Should there be a minimum experience requirement between courses?

[JRK44]

Should there be a minimum experience requirement between finishing one course and going onto the next?

I have less than 50 dives. I took over a decade out of diving and have only completed c. 10 dives since returning.
Basically I'm starting from scratch again in terms of currency, though obviously basic skills are not an issue.
So I'm a diver with less than 50 logged dives and yet I'm open water, advanced open water, rescue, drysuit and nitrox, and was recently invited to become a divemaster.

On reflection, this approach may help PADI sell courses but, to be frank, does it actually produce good divers?

I propose that there should be a minimum experience requirement between courses.
What do you think?

 

[crofrog]

It's been said countless times in countless ways by those far wiser than myself: certification only means that the diver demonstrated the minimum requirements required to achieve that certification. It has no bearing on whether the diver actually has any depth of knowledge, skill, or is 'good.'

I know I was a danger to myself and other divers when I got turned loose with my PADI OW. I had dangerously inadequate buoyancy control, yet I was able to successfully demonstrate the PADI requirements for OW

Sounds like the certification standards are to low.

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

Sounds like the certification standards are too low.

They are, but I do not see a way to improve that other than having the instructor take a more active approach.

Take the resort example: if the student diver fails to pass OW, they still owe the money for the class and instructor time, and they do not get certification. Have you seen what happens when tourists don’t get “their way” on vacation?

Maybe it is fine the way it is: divers accept the risks of diving. If they are not developing the skills and experience and maturity necessary to be a ‘good’ diver, they will eventually have the kind of accident or altercation which takes them out of the sport. Darwin eventually wins.

 

[Wibble]

What makes you "good" at the end of a course?

You've just been taught how to do something; coached into doing it well enough to pass that point of the course...
...
...
Then what???

1. You do sod all practice...
2. You go away to perfect the skill such that it's automatic, effective and effortless...

Obviously depends upon the skill difficulty. Changing regulators in the water = easy. Clearing a mask = moderate. Backfinning = difficult. Putting up an SMB = difficult (as it relies upon your basic stability).

Therefore; the first dive of any next level course will be a checkout dive. The instructor will be looking to see if you are:

• a useless Muppet;
• can you do the skills to the level that the previous course taught you;
• can you demonstrate that skill as well or better than your instructor.

Practice makes perfect. Only you can go and practice and sometimes its very difficult to find people to dive with when all you want to do is practice.


Have to end this with the suggestion that you find some GUE people to demonstrate their "Basic 5" skills to you. This will blow your mind if you've only ever been around PADI recreational divers.

 

[Wookie]

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[admikar]

Isn't that his point? He has very little experience.

I think it is great that people pursue a continuum of more advanced/specialized classes and the sooner they do this (under expert, professional supervision) the faster they will acquire competency and presumably this is the safest method to accomplish that goal.

If not, then the classes are weaker than I presume.

He has asked these same questions multiple times. That's our problem here

 

[ps444mike]

Another inst. and myself have been saying for a while you can become a advance diver with 24 dives.. we just feel this is wrong. seams like you should have to show the inst advance diving (master the basic skills etc) and make it like 50 dives

 

[Germie]

No, we don't need a required amount of dives between courses. First, how do you want to check? Not every diver has a logbook. And it is also called a liebook.
Is a 60 minute dive less than 3 times 20 minutes? Both in water time is same. So do you want to calculate minutes under water? Maybe that is better.

But the personal differences? Some divers are naturals. Do they have to wait because of the slow learners cannot do it that fast?

You can state on an advice, in my eyes an average minimum time need under water, not in amount of dives. But as advice, not as strickt requirement. Most agencies already have this, an instrutor can accept divers with less experience.

 

[inquis]

have been saying for a while you can become a advance diver with 24 dives.. we just feel this is wrong

You're misunderstanding the AOW cert is to advance knowledge beyond OW (which it does). It does NOT mean you are an expert.

 

[MidOH]

Advanced isnt advanced. It's just step two.

At this point, I think my training goes in this order:
OW
AOW
Nitrox
Drysuit $$$$.
100 dives.
Solo

Fundies or advanced nitrox and deco. Instructors choice which comes first, I have no idea.

Rebreather.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Some agencies do require experience before advancement.

As well as some instructors whether the agency does or not.