Ranking of Scuba Specialty courses

[VikingDives]

Not sure if RAID still has all their manuals downloadable, but when they did, I downloaded like crazy.

Looking at the file OC_Open_Water_Instructor Guide_V2_3_17Jan19.pdf, I noted the content on "Check correct weighting" on page 8. If required, while a bit rough, this should mitigate grossly overweighted students.

Looking at OC_OW20_8_Confined_Water_Training_ENG_V2.05_04Oct19, section 8, page 6, the buoyancy workshop is decent. I like the part of determining of how much weight the diver needs with just their exposure suit. I don't see mention of these being rough methods and needing to fine tune at the safety stop with a nearly empty cylinder (or I missed it).

@VikingDives

What's the filename that is the instructor's playbook? Not finding it in OC_Open_Water_Instructor Guide_V2_3_17Jan19.pdf

RAID_INSTRUCTOR-PLAYBOOK_(confined and open water training)V1.01_23-NOV-2020 is what I have, but I may have partially renamed that... I'm happy to share it with you if you like.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@VikingDives

I found them already thanks to @MichaelMc.

while I am not a RAID instructor, I respect and support their approach. I hope they continue to grow and force other agencies to follow suit with more consistent quality training.

 

[VikingDives]

@VikingDives

I found them already thanks to @MichaelMc.

while I am not a RAID instructor, I respect and support their approach. I hope they continue to grow and force other agencies to follow suit with more consistent quality training.

I agree. Having corresponded with @paultoomer and RAID's North American people, I've been consistently impressed.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

To get back to the OP's question, the specialties I've done most are as follows:

1. Dry suit. This is because of where I'm based.
2. Nitrox.
3. PPB, for an odd reason. I get students who were junior certified 5-6 years ago and want to repeat the whole open water course. I add in the extra PPB skills. Generally these folks are pretty decent divers, so it's easy enough for them to focus on buoyancy while others are fretting about flooded masks.
4. Emergency oxygen provider. This is a technicality. It's a specialty course by definition, and required for academic divers.

I could self-certify for underwater photography, but there are much better instructors than me in this area. These courses seem to fill up.

I see instructors teaching Deep Diver as well. I could, but there's not really a call for it with my audience. (University divers.)

I've heard rumors some folks want to do Night Diver.

I'm not including Advanced or Rescue in this list.

 

[Saniflush]

Nitrox, Navigation, Self Reliant.

 

[DanTheScubaMan]

Not an instructor and not that experienced but I did: nitrox->ppb->nav->night->deep and thought it was an order that made sense.