Question to PADI: Cert cards

[NudeDiver]

I can't say that I've actually seen anyone from PADI responding here - but just in case they read this....

I'm not willing to pay you $50 or whatever to just to call me a "Master" diver and give me that cert card. I'm also not willing to pay you $X extra for one of your various vanity cert cards. However, I might be willing to pay you for a few bucks to issue me a cert card that has ALL of my certs on it - OW, AOW, RD, and specialties. Bonus points if you will list a cert from another agency, if I can prove it to you (presumably by providing that agency's cert card). I know that's a stretch, but I just thought I would mention it.

If you want to collect easy money, I think these "all inclusive" cert cards would be one way to go. I think people, such as myself, would pay, so they can haul around one cert card with everything on it. However, to be fair, I think that once someone has one of these cards, you should be willing to update that card AS their cart card, whenever they take a new specialty or class or whatever.

Certainly, anyone paying the $50 or whatever for the Master card should get their specialties listed on it. Might make some of us more inclined to fork over the $50.

Is anyone else with me on this one?

Cheers!
nd

 

[letterboy]

 

[WetCell]

I can't say that I've actually seen anyone from PADI responding here - but just in case they read this....

I'm not willing to pay you $50 or whatever to just to call me a "Master" diver and give me that cert card. I'm also not willing to pay you $X extra for one of your various vanity cert cards. However, I might be willing to pay you for a few bucks to issue me a cert card that has ALL of my certs on it - OW, AOW, RD, and specialties. Bonus points if you will list a cert from another agency, if I can prove it to you (presumably by providing that agency's cert card). I know that's a stretch, but I just thought I would mention it.

If you want to collect easy money, I think these "all inclusive" cert cards would be one way to go. I think people, such as myself, would pay, so they can haul around one cert card with everything on it. However, to be fair, I think that once someone has one of these cards, you should be willing to update that card AS their cart card, whenever they take a new specialty or class or whatever.

Certainly, anyone paying the $50 or whatever for the Master card should get their specialties listed on it. Might make some of us more inclined to fork over the $50.

Is anyone else with me on this one?

Cheers!
nd

I certainly agree with the notion of an all inclusive card. I think some divers collect cards like a boy scout collects merit badges. The thing that irks me is that it is not easy or cheap to get a cert. I frankly could care less, but the lawyers will have their say and I can understand how an operator (quarry, dive lake, boat or whatever) expects to see a card either because they don't want the legal hassle or the potential bad press as a lifeless body is pulled from the water.

I can also understand how a dive shop needs to make money, that is what makes the US run--even with the new democratic congress, I doubt that dive shops are on the entitlements list. Nevertheless, I plopped down close to $300 for my son and I to get Nitrox certified, but what we got was hardly worth that much money and it didn't involve any dives. Not that I am complaining, mind you. Three days after the cert class we dove Nitrox, so all is fine. But it rips me that the dive boat operator would not have issued us a Nitrox fill without the cert.

It is a goofy, poorly controlled sport, but I can't wait for my next dive, 37 days and counting!

 

[Cave Diver]

I think people, such as myself, would pay, so they can haul around one cert card with everything on it. However, to be fair, I think that once someone has one of these cards, you should be willing to update that card AS their cart card, whenever they take a new specialty or class or whatever.

I don't see this is a huge problem, since I generally take my dive binder with checklist/log with me on dive trips and my c-cards live in that same binder.

If I dont want to haul the binder around, I put the highest cert that I feel like showing in my wallet and leave the rest behind.

The idea of one card listing all certs is an interesting idea, but I doubt anyone will be willing to combine multi-agency certs, so I'm back to carrying several cards anyway...

 

[Pearldiver07]

I can't say that I've actually seen anyone from PADI responding here - but just in case they read this....

I'm not willing to pay you $50 or whatever to just to call me a "Master" diver and give me that cert card. I'm also not willing to pay you $X extra for one of your various vanity cert cards. However, I might be willing to pay you for a few bucks to issue me a cert card that has ALL of my certs on it - OW, AOW, RD, and specialties. Bonus points if you will list a cert from another agency, if I can prove it to you (presumably by providing that agency's cert card). I know that's a stretch, but I just thought I would mention it.

If you want to collect easy money, I think these "all inclusive" cert cards would be one way to go. I think people, such as myself, would pay, so they can haul around one cert card with everything on it. However, to be fair, I think that once someone has one of these cards, you should be willing to update that card AS their cart card, whenever they take a new specialty or class or whatever.

Certainly, anyone paying the $50 or whatever for the Master card should get their specialties listed on it. Might make some of us more inclined to fork over the $50.

