C-Card Recognition: Myth or Fact?

[Steve_C]

My favorite boat collects a card from everybody and returns after the dive. No card and no dive. There is a problem with folks trying to dive without training and there is a big risk then to the dive op. Much easier to just collect the cards than have to check the numbers on a computer. That takes staff time. For nitrox you show the card once and it is on file.

Having said that they will take an OW card even if the dive is way over OW "limits".

 

[oreocookie]

I recently had somebody come in wanting to sign up for AOW. When I asked him for his OW card, he told me he didn't have it with him but that he could bring it in later. I looked him up anyway and saw he was only Scuba Diver... He insisted it said it said OW on the card. When he came back a couple of days later, he seemed genuinely surprised when I pointed out the card didn't say "open water" anywhere on it. Based on some of the dives in his logbook, I doubt he's ever been asked to show his card.

 

[tdchandl]

Hmmm. Reading through the thread a question regarding hanging on to all the cards. I was told after taking then nitrox course and getting that card that I should discard my ow card as this was implied covered when using my nitrox card. Should I request padi to reissue me a new ow card. Both show up on my padi profile. What I'm hearing here I should have kept my orig ow card.

 

[kelemvor]

I looked him up anyway and saw he was only Scuba Diver... He insisted it said it said OW on the card.

Isn't that the same thing?

 

[Tug]

I can't remember the last time I had to show a card for either diving or fills, including boats that I haven't been on before. Come to think about it, I've found that as my diving has progressed, the need to show cards has decreased. I don't think that I've ever had to show a card to get a trimix fill but have had to show my card to get an air fill. Same goes for charters, I've rarely had to show a card for a trip below 130' but have showed it plenty for recreational charters.

 

[Pavao]

Hmmm. Reading through the thread a question regarding hanging on to all the cards. I was told after taking then nitrox course and getting that card that I should discard my ow card as this was implied covered when using my nitrox card. Should I request padi to reissue me a new ow card. Both show up on my padi profile. What I'm hearing here I should have kept my orig ow card.

If you show me the nitrox card only, to me, yes, it would be implied you are at least OW certified.

You can request PADI to "reissue" any of your cards at any time, they're called replacement cards and cost about $35 (?)

 

[scubastingray]

Isn't that the same thing?

Maybe he only dives in overhead environments?

 

[diversteve]

Isn't that the same thing?

If we're talking PADI - no. It's an interim card between a Discover Dive and a fully certified O/W diver.

PADI Scuba Diver Course

Short on time and long on the urge to become a certified diver? The PADI Scuba Diver certification might just be for you. This course requires less time than the PADI Open Water Diver course, covering only the first three of five sections of knowledge development, the first three of five pool sessions, and the first two of four open water training dives, resulting in a limited certification. Particularly if you expect to go scuba diving primarily in the company of a dive guide or if you have limited time to devote to scuba certification, consider becoming a PADI Scuba Diver.

This certification allows for ample dive experience and is a good warm-up for the Open Water Diver course, if that’s your ultimate goal. PADI Scuba Divers are qualified to:

Get your PADI scuba diver certification so you can interact with dolphins and other amazing marine life Dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor to a maximum depth of 12 metres / 40 feet
Obtain air fills, rent or purchase scuba equipment and participate in other diving activities as long as they have the required supervision
Continue their dive training and complete PADI Open Water Diver certification and other courses such as Project AWARE and equipment specialty courses

 

[Pavao]

Nope, Scuba Diver is basically half an OW, you can only dive to 45' and MUST be accompanied by a professional.

Really really back then, PADI intro course was called Scuba Diver, that has created some problems in todays date, PADI will not reissue a card for someone who holds one of those and change the wording to OPEN WATER, but at the same time, it's basically a liability, since the standards today define Scuba Diver differently, I don't understand either, I would think it would be easier to distinguish the 2 by it's issue date, by apparently not, I have talked to PADI about extensively.

A gentleman visiting Florida from UK, showed up with one of those once, issue date was like 60's-70's, can't remember, but I couldn't let him dive as an OW diver, even though his training was probably better standards/quality than today, it was still a risk from a liabilities point of view, luckily he was not a guy with ego issues (like many reading this now, frothing on their chairs I'm sure), so I sat down with him, did an oral examination on his knowledge, (which was much better than most newly certified divers today if I were to ask the same questions just a month after completing training), asked him to describe step by step about how to perform certain skills and certain scenarios, he was spot on in everything, then I went on 2 dives with him.
PADI instructors has/had an option to "give" a C-card to someone who though has not have had formal training, does posses enough experience and show they can dive safely, you must be very, very, very discrete about it, I can't remember the full details on how it works, maybe someone can clarify, but anyways, I "gave" this gentleman an OW card so he wouldn't have this problem anymore.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 10:58 PM ----------

Isn't that the same thing?

I meant to quote this

 

[dshorwich]

I've occasionally gotten a quizzical look when I've shown my Rescue card from WASE/NASI, but I've never been turned down because of it. There was one time the look was particularly quizzical, so to avoid a hassle I pulled out my PADI AOW card, and the look went away.