Rescue Diver Course
- Thread starter btscott
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I just want to say, after taking the course, that it was better and more useful than I anticipated. Running through scenarios, search patterns, etc... Was a good exercise.
After the class, I can see why I was charged for tanks as the class seemed separate from the dive center. Though thought the extra charge for weights was a little over the top.
Also think $400 pp for the course is a little much. But, seems like it can be cheaper if you have flexibility with time and can search around.
After the class, I can see why I was charged for tanks as the class seemed separate from the dive center. Though thought the extra charge for weights was a little over the top.
Also think $400 pp for the course is a little much. But, seems like it can be cheaper if you have flexibility with time and can search around.
Ohhhhhhh... well, yeah. When you put it that way, of course. Anything directly from PADI is excessive. And in that respect, you're right: if you shop around you can find an instructor that would be willing to do traditional classroom instruction (always my preference) with a printed manual instead of the online thing. Instead of $189 to PADI, you get the manual for about $40 and you get more instructor time (for around another $100.) So total cost is around $350.
Yeah.... PADI, enough said.
I'm sure you were being funny about FP. We do realize it will be expensive, but we haven't had a vacation since before COVID and in dire need of one. Though, we didn't expect 2 expensive trips as we are booked in August for the Bilikiki in Solomon's, but that looks like it is not going to happen. So, FP it is, along with lots of $$$ for both trips.
I'm sure you were being funny about FP. We do realize it will be expensive, but we haven't had a vacation since before COVID and in dire need of one. Though, we didn't expect 2 expensive trips as we are booked in August for the Bilikiki in Solomon's, but that looks like it is not going to happen. So, FP it is, along with lots of $$$ for both trips.
SlugLife
Contributor
I've seen a variety of perspective on this issue. Perhaps it's best understood in terms of (1) pros and cons, and (2) context.
Pros & Cons: If you purchase a course, and it offers more perks, like free tanks and rental equipment, that's a great bonus. Alternatively, if the course involves having to supply your own equipment, tanks, fills, park entrance fees, and more, the cost of the course might start to go up quickly.
For example (1) in my open-water class, all rental equipment and tanks were supplied, but (2) in my recent advanced-open-water class, I had to pay about $40 to enter the dive-park. They did happen to provide 2-tanks, for 3 days (or 6 fills), which saved me about $60. They didn't provide any other rental equipment, but did offer a solid discount on equipment rental (50% discount I think?). I also didn't need any rental equipment myself, although I think about 66% of the class needed to rent equipment.
Context: I've noticed some instructors are strong advocates of providing equipment for students. Specifically, the sidemounting.com instructor is a strong advocate for this and not buying equipment before the class. I can't speak for him, but I believe the context is that students will rarely have the relevant equipment before the class, and they're better off gaining some hands-on experience with the equipment before shelling out over $1000 on specialty equipment, that they might quickly discover they don't like.
The OW vs AOW class mentioned above is another good example. Nearly all OW students probably shouldn't have any equipment before a class, because they're not qualified to use it. However, by the time you take AOW, a number of students will have acquired a lot of their own gear. As a result, perhaps the dive-shop can reduce the cost of the class for those who have equipment, and still offer competitive rates for those who don't.
Tank fills seem like a strong perk that dive-shops could offer with classes, which costs them very little, assuming the shop has their own fill station and plenty of rental tanks.
Pros & Cons: If you purchase a course, and it offers more perks, like free tanks and rental equipment, that's a great bonus. Alternatively, if the course involves having to supply your own equipment, tanks, fills, park entrance fees, and more, the cost of the course might start to go up quickly.
For example (1) in my open-water class, all rental equipment and tanks were supplied, but (2) in my recent advanced-open-water class, I had to pay about $40 to enter the dive-park. They did happen to provide 2-tanks, for 3 days (or 6 fills), which saved me about $60. They didn't provide any other rental equipment, but did offer a solid discount on equipment rental (50% discount I think?). I also didn't need any rental equipment myself, although I think about 66% of the class needed to rent equipment.
Context: I've noticed some instructors are strong advocates of providing equipment for students. Specifically, the sidemounting.com instructor is a strong advocate for this and not buying equipment before the class. I can't speak for him, but I believe the context is that students will rarely have the relevant equipment before the class, and they're better off gaining some hands-on experience with the equipment before shelling out over $1000 on specialty equipment, that they might quickly discover they don't like.
The OW vs AOW class mentioned above is another good example. Nearly all OW students probably shouldn't have any equipment before a class, because they're not qualified to use it. However, by the time you take AOW, a number of students will have acquired a lot of their own gear. As a result, perhaps the dive-shop can reduce the cost of the class for those who have equipment, and still offer competitive rates for those who don't.
Tank fills seem like a strong perk that dive-shops could offer with classes, which costs them very little, assuming the shop has their own fill station and plenty of rental tanks.
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