Is it worth it?

[T.C.]

Just complete my OW and I have stumbled upon an opportunity to 5 specialty certs alongside AOW for what i consider to be a "steal" when it comes to PADI courses.

Just remember, if you pay for something you don't need, then even $1 is wasted. However, if you have a good instructor, many classes are quite useful. S&R, Deep, Bouyancy all come to mind.

Now to my question(s). Is it worth it?

Uh-oh. Duck!

Why do i need a cert to do something, aside from just the dangers? Night, Deep, Nav, Wreck, multi level, boat?

You don't, it's a myth that PADI likes to keep going. Shops may ask for either liability (Deep come to mind), or to get you to buy the card (training) from them in order to do the dive. I know a local shop that (reportably) won't let you dive in the murky, dark, alligator infested local river with them...unless you buy his "special" Black-water River Diver. Yeah...Riiiggghhttt....

The exception to this is Nitrox. Shops require this to ensure that you know (or should know) the particulars of diving voodoo gas, and know about things like MOD, and how to analyze a tank.

 

[lowviz]

...//... I cannot imagine what a boat diving course would teach you other than what common sense tells you, ...//...

Don't take this wrong, but I could SO suggest a "boat" instructor. Someone once told me that common sense is just your grandfather's biases. I'm thinking that "common sense" differs between the Florida Keys and the Jersey coast...

 

[TMHeimer]

Assuming one has been on boats of dive boat/fishing boat size, I agree that diving from one is just common sense. Store gear & gear up neatly, jump in, down the (probably anchor) line (unless drift diving, which as some other concerns), up line, up ladder after handing fins off and not having waited right under someone else on the ladder.....Oh, big rule- when on bottom remember where anchor line is or you must ascend without it. And of course do all this the way the crew instructs you to. Not rocket science.

 

[lowviz]

Assuming one has been on boats of dive boat/fishing boat size,

My experience is that most OW divers have not.

Store gear & gear up neatly, jump in, down the (probably anchor) line (unless drift diving, which as some other concerns)

First ocean dive I did was on the John-Jack with a bunch of tech divers. Are you actually reading what you write? You would put an inexperienced diver into this situation? All it takes is OW to get you an inshore dive. Show up and wing it like I did? Sorry.

up line, up ladder after handing fins off ...

Strongly suggest you try that here.

... when on bottom remember where anchor line is or you must ascend without it. ...//...

Wow.

 

[T.C.]

My experience is that most OW divers have not.First ocean dive I did was on the John-Jack with a bunch of tech divers. