taking nitrox cert with basic scuba course

[stuartv]

There it is. I've said the same before. It would be nice to see an agencies making improvements that aren't a money grab.

All my training has been with SDI and TDI. My SDI Computer Nitrox Diver class cost $65 and the shop printed the card and handed it to me a day or two after I finished. When I got my Advanced Scuba Diver card and then later my Master Scuba Diver card, they didn't cost me anything. I definitely do not feel like SDI is a money-grabbing agency.

 

[Doby45]

My SDI Advanced card cost me the $16 card process cost and that was it.

 

[kelemvor]

All my training has been with SDI and TDI. My SDI Computer Nitrox Diver class cost $65 and the shop printed the card and handed it to me a day or two after I finished. When I got my Advanced Scuba Diver card and then later my Master Scuba Diver card, they didn't cost me anything. I definitely do not feel like SDI is a money-grabbing agency.

That sounds pretty reasonable to me. I think my OW instructor told me the NAUI cards were $5. I paid more than you for nitrox, $75. I forget what AOW was, I remember it being cheap because I did the dive part on a shop trip to Key Largo. I think I just had to buy the master scuba diver book that we used for like $50 or something. I still think nitrox should be part of OW. and as for specialties I was referring to agencies like SSI that have laughable specialty courses like "boat diving".

 

[Doby45]

SDI also has "Boat Diver" as a specialty. I actually think that is one of my specialties for Advanced. I would have to look.

 

[tbone1004]

Certification/Experience/Knowledge. Current enrollment in
a NAUI Instructor conducted scuba course or certification as a
NAUI Scuba Diver or the equivalent is required. The instructor
is to ensure adequate student knowledge and capability before
any open water training and shall use skill or other evaluations
to do so. One open water dive (which does not count toward the
minimum number of dives required for the course) may be used
as a screening and evaluation dive. This is not required when the
student’s diving proficiencies are well known to the instructor.

From the NAUI S&P. NAUI does require two dives, which I think is crap, but is what it is. It certainly guarantees certification prior to going into those dives though.

 

[kelemvor]

Certification/Experience/Knowledge. Current enrollment in
a NAUI Instructor conducted scuba course or certification as a
NAUI Scuba Diver or the equivalent is required. The instructor
is to ensure adequate student knowledge and capability before
any open water training and shall use skill or other evaluations
to do so. One open water dive (which does not count toward the
minimum number of dives required for the course) may be used
as a screening and evaluation dive. This is not required when the
student’s diving proficiencies are well known to the instructor.

From the NAUI S&P. NAUI does require two dives, which I think is crap, but is what it is. It certainly guarantees certification prior to going into those dives though.

Are you sure about that? Maybe there's another version of the course or something? I don't believe I did any dives for my NAUI nitrox card. I read material, spent time in a classroom with the instructor, went over and analyzed some tanks at his gas station.

I've gone on a number of trips with the instructor. Maybe he counted those dives or something if not.

Edit: I logged into the naui elearning site. This is on the home page:

The NAUI Nitrox Diver Program, usually consists of about three or four hours of academics during which a written exam is administered and some practical exercises involving calibrating gas analyzers and analyzing various breathing mixtures are conducted and your performance evaluated. After successfully completing the program your instructor will register you with NAUI Worldwide for an Enriched Air Nitrox certification card so that you will be able to have your dedicated EANx cylinders refilled with enriched air.

The NAUI Nitrox Diver Course includes the same academic and practical training components, but also includes at least two open water dives during which you will apply the knowledge acquired during the course. Completing the two required dives qualifies you to be registered for the Enriched Air Nitrox Diver certification card. In any event, either certification credential will provide you with the evidence you need to obtain enriched air wherever your diving adventures take you.

It appears they have a nitrox diver program and a separate nitrox diver course. Bizarre.

 

[tbone1004]

weird since I only have the one section for nitrox diver in my S&P manual which has the required dives....

 

[stuartv]

It appears they have a nitrox diver program and a separate nitrox diver course. Bizarre.

Indeed. Does that mean that one could get a NAUI "Enriched Air Nitrox" (not-Diver) card without having OW?

 

[kelemvor]

Indeed. Does that mean that one could get a NAUI "Enriched Air Nitrox" (not-Diver) card without having OW?

I really doubt that's the intent, and afaik NAUI instructors are given a lot of leeway to add requirements to NAUI's courses. I think you'd have a hard time getting someone to issue a NAUI nitrox card without proving you had an OW card or without finishing an OW course you were enrolled in.

 

[kelemvor]

I emailed NAUI and asked:

Greetings, I'm a naui diver but not instructor. I was having a discussion with some other divers about what appears to be an oddity in the requirements for Enriched Air Nitrox Diver certification. The website indicates that "Participants may be enrolled in a NAUI Scuba Diver Course or must be certified as a NAUI Scuba Diver or equivalent." This seems to indicate a person could sign up for both courses, and be issued an Enriched Air Nitrox Diver certification without actually completing the Scuba Diver course and receiving the Scuba Diver certification. I'm sure it's not your intent for this to occur, is there anything in your standards or polices to explicitly prevent this from happening?