Getting C-Cards Without Testing?

[Bubbletrubble]

I like written exams. I usually do pretty well on them.
I've taken enough multiple choice exams to know that they are not the best assessment of a student's understanding of a topic and fund of knowledge.
One could argue that on-the-spot oral exams (or even informal "pimping"-style Q&A sessions) followed by several instructor-supervised dives would be a much better assessment. Then again, it's more difficult to standardize this testing approach across numerous instructors under the umbrella of a multi-national instructional agency.

 

[Marek K]

I think the question isn't whether the couple is AOW certified or not. As someone else said, I think the question is, are they certified at all?

And I agree that people can be great divers without certification.

Or not.

Or lousy divers with certification.

I'm curious too, but it's not my problem. But I'd sure want to investigate a bit more if I were ever diving with them...

 

[jaycanwk]

There is no law that says you must be certified to dive. Most dive charters however require certification for insurance/liability reasons.

As said above, just because you have a card doesn't mean you are a competent diver, and just because you don't have a card, doesn't mean you are not a competent diver.

They may not have dove the Spiegle Grove with a commercial dive charter, they may have dove off a private boat.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I got my PADI Boat Diver Cert off a friend without doing the course. He asked me what I planned to do now I had Cave cert and I said 'PADI Boat Diver'. He said 'which end of the boat is the pointy end?' so I answered and he goes 'ok I'll issue you a cert card'.

I am pretty sure I didn't miss much not doing the course.

... some boats have two pointy ends ... some have none ... see what you missed?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sas]

... some boats have two pointy ends ... some have none ... see what you missed?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Oh dear, I better hand my card in.

(actually it was the boat we were on )

 

[divermike1011]

I'm saving my PADI Boat Diving specialty until I complete my IDC Staff course, I feel at that point with all my training and career in the Navy I might be able to handle diving off a boat (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

Michael

 

[knowone]

I used to have, about half a dozen, shore scallop sites
that I stumbled on topographically and also by looking

Then a few other stumblers advertised them on the net


It's great that most are too lazy or incompetent to do it


Too, word of mouth used to be a privilege
lucky that the bigmouths they are lazy too

 

[miketsp]

I thought the only purpose of having a written test is to protect the instructor (and possibly the agency) against any future liability claim. It provides an auditable record that the student completed the course and knew the material if anything happens subsequently. If the Instructor feels comfortable doing an oral / in course assessment I don't see why this should be any less satisfactory in terms of actual testing.

 

[Marek K]

I hesitate stretching the analogy to that of a Driver's License (not least since a DL is a legal requirement)... but havng a DL, at least here in Maryland, is absolutely no indicator that the driver is competent. You just have to pass (with 80%) a written test that's at the second-grade level -- yet many people fail several times, I hope because of language comprehension. One of the possible questions is something like:

This sign [no right turn] means:
A. No passing.
B. No right turn.
C. A semi truck can't see you in his rear-view mirrors.

Then you have to pass a 5-minute closed course that does nothing more than test whether you can fasten your seat belt and physically control the car (parallel parking and full stops).

Yet I'd be concerned if I found out that someone was on the road without a DL.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

This is a really good discussion that raises some interesting points and misapprehensions. First, if a person has a certification card at any level, and instructor for the issuing agency signed off for them to get it. The instructor may or may not have engaged in all the requisite training. C cards don't come in cereal boxes. There are some instructors out there though who will short cut the process, and they are doing the sport, their agency and the divers they certify a HUGE disservice.
As to what certification you need for which dives, there are no laws. Different concessionaires impose different rules. My wife dove the Spiegel as an open water diver with me ( an insured PADI professional) but others too dove on the site without and advance certification. I am more concerned about competence and experience. You can get a PADI Advanced Open Water credential by doing 9 total dives from the time you were a non- diver to getting the advanced certification. Who is more competent- that diver, or an open water diver with 150 ocean dives?
Learn on every dive, be an active diver, take continuing education classes to improve your competence- not to get the card.
DivemasterDennis