not. He's really not qualified to dive deeper than 30 ft at this point. Telling him his depth limit is 60 ft is irresponsible. Other Open Water divers have made four dives to 60 ft in their class (yes, I know that would be a standards violation for PADI and one or two other agencies, but most allow it). The are qualified to dive to similar depths. A 70 ft dive for a diver with that experience is perfectly reasonable. Telling him his depth limit is 60 ft is ridiculous.

Looking to the AOW certification, take that same diver with four 20 ft dives and give him an AOW class in which he makes four more dives to 20 ft and one dive to 60 ft. Most would think because he has an AOW card, he's qualified for a 100 ft dive. He's not. IMO, he's still not qualified for a 60 ft dive. OTOH, the other Open water diver with four dives to 60 ft could make two or three dives to 70 ft, another two or three dives to 80 ft and another two or three dives to 90 ft. He should be ready for a dive to 100 ft without an AOW card.

Let's all get away from this very dangerous idea that an OW card qualifies a diver to make a 60 ft dive and that an AOW card a diver to make a 100 ft dive.

Having said that, I believe it is irresponsible to take a child of 13 much deeper than 40 ft. We simply do not know how diving might affect his growth. I strongly recommend limiting exposure to high partial pressures of nitrogen until your children have stopped growing.

 

[fisherdvm]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ge...discussions/222695-certifications-travel.html

That is the other thread. Basically, SSI and PADI has the same restriction on junior OW and OW certification.

SSI junior OW restrict kids from 10 to 11 to depth of 40 ft. Junior OW is limitted to 60 ft. My honest opinion is that some kids with AOW cards should not even go pass 40 ft, and that is also true with adult with OW cards.

 

[whoji]

They were in different threads read by hopefully different people. So in your 6-10 years of certification with 25-49 dives, I'm curious, have you experienced much narcosis at 100 ft? You are in far more danger of oxygen toxicity at 100 feet on nitrox.

Didnt mention Nitrox, nice manner you have there.
I look forward to reading more of your warming friendly posts.
Welcome to scubaboard.

 

[fisherdvm]

Having said that, I believe it is irresponsible to take a child of 13 much deeper than 40 ft. We simply do not know how diving might affect his growth. I strongly recommend limiting exposure to high partial pressures of nitrogen until your children have stopped growing.

Interesting remark. I guess I never thought of what little bubbles do to growth plates. My guess is likely very little... But interesting .... I don't think I'll let my son go pass 40 ft unless in perfect vis, no current.... But unlikely. He is still within arms reach.

 

[alcina]

As a small aside, didn't you check out the course for your children and know what the content, expectations, goals and restrictions would be?

If not, good lesson for other parents here - you need to know what's going on so you aren't surprised and so you can work with your child's instructor(s) to make sure that needs are met and that expectations are realistic and everyone is on the same page.

 

[whoji]

I believe it is because both of those levels are shallower than the supposed Narcosis depths. The AOW deep dive (certifying to 30m) and the Deep diver speciality (certifying to 40m) introduce a diver to these affects and how to deal with them appropriately (supposedly) whilst under qualified supervision. I think it depends on what instructor really.
Personally i learned a great deal when doing these courses, but i had dived beyond the certified dpths before doing them.
__________________

 

[stevenschwartz]

Walter thanks a lot - I have an "open water card" and have a fair amount of experience at depths significantly greater than 60 ft. Do I regularly go to wrecks at 130 - you bet not!

Having said that, if someone with 20 or 30 dives who gets a PADI AOW cert who has never dived below 60 feet thinks they are suddenly magically safe at 100 feet, it is crazy. In fact a drift dive in cozumel at 60 feet can be more dangerous than a up and down dive to 90 feet in Cayman.

Re pressure and kids. My wife and I are both medical school professors. It is completely true that little is known about the effects of pressure on growth plates in growing children. My son has another year or so to grow. I don;t however think that 40 feet is inherently safer to those cells than 60 feet or 100 feet. PADI certainly doesn't know this either.