What do you do for Boat Diving specialty?

[divnamite]

Excuse my ignorance, but what do you do in Boat Diving specialty class? I have been on a few dives, they all required me to jump or step off from a boat. Besides entrance/exit water strategy, what else do they teach you? I somehow feel like this is one of those specialty that agencies just want to make money off you.

 

[Dive-aholic]

It's basically a card collecting specialty. Physically, you do 2 boat dives, demonstrating proper water entry and exit. The only real good in the class is if you want to learn about boats and some of the terms associated with them, ie bow, stern, port, starboard, etc, etc. It can also teach you about dive boat etiquette. If you've already been boat diving, then don't bother.

 

[Gary D.]

Excuse my ignorance, but what do you do in Boat Diving specialty class? I somehow feel like this is one of those specialty that agencies just want to make money off you.

Write a check for an expensive boat ride, go on a couple of dives and frame yet another card. It falls right into the catagory of "how much can we milk from these people?"

Stand on a rock to jump in and someday you might need a card for that.

Do those that get certified off a boat need a shore diving cert.?

Gary D.

 

[Dive-aholic]

A shore diving cert would be a worthwhile course! Seriously, surf entry and exit can be extremely difficult. I've seen some shore diving distinctive specialties offered. They actually teach you about tide charts and proper times to enter and exit and how to enter and exit safely. Nothing you can't get from diving with an experienced buddy. But if you don't have that available, a good course.

Maybe I should write one for lake shore diving...

 

[divnamite]

Cool, that comfirms my thinking. I'm looking at the SSI AOW path, trying to figure out which I should do. I'll stick with Navgiation, Limited Visibility, Deep Diving and Wreck Diving. Has anyone taken the underwater photography specialty? I figure I can get into underwater photography.

 

[Diesel298]

i have a idea
how about people just teach the divers how to do that right from the OW class
insted of holding out on info to add it to another class.
in my opinion the padi AOW is a joke and is stuff that should be tought in the ow class as well
diving agencies have dumed the whole thing way way down to the lowest common domonator to add specialtys and make more money, not good divers

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Nobody ever asked me for a Boat diver card...This stuff that was mentioned about boat diving was taught in my ow class (Padi none the less). Come to think of it I never did get a Pool diver card? Wonder if there is a min number of pool dives required?

LOL

 

[Diesel298]

im workin on my PADI bubble watcher cert.
so far its going well, i have a few more shore dives to watch and 2 more boat dives, one has to be a night dive...
its really a great class they provide the BBQ hot dogs and burgers, but its BYOB
next week we start talking about standardized beers so everyone can drink off the same tap and not change the alcohol tox profiles..
well worh the money i suggest this class to all divers of all skill levels

 

[divnamite]

Nah, I already have that c-card. My Advanced Beer Drinker costed me a lot of money, but it was worth it.

 

[ItsBruce]

Before I could get a boat diver card I had to complete AOW. We did some of the dives for that one on my boat. I actually had to use someone else's boat for the boat diver card because everyone thought it was too trite if I used my own boat under my command. I've actuallly got more sea hours than the skipper of the boat we used for the cert. (Actually, I've got more hours than the entire crew put together.)

Its just a joke card. I got it because my kid wanted to collect the card. If you're going to take specialty classes, take ones that teach useful stuff.