Puzzled over NAUI certification "name changes"

[JamesBon92007]

According to this table, the category "Scuba Diver" didn't exist prior to 1994 yet I have my original NAUI "Scuba Diver" card right here in front of me. Is there something that I am missing or does NAUI have some major problems with standardization? I tried to get a clear answer through "official channels" but no one could provide me with an answer.

I went through this a few years ago. NAUI said they didn't have records earlier than 1970 and my Scuba Diver card was issued in '69. I sent them some money and they sent me a Master Card. Now I feel slighted because I didn't get a Gold Master Card. Must be my credit rating is too low

 

[rhwestfall]

and it has sat quietly since 2014, and the OP bumped it....

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!

 

[JamesBon92007]

and it has sat quietly since 2014, and the OP bumped it....

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!

OIC

 

[tbone1004]

Let's see, Tom makes a comment on August 25, 2014, and the person to whom he commented replies with a sharp retort on June 20, 2017. This constant bickering has to stop!

blast from the past!

 

[Charlie W]

And this, my friends, is why some threads need to be locked after a period of inactivity.

 

[scrane]

Well, my friend, for some of us old guys this is more than a quaint dive into the archives.
Due to Naui's negligence ALL records were destroyed or lost in the mid 70's. It became the responsibility of the consumer to convince Naui that they were indeed certified at a level by resubmitting to Naui their own original paperwork. If you did not have a card or paper certificate from that era, or remember your instructor's name from 40 years ago you were SOL and as far as Naui is concerned you never existed. On top of that, with the shifting levels of certification you could never be sure as to what level you were actually certified, let alone the Dive Operator who's looking at your "Sport Diver" card and deciding if you're good for over 60'. Last year I was happy to discover that my SD card from 1977 actually translates to AOW and luckily Naui had someone in the office who knew this.
Naui used to be a premier operation, but nowadays it is just a mass of confusion. When I finally translated my SD to AOW and sent in $45. for a new plastic card they managed to spell my name wrong. WTF?
So, even though this is an old thread, and you have no interest in its content, others might. I figure if we can have hundreds of BPW discussions SB should be happy to throw us old dogs a well chewed bone from the days when LLoyd Bridges roamed the seas.

 

[northernone]

I didn't get ripped off at all. Did you even exist back then? Rather than blame an organization for its irresponsibility in standardization practices, you blame someone for complaining when they have a certification taken from them. It's not right and I WILL protest. That organization is so pathetic that they don't even have me listed in their system (according to their website based verify diver function). I will not stop until I receive my equivalent certification, which is Advanced Scuba Diver!

Welcome back to the forum. In the past 3 years have you heard any updates from head office. It is quite possible a patient explanation of the situation to those currently in charge of certification guidelines might get you further towards the cert you feel you've already earned.

What would happen if you continue diving without solving this issue?

Regards,
Cameron

P.s. I for one appreciate watching old threads revived and develop as the participants and forum atmosphere matures. Provided a new thread isn't more appropriate.

 

[US Diver]

Unfortunately one of the NAUI staff members completely gave up because there was no way to find a modern equivalent.

NAUI is notorious for committing mistake after mistake but some idiot on here accuses my instructors of being con artists who sold me some passport diver package designed for Betty and Floyd who visited Oahu once and decided to get in the water?! How dare him! My instructors were very well known in NY, FL, and the Caribbean. In fact, they were on TV several times because they specialized in wrecks. It wasn't just some fly by night operation! As others have indicated, NAUI is clearly an irresponsible organization that has caused people a lot of headaches for us older folks! If you pay hundreds of dollars for one or more courses, an organization does not have the right to say things like "Well we don't have any record of you..." or "Sorry, but we don't have any equivalent certification..." Before the standardization scheme was changed, NAUI needed someone with a higher then room temperature IQ to decide how to deal with the old certifications. Is this too much to ask for? It's simple common sense!

 

[kelemvor]

Naui used to be a premier operation, but nowadays it is just a mass of confusion. When I finally translated my SD to AOW and sent in $45. for a new plastic card they managed to spell my name wrong. WTF?

To be fair, that only seems to be the case for antique certifications prior to the record loss. I've never had any weirdness involved in my modern naui cert. I've contacted NAUI directly once or twice (once via email, once via telephone). They're responsive. That said, I didn't cuss them out on a voicemail and then demand a returned call....

It shouldn't happen, but what's the alternative? If they really lost the records, they can't just mail a new card to anyone who claims to have had one before. That would be negligent and dangerous.

Really if you took a class 40 years ago and are just now getting into it again.. you probably SHOULD take another class anyway. At least a refresher if not a full class.

 

[US Diver]

If they really lost the records, they can't just mail a new card to anyone who claims to have had one before. That would be negligent and dangerous.

That would be fair if there was no proof of certification. However, I have both of my original C-cards.