Certification cards once again...

[rligon]

I'd be happy if I could get a card with my level and Nitrox on it. I've read various places that PADI will do this on C-Cards, and others that they will only do it on the clip-on C-Card. Not sure why it is that difficult on the wallet card, but since they haven't been able to update MyPadi records for over a year and a half I guess I ask too much. I just checked the replacement card ordering again to see if it is up to date, nothing in there either past Jul 09. Ah well, at least I get the originals...

 

[DaMaDo]

Instead of a picture of a squid or whatever on the back, maybe they can have the 25+ certs

 

[NightForce]

The card size would be massive! I have over 25 various certifications, can you imagine getting all that info on one card?

Yea I guess my idea of all the certs on one card as endorsements would not work so well. People are making a good point with many divers having certs some several different agencies and having so many different certifications. Looks like we are just going to have to buy a small credit card holder to pile all the cards in. We can put a dive flag emblem on the wallet charge double for it and call it a divers license wallet.

 

[tlj3071]

Yea I guess my idea of all the certs on one card as endorsements would not work so well...

This works quite well for pilots (at least in the U.S. - can't say about elsewhere). One card with all certifications on the back - unless you are also an instructor, in which case there is a second card. When you earn a new endorsement, you get a replacement card. Generally, to rent a plane all you need is this one card, a recent flight physical, and proof of aircraft liability insurance. Even so, this is better than carrying around a book with 75 or so cert cards.

As for dealing with multiple agencies, it seems that there might be a potential business model for a "clearing house" that would issue a single card with all certs from all the various agencies (for a small fee, of course ).

Tom

 

[Hammerhead]

Ive heard of someone being refused a normal nitrox fill when he presented an advanced trimix card as the card didnt say "nitrox" on it. If that happens id just walk out and find a less retarded shop though.

Happened to me, too.

I was on BSAC-hired boat and asked to show my cert card. Needless to say, I lost it ages ago.

Managed to find rebreather and trimix cards and was denied a (air) fill. Turned the air blue with pithy epithets until the captain / warden / dive czar or whatever gave in. I then gave him a last steely glare and promptly jumped in without a weight belt.

Damn, I'm cool :cool2:

 

[ucfdiver]

The "all in one" concept would only work if all of your certifications were through one agency. Personally, I'd find that rather limiting since no one agency offers all the courses I've wanted to take.

I was once refused nitrox when presenting a trimix card ... I was also once refused a dive charter because the cards I had on me at the time were YMCA and NAUI ... the latter being an instructor's card, no less. The shop only accepted PADI cards.

You can't cure stupidity ... you can only laugh at it and go find more competent people to deal with ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I was refused a night dive once because I didn't have my AOW. Had a full cave card, but no AOW. Can't really get mad, these people are just trying to make a living. Fortunately the boat next door was going out and we had a great time.

 

[DevonDiver]

Gotta wonder at the skills and knowledge that these 'dive pros' possess... when they don't understand the basic structure and heirarchy of scuba certifications..

 

[Kingpatzer]

The card size would be massive! I have over 25 various certifications, can you imagine getting all that info on one card?

scan strips, bar codes, hashes, computers ... these would all work just fine.

Probably could also come up with a designator for AOW, Deep, Night, Nitrox, TriMix, Ice, Cavern, Cave and Wreck -- I can't think of anything else that might be "required" by any reasonable dive center.

So you'd have at most nine certs listed, with a scan strip and bar code that would tie back to a computer database that would list everything else.

 

[DevonDiver]

It'd make the MSD certification more worthwhile, if the card listed all your qualifications. Given that you basically only pay for the cost of the card anyway, it'd just mean that you had the convenience of everything listed on one piece of plastic.

If PADI were really clever.... once you got the MSD card... any further training you did could be reflected on an updated MSD card, rather than on a new course specific card..

SSI do this at instructor level. My SSI instructor card lists all of the courses and specialities that I am authorised to teach... along with my 'level' of logged dives.

 

[Hank49]

scan strips, bar codes, hashes, computers ... these would all work just fine.

Probably could also come up with a designator for AOW, Deep, Night, Nitrox, TriMix, Ice, Cavern, Cave and Wreck -- I can't think of anything else that might be "required" by any reasonable dive center.

So you'd have at most nine certs listed, with a scan strip and bar code that would tie back to a computer database that would list everything else.

This would work.....and may be used as early as.....2028?
I'm not busting your butt on this...it's a cool idea...but really, when you come into Belize, or the Philippines, or Honduras....they just look at your passport and stamp it. Not like the US where they know the color of your grandmother's underwear after they swipe your passport.
If the governments of these countries don't have that tech for passports, will the dive shops have it for verifying cert levels?