What are your buddy "requirements"?

[Epinephelus]

mudguppy once bubbled...
I was introduced to the fellow I would be diving with as "a dive-con in training".
Turned out he wasn't even certified...still had his 2nd OW skills to do.
Go figure!

Guess that means I'll dive with anyone...once, anyway

What they meant to say was "con diver"
E. striatus

 

[kwesler]

Do you mean to say that these people actually had AOW c cards?

Sure...for PADI AOW, "deep" means 60 feet or greater, and "wreck" can be a boat sunk 30' deep in a quarry.

Sigh...

 

[nitroxbabe]

I am PADI certified but believe that I know how to dive a little bit! We're not all losers, really.

 

[kwesler]

That was not a judgement AT ALL!!! I am PADI also. I was just pointing out that the requirements for PADI AOW are such that a diver can have the card, but not be prepared for 80-125 FSW in the ocean on a wreck.

 

[MikeFerrara]

IMO, nobody in a single tank without redundancy belongs at 125

 

[nitroxbabe]

kwesler once bubbled...
That was not a judgement AT ALL!!! I am PADI also. I was just pointing out that the requirements for PADI AOW are such that a diver can have the card, but not be prepared for 80-125 FSW in the ocean on a wreck.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not "all offended"! I've met a few people who have c cards and I wonder how they got them.

Unfortunately I do seem to be getting the impression that PADI certifications are far easier than others. I know this has been a topic on other threads, but ... any comments?

 

[MikeFerrara]

nitroxbabe once bubbled...


Don't get me wrong, I'm not "all offended"! I've met a few people who have c cards and I wonder how they got them.

Unfortunately I do seem to be getting the impression that PADI certifications are far easier than others. I know this has been a topic on other threads, but ... any comments?

I have a theory. Most of the successful shops are PADI. When it comes to sheer numbers and a name that sells PADI wins hands down. I teach for more than one agency and I get student (recently even public safety divers) who specifically want PADI.

Now these successful shops make money by cramming them through fast. I see this with my own eyes every weekend. It just isn't possible in the market today to make money teaching the way we teach. They can't tell them too much because then they wouldn't buy some of the crappy equipment you need to sell to keep the big name brands in the store.

These shops put out more students in a year than I do in 10 years and they are all PADI. I teach PADI classes but they are the same in name only. There are instructors who do a good job but they are not putting out the numbers so their students are not the ones you see.

 

[Scubaholic]

nitroxbabe once bubbled...
I guess I may have still hesitated to go that deep after a dope. You never know what they might do.

Gee, that's a nice thought. Before we help someone, let's determine if they have met the level of intelligence that will make the world a better place. Next time someone needs help, I'll just placate myself on the theory of Social Darwinism.

Before you go around calling people "dopes", you might want to first learn yourself that you won't take an 02 hit at 125 fsw breathing EAN 32. May especially be a good idea since you've incorporated "nitrox" into your user id.

 

[nitroxbabe]

Scubaholic once bubbled...

Gee, that's a nice thought. Before we help someone, let's determine if they have met the level of intelligence that will make the world a better place. Next time someone needs help, I'll just placate myself on the theory of Social Darwinism.

Before you go around calling people "dopes", you might want to first learn yourself that you won't take an 02 hit at 125 fsw breathing EAN 32. May especially be a good idea since you've incorporated "nitrox" into your user id.

No need to get all nasty now.

A rescue diver is NOT required to help anyone at a potential risk to themselves. This was one of the first rules taught in my Rescue course. When a person is so obviously incompetent as was described in this story, I think the potential danger rises. Don't you???

And BTW is certainly IS possible to take a hit at ANY depth breathing EAN 32, depending on your total O2 exposure.

You owe me an apology.

 

[kwesler]

I think you are right-it is a numbers game.

Also, I am not an instructor, and those that are have my sympathy when it comes to finding the balance between reassuring a student that this is a sport they can master and downplaying the knowledge necessary.

I guess you want enough anxiety to promote concentration and hard work, but not so much that you turn off people who have potential.

As far as "going after dopes" or not, that question actually never entered my mind. It is a simple equation-someone needs assistance, that is why I was there (as a buddy)

Whups! Almost back on topic!