Is anyone else with me on this one?

Cheers!
nd

Although I agree with the notion of "why have a certification that doesn't note any new abilities" I might note that PADI makes the SAME per recreational certification regardless of OW diver or "Master Scuba Diver."

They charge the instructor/LDS for the cert submission, and with the exception of volume discounts, this is the same certification card regardless of the certification requested.

So when you see an outrageous fee for a class - that's the instructor or LDS, not PADI - they make a flat fee of less than $15 (again, volume discounts to some) for the certification application.

Oh, and this applies to outrageous certifications too, not just outrageous fees.

Just my two psi...

 

[NudeDiver]

Although I agree with the notion of "why have a certification that doesn't note any new abilities" I might note that PADI makes the SAME per recreational certification regardless of OW diver or "Master Scuba Diver." They charge the instructor/LDS for the cert submission, and with the exception of volume discounts, this is the same certification card regardless of the certification requested. So when you see an outrageous fee for a class - that's the instructor or LDS, not PADI - they make a flat fee of less than $15 (again, volume discounts to some) for the certification application.Oh, and this applies to outrageous certifications too, not just outrageous fees.

I guess that's great....not I'm not too sure what it has to do with my post and certification cards.

I don't see this is a huge problem, since I generally take my dive binder with checklist/log with me on dive trips and my c-cards live in that same binder.

Specifically what I am looking to avoid - carrying that binder around. If you lose the binder, with all your cards, replacing it can get expensive really quickly. Just carrying the "highest cert" doesn't work either. Even my RD card is not going to let me get nitrox or rent a drysuit, for example.

The idea of one card listing all certs is an interesting idea

Even government, as lame as it is, has figured this out. I don't get a different driver's license for each thing I am entitled to drive - there is one card, with a combination of classes and endorsements that covers it all. No reason why diving agencies can't do the same.

but I doubt anyone will be willing to combine multi-agency certs, so I'm back to carrying several cards anyway...

Yeah, I know - but it should be possible to cut it way down.

Cheers!
nd

 

[Sas]

I got a free Master diver card with all my specialties on it through SSI after I did Rescue. Didn't even ask for a Master diver card to be made but the shop gave me the card when I completed Rescue... So I just carry that card + my Nitrox card (which was done through another agency). No idea why PADI would not do an 'all inclusive card'. I thought they were pretty much the same as SSI!

 

[oly5050user]

Maybe you can ask a dm or instructor to print out on PADI web site your record of training.All cert's should show up that you did with PADI on 1 sheet of paper and take that along with 1 card .

 

[rstofer]

Nevertheless, I plopped down close to $300 for my son and I to get Nitrox certified, but what we got was hardly worth that much money and it didn't involve any dives. Not that I am complaining, mind you. Three days after the cert class we dove Nitrox, so all is fine. But it rips me that the dive boat operator would not have issued us a Nitrox fill without the cert.

It is a goofy, poorly controlled sport, but I can't wait for my next dive, 37 days and counting!

I very seriously doubt that, were you a boat operator, you would do Nitrox fills for someone that has no idea how to use it. Why would you take the risk? What do you have to gain? You might gain a few bucks on the fill (versus air) but if something goes wrong, whether related to Nitrox or not, you are going to lose your business, your home, your 401k's, your entire future. A whole lot of downside and very little upside.

You certainly aren't going to let someone dive without an OW c-card and Nitrox is no different.

If the $300 included the book and the PIC card for both divers, it is about right. The course around here is $75, the crewpack is $60 and the PIC card is $16 or $151 total. Plus tax...

Richard

 

[rstofer]

Certainly, anyone paying the $50 or whatever for the Master card should get their specialties listed on it. Might make some of us more inclined to fork over the $50.

Is anyone else with me on this one?

Cheers!
nd

What's to happen when you take an additional specialty after your MSD card is issued? Pay another $50 for an upgraded version? Do you expect PADI to do them free or in lieu of the card they would have issued for the specialty?

I suppose having all the stuff on one card is nice but it isn't going to happen and I doubt that PADI cares whether you pay the $50 for the MSD recognition card or not.

There might be good reason to NOT show every card you have. Why would you show Rescue Diver when your First Aid and CPR certs have expired? In fact, why show Rescue at all? You are more likely to get stuck with a newby insta-buddy because the operator figures you can solve all their problems. So, I have carried just my NAUI Advanced Open Water. Now I will carry the PADI Nitrox card. Two cards, no problem.

Were I a DM out for a weekend of entertainment, I would certainly not show that card. AOW is just right: qualified to dive but not expected to coddle.

Richard