Good post Jim. Some people have wondered on this thread (and others) recently about their own training and whether they were somehow short-changed.
Some people do indeed get 'short' courses but that is what they signed up- especially in tropical locations where people are on a limited time-frame. I would like to make the point that the typical OW course is not designed to make you a super diver capable of diving in any and all conditions. Just as newly certified drivers are not IMO ready to be driving full-noise on a motorway.
As an example, doing your Cert in a lake or quarry will most probably give you more experience in low-viz conditions but it doesn't prepare you for diving at night or in strong currents. Likewise a gin clear tropical paradise OW doesn't prepare you for murky or cold conditions using a 7mm farmer john. It does give you basic diving skills and the tools to start to learn what you don't know.
This is why there is small-print attached to the certificate which unfortunately is often glossed over at best which says something to the tune of :
'By signing this document, I understand that I'm certified to be diving in 'certain' conditions and different/difficult conditions require additional training. If I don't dive for a while, it's a good idea to refresh my diving skills with an instructor.'
While Jim's post is valid regarding safety, I would draw the difference between instructors conducting potentially unsafe courses (Jim's post) and feelings of being short-changed after completing a 3 or 4 day course on vacation.
3-4 day intensive courses will not give you the same result as a 2 week program- even if the amount of hours is roughly the same. In NZ I taught 2 week programs, teaching locals in local conditions: pool and lake. I was taught in my hometown the same way. While teaching one day at the lake I met a 20'ish couple from another town who were newly certified (in a lake) and had less that 10 dives each. We talked for a few minutes; they asked me about entries and exit points and anything good/bad to watch out for etc.
They then dived and survived! They did this by not waiting a year or more after certification to dive again, and by making a dive in familiar conditions.
As other posters have commented, the additional time to process the information can give individuals a better understanding of diving whereas a 3-4 day course is very intensive but still appropriate if the individuals remember that they are beginners, and choose their next dives with this in mind.
So IMO- there is a difference between unsafe courses and short courses.
Some people do indeed get 'short' courses but that is what they signed up- especially in tropical locations where people are on a limited time-frame. I would like to make the point that the typical OW course is not designed to make you a super diver capable of diving in any and all conditions. Just as newly certified drivers are not IMO ready to be driving full-noise on a motorway.
As an example, doing your Cert in a lake or quarry will most probably give you more experience in low-viz conditions but it doesn't prepare you for diving at night or in strong currents. Likewise a gin clear tropical paradise OW doesn't prepare you for murky or cold conditions using a 7mm farmer john. It does give you basic diving skills and the tools to start to learn what you don't know.
This is why there is small-print attached to the certificate which unfortunately is often glossed over at best which says something to the tune of :
'By signing this document, I understand that I'm certified to be diving in 'certain' conditions and different/difficult conditions require additional training. If I don't dive for a while, it's a good idea to refresh my diving skills with an instructor.'
While Jim's post is valid regarding safety, I would draw the difference between instructors conducting potentially unsafe courses (Jim's post) and feelings of being short-changed after completing a 3 or 4 day course on vacation.
3-4 day intensive courses will not give you the same result as a 2 week program- even if the amount of hours is roughly the same. In NZ I taught 2 week programs, teaching locals in local conditions: pool and lake. I was taught in my hometown the same way. While teaching one day at the lake I met a 20'ish couple from another town who were newly certified (in a lake) and had less that 10 dives each. We talked for a few minutes; they asked me about entries and exit points and anything good/bad to watch out for etc.
They then dived and survived! They did this by not waiting a year or more after certification to dive again, and by making a dive in familiar conditions.
As other posters have commented, the additional time to process the information can give individuals a better understanding of diving whereas a 3-4 day course is very intensive but still appropriate if the individuals remember that they are beginners, and choose their next dives with this in mind.
So IMO- there is a difference between unsafe courses and short courses.
