SSI Scuba Diver vs Open Water

[PNelson]

My 13 Year old son went to Boy Scout camp this week and took Scuba Certification.. He successfully completed his SSI Open Water Online course before camp. I heard from his scout master that he only got the Scuba Diver Certification instead of the open water.

Anyone know about SSI? I'm a PADI Open Water diver and was surprised that he didn't get the Open Water Cert.

He was also told by his dive instructor that he couldn't go deeper that 40ft due to risk of collapsing a lung. Is this true?

 

[mala]

sounds like he didnt complete all the open water dives succesfully.
ssi are very similar to padi
he would be depth limited because of the qualification.

the collapsing a lung bit is not true.

 

[Ordie]

I'm not sure about SSI. PADI's Scuba Diver cert. is a short version of the Open Water cert. For Scuba Diver the student will complete knowledge reviews 1-3, pool dives 1-3, and open water dives 1-2. I would find out why the instructor chose to award the Scuba Diver cert. if the students met the requirements for Open Water Diver cert. PADI recommends that students certified as PADI Scuba Diver not go below 40ft. Why the instructor told your son the depth limit was 40ft because of collapsing a lung I have no idea other than to try and scare him.

 

[Hawkwood]

Hopefully an SSI Instructor will come to the thread and answer your question.

In the meantime, this is from SSI's Website:

Scuba Diver

Scuba Diver is the perfect course for those who do not have time to complete an entire Open Water Diver Program. The content of this program represents about half of the Open Water Diver Program. You can then complete the second half and become a certified diver at another time, anywhere that is convenient for you.

The Scuba Diver Program will be fully credited towards the Open Water Diver Program. This way you will not have to redo any part of the program twice. After a short skill update you can complete your Open Water Diver rating.

Certified Scuba Divers are entitled to go diving under the direct supervision of a Dive Leader up to a maximum depth of 40 feet/12 metres. This allows you to have a lot of fun and gain further diving experience even without continuing your education.

---------- Post Merged at 08:52 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:36 AM ----------

They may have only offered Scuba Diver, or as mala suggested, there might have been issues completing all the dives. Enough was completed to at least earn Scuba Diver certification.

 

[PNelson]

I read through my son's paperwork and he completed his SSI Junior Open Water Certification. I appreciate everyones feedback.

 

[tstormdiver]

With the SSI Scuba Diver rating, the diver must be under the direct supervision of a professional (Dive Master, Assistant Instructor or Instructor). I can not say why he was not given the full certification. Perhaps you might ask some of the other scout's parents & see if their childern got Open Water Diver rating. It may be that the course was not intended to be a full OW course, could be your son may have had some difficulty with some of the skills (as some have mentioned), also could be the instructor saw something in your son that he may not be ready for OW level. It is hard to say. I would also speak with the instructor to get the low down.

Last summer I certified an 80 yr old lady to Scuba Diver level. Although she completed the entire program & was able to successfully do the skills, she had problems physically controlling the equipment in the water (on land she was fine). After some discussion with her, it was mutually agreed that she needed some assistance & that the requirement of having a professional present would afford her the assistance she needed. It was a win/ win in her case. She would get to dive with her son & grand kids & get some help & I was comfortable that she would have the assistance she needs.

The general consensus about the 40 ft depth limit is because it is not fully understood how pressure & breathing compressed air under pressure affects a child's growing body.

 

[flyandive]

Does he perhaps have a medical issue? Is that why his instructor mentioned the lung problem?
I have a friend who had a collapsed lung (not from scuba diving) and as a result had a bar across his lung cavity for about a year, because of this his doctor did not feel comfortable letting him scuba dive.

 

[Hawkwood]

I read through my son's paperwork and he completed his SSI Junior Open Water Certification. I appreciate everyones feedback.

Okay folks, the OP has clarified things in Post #5.

 

[devildoc5]

SSI has also changed the Junior OWD standards to allow certain ages to go to 60 FSW Not sure if your son's instructor had gotten the memo by the time he completed to the course. Also remember that as long as your son takes a specialty class or two every year he should be eligible for an automatic upgrade to OWD once he turns of age.

 

[PNelson]

Great feedback.. He and I are going diving later this month in the Bahamas. Going to be a BLAST!!!