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Accusing 'Scuba Diver' PADI Cert as unsafe.
I came across
this article which effectively says
that the PADI Scuba Diver certification is completely unsafe and they should do away with it. The author
essentially argues that the certification is a waste because it completely fails to prepare divers. As part of the
reasoning, the author suggests that scuba limits are not enforced and divers rarely continue their education. I'd
really be interested in hearing people's opinions on this, so please please comment. My own view follows.
I’ve always had a problem with the way scuba certifications are handled. Frankly, a few days in a pool and two days in the ocean shouldn’t be enough to become certified. It’s just too easy. Of course, it’s meant to be - or no one would do it, PADI wouldn’t make much money and that would be the end of it. I agree with the author that the Scuba Diver certification should be done away with. I’d also like to see the other certifications modified.
Open Water Certification - In my mind, this should take a minimum of ten open water dives, to progressively deeper depths, bottoming out at 100ft. At that depth, the person should be able to complete all the drills. Why? A few reasons - most dive shops completely disregard suggested maximums depths for open water certified individuals anyway. You can’t force every dive shop in the world to follow them, so I propose that you instead train the people who will be diving to learn some level of comfort at that depth. The other reason? People who train in 40ft and suddenly go plunging down to 100ft tend to forget their air consumption. At those depths, you have to watch it.
Advanced Open Water - For staters, loose the term Advanced. Anyone who can complete an open water course followed directly by an Advanced Open Water and come out with about a dozen open water dives under their belt shouldn’t be considered an advanced anything. I’d rename this Open Water Level II. I’d also loose the non life saving options in this course (i.e. fish identification or photography) - make those speciality courses on the side - focus instead on things such as dealing with a runaway BC inflation, free flowing regulators, loss of weight belt, panicked buddy, etc. I remember having my BC power button get stuck once during a dive. I damn near panicked as I watched it continue to inflate while I shot to the surface. Equipment malfunction happens. Train for it. I remember another instance in Roatan. I was on a boat dive with about six or seven other people - mostly new arrivals. The divemaster asked around about experience to try and pair up buddies. One of the arrivals was open water, and one was “advanced”. She paired them. Seemed logical. Once in the water, the “advanced” diver panicked during the descent and froze, hands clasped completely around the descent line and refused to move up or down. She froze. Completely. The open water diver lost his weights, but managed to recover them. As it turns out, the open water diver had a few dozen dives under his belt and the advanced open water diver had completed an open water and advanced course back to back. She had a total of 12 dives I think. Loose the advanced term.
Open Water Level III and IV - Create these more specialized courses that focus on safety and dealing with unpredictable diving conditions as stepping stones to the existing Rescue and DiveMaster levels. Include things such as visually inspecting tanks for wear (I’ve got a story there!), testing for air quality and maybe even touch on gear related topics such as regulator maintenance and care.
So that’s my view. What’s yours?
Filed under: Scuba Diving, Stories
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tor Dec 18th 2005 5:12PM
I see your point, but it seems excessive for most cert. divers. Most recreational divers don't go below 60 feet, or stay down for longer than 40 minutes. You have a pretty significant safety margin there, considering that all of those dives were going to be with a divemaster who's been to the site before.
Runaway bc inflation? What's the training for that? Smack the button with your hand? Find something to grab (not a buddy)? Seems excessive, for something that has never happened to me, in over 200+ dives (all rental equipment).
I think that a higher level of certification could be required for getting your tanks filled to go dive on your own, but to go on a guided tour?
Yes, there are safety issues involved with diving, but as it is, with the current standards, it is one of the safest active sports out there. Why turn away new divers with higher (and don't forget, much more expensive) cert. standards, when you need those people to (1) keep the industry profitable (2) protect the sites that we like to dive?
Regarding the Scuba Diver cert. - it obviously would be a terrible idea to allow SD cert. divers on some dives (wreck/cave at night), while on others, it would be fine (calm, protected water, 40 ft. for 40 minutes). The only person who can make that call, outside of gross generalizations, is the dive master.
One of the things I like about diving is that within the broad regulations, I am expected to be responsible for myself. We don't need to regulate it to death...
Viv Dec 18th 2005 5:12PM
I think both comments have valid points however, I would have to agree with Tor. Plain and simple, Scuba Divers ARE expected to be responsible for themselves. You can always get more training if you're not comfortable with the level of training you received. My comfort level may be different than yours. Afterall, you've got your own life in your hand.
W Perez Dec 18th 2005 5:12PM
I see both sides of view, but having been through PADI open water certification some 20 years ago when it was way different then it is now, I'd have to agree that I don't think that safety is stressed like it should be. Sure you are responsible for yourself, but it also helps to spend some time going through equipment and what to do with it if it fails. They used to do this a long time ago, at least my instructor did. My class was 6 weeks long 2 times a week, 2 hours at a time and before you were even allowed in the class it was a mile and a half swim with 3 different strokes, and 30 minutes of tredding water. We had to do 5 dives, and one of them was down to 100 feet so we knew what it was like to go that deep and the instructor spent a lot of time before that dive explaining what we might expect at that level. I know someone that went through the current certification and I was horrified that they were considered to be "certified" with a few classes and a couple of pool exercises and 2 dives at a rock quarry. They proudly were bragging about how they were certified scuba divers and all I could think of was that there was no way I would ever buddy up with someone with that level of experience unless it was a very, very basic dive down no more then 30 feet or so. I still think PADI is a great cerfication program, but I agree with the various levels of certification. I think that would be a great idea.