3-Day Open Water Certification?

[oly5050user]

can it be done in 3 days? yes, every one learns at a different pace. If the student is VERY comfortable in the water and it is a private class where the ratio is 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 and the student completes all academic requirements at home before the start of class via elearning a 3 day course can be done and be within standards. Logistically it does not work here for us in NY as the open water portion is not as easily accessible for us as it wouLd be let's say in Florida Keys. We are able to get all academic and pool requirements done starting on a Friday night 7pm to 11pm, Satuday 9am to 4 pm and Sunday 9am to 4pm. All In a group setting of anywhere from 4 to 8 students.Student in pool everyday (5 pool modules means 5 pool sessions that run 1 1/2 to 2 hrs each time)to complete the 5 modules in a PADI course.
Student views PADI ow DVD video, reads text, completes knowledge reviews at home or completes elearning. The required 4 ow training dives are usually conducted folowing weekend.
Dragging out a course for 6 weeks or more may seem a good idea but not too many people can devote that much time to learn to dive.Remember the end goal is to have a person at the end of the course that can plan and execute a open water dive with their buddy within the limits of their abilities and training, not someone who is immediately going out on a northeast dive boat going out to the San Diego wreck in 105' of ocean that may be rough water with limited visibility. If the want to do that kind of diving that is great,but they need to get experience gradually to do it.

 

[Keith.M]

When you finish your course, come up to North Florida and I will , for no charge, complete by NAUI standards everything your PADI zero to hero course has left out.

Now that is quite the offer!

 

[oly5050user]

When you finish your course, come up to North Florida and I will , for no charge, complete by NAUI standards everything your PADI zero to hero course has left out.

What do you think was left out? I have seen just as many lousy NAUI divers/instructors as any other agency. It is not the agency that certifies inept divers it is the inept instructor. I had a DM student that I failed out of a PADI DM course because he came to us from another facility with poor skills and no understanding of the academics. Well he went to Santo Domingo and came back less that a week later a NAUI instructor. I have it on solid sources that he paid $500 for the card with no class work and a few ow dives. The solid source I have was a experienced PADI instr and he paid something like $200 at the same time just to see if they would sell him a card. They did. There can be quality issues anywhere,any agency. All comes down to how skilled the instructor is teaching a course.

---------- Post added August 4th, 2014 at 06:49 PM ----------

Now that is quite the offer!

We all know what something for nothing is usually worth , don't we.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

The class you have signed up for meets minimum standards, key word MINIMUM. Folks who are very comfortable in the water, folks who can accomplish all the skills with one try and who can MASTER the skills immediately will do OK in this type class. This individual probably grew up with a swimming pool in his/her yard and became a "fish" early and totally comfortable in the water. Some of them do not even remember learning to swim they were so young.

Those people can probably take the three day class and be ok, just ok.

If the student is like most folks s/he needs more in water time, more practice, more time being used to using the equipment, handling the equipment, understanding the equipment in and under the water. The former it comes natural to, the latter need practice & time to become comfortable, proficient and able to think with all this crap on their back and make the proper response when the **** hits the fan.

Take a few extra days, spend a few extra dollars, get thorough training...it lasts a lifetime....

Otherwise take Dogdiver up on his offer..I know him well he helps people for a job ....

 

[BRT]

Study hard beforehand. I've seen it done in 3 days in warm water but it takes people who want to learn.

 

[Keith.M]

We all know what something for nothing is usually worth , don't we.

Well yes, I have heard that when something has been offered for nothing that the value has now been established.

However, how many new divers go from Open Water certification right into AOW, just to have more dives under the watch of an instructor?

Taking out any kind of agency pissing match, I would see nothing but a good opportunity for the OP to take dogdiver up on his offer, just for the sake of being able to immediately dive with an experienced diver/mentor/instructor. I don't see a down side to it in this case.

 

[kmurray719]

Hi there,
I'm brand new to diving and signed up for a PADI Open Water Certification course a few days ago.
The itinerary was given to me recently and is as follows:

Day 1: 1 introductory confined water dive
Day 2: Open water dives 1 and 2
Day 3: Open water dives 3 and 4

So, my question is, is it normal to do two dives in a day? Is it acceptable to do this certification in 3 days?
I'm fine with 3-days, but I just want to make sure that this sounds alright to do.

I'm a newbie, so sorry for my ignorance.:blush:
Any insight would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Are you sure this isn't an itinerary for a referral where the academics and pool sessions are done beforehand? I know it is possible to do a certification course in three days, but "introductory confined water dive" doesn't sound to me like you'd be doing all the pool sessions with this itinerary, and there's no mention of the academics at all.

And two dives in one day is very normal, for certifications and after. You could do three certification dives in one day and still be within standards for open water certifications.

 

[freewillie]

Is it normal, no. Is it possible, yes.

When I took basic OW it was just over two weeks. Not because it was two weeks of class and diving but because each individual module added up to two weeks. We had two separate class room sessions of a few hours. Then two separate open water confined pool sessions. Then two ocean dives. You also have to break the ocean portion up into two separate days. I can't remember the exact requirements but you have a maximum number of skills and dives you can do in one day which essentially guarantees two separate days with 4-5 dives over that time. By the time you added up the first class to the last dive it was just over two weeks.

My daughter actually certified in 5 days. She actually got the first dive out of the way by doing a discover scuba dive while we were on vacation. She and her best friend ( who also did the DSD) then begged and pleaded to finish their certification while on vacation. This lead to an intensive just about all day studies and scuba skills over the five days. While the time frame was a little compressed she did have to complete all the book and written materials, pass the same test for that material, then get in the pool and do her confined water skills, then do her open water skills. She also had to come back at one point for extra studies since she needed some extra tutoring.

And while it did seem like a lot to throw at a 13 year old she did just fine. I actually now a better dive buddy than some of my other experiences in a dive club. It does seem like a lot at first but it all depends on how each individual person responds to the skills and how you handle yourself underwater. Personally I had no issues with being in scuba gear especially after competitive swimming in high school. Neither did my daughter even though she didn't swim competitively. My wife on the other hand hated her discover scuba. She has absolutely no interest or desire to pursue diving.

So it depends on how you think you can handle the shortened time.

 

[enohla]

Are you sure this isn't an itinerary for a referral where the academics and pool sessions are done beforehand?

Absolutely sure. I bought my course book from them yesterday, which I have not even halfway finished, and I'm starting the intro dive tomorrow, which is in shallow ocean water.

I am an athlete and a fast learner, but I don't know if I feel comfortable moving this fast.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your input and kind offers! I'm thrilled to become a part of this community- even if a bit untraditionally... and will make sure to seek out further training after this course.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What shop is this with? An intro dive in the ocean with no pool practice? Wow. I won't even do Open Water intro dives. Pool only.

Oh and make sure the ratio of students to instructors in the class is no more than 2 to 1.

One dive instructor insurance agency and at least one cert agency I am aware of don't allow more than that. Too many unknowns.