Active diver re-certification

[Soggy_Diver]

Re-cert? No.

Rescue refresher? Yes.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

I'd jump at it. Pool time is expensive and hard to come by in some locations.

What's the down side?

In any case, I get rusty over winter break when the schools are out and there's no class. I'm pretty sure I'd be an absolute disaster after a year.

Not here, we have several places that just charge air fee. which is another reason I don't understand people in the area that don't take advantage of it. For me pool time is free , I use the op where I got my equipment, and took my OW classes.

 

[ChickenFried]

Is this dive club directly associated with a dive shop? The mandatory trips and pool sessions strike me as a way for a shop to increase their revenue stream. If that is the case, then I would probably avoid the club. If not, the pool session does not seem too onerous. I still don't care for forcing trips on someone.

Dive clubs are supposed to be a fun way for divers to get together and share experiences. When you start injecting too many rules and requirements, it starts to seem like work.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

On the face of it it all comes across as a bit scuba gulag to me. However if it was run as a meet and greet session where new members could get into the water with existing members and practise a few skills and generally get to know one other then I wouldn't rule it out. The great thing about clubs is you'll always meet people and the bad thing about clubs is you'll always meet people.

Now even this idea wouldn't be as bad, but this is a session with an instructor who's actually grading.

 

[pconsidine]

I think that this dive club is tied into a local dive shop- required dive trips and pool sessions. If club was worried about member safety, they should offer pool sessions under guise of demo new equipment or club party. Then they would attract more people.

 

[mathauck0814]

Are the trips mandatory or just the once/year pool session? I agree it seems weird to require both as they'd have the opportunity to make sure you're squared away on their trips.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

Is this dive club directly associated with a dive shop? The mandatory trips and pool sessions strike me as a way for a shop to increase their revenue stream. If that is the case, then I would probably avoid the club. If not, the pool session does not seem too onerous. I still don't care for forcing trips on someone.

Dive clubs are supposed to be a fun way for divers to get together and share experiences. When you start injecting too many rules and requirements, it starts to seem like work.

No certain dive shops, all trips are planned by the club. I felt the same way about the rules.

---------- Post added April 22nd, 2014 at 01:59 PM ----------

Are the trips mandatory or just the once/year pool session? I agree it seems weird to require both as they'd have the opportunity to make sure you're squared away on their trips.

both are mandatory.

 

[Soggy_Diver]

Re-cert? No.

Rescue refresher? Yes.

Replying to my own post...

I don't know if an annual rescue refresher would be practical as a requirement for club membership, but I would definitely participate if it were offered. It would be a benefit both for the person doing the refresher, and for other members of the club.

I think that rescue refresher would be more worthwhile than basic re-cert for most active divers, because BOW skills are...well...basic. Rescue skills are more high level and so need more maintenance.

 

[knotical]

What are the benefits to you for joining? If they outweigh this minor issue, go for it. Then after you've been a member for a while and find out how well it works, and perhaps their rationale, you could consider starting a polite campaign to change the rules.

 

[nimoh]

If it were a small charge, then yes, I enjoy playing around in the pool once in a while.

If I were paying for an instructor or full course, then probably not or definitely not, I practice the basic skills more than once a year with buddies anyway.

If I were required to go on trips with the club, then probably not. I'll go diving where I want to go diving, and hopefully get some people to go with me.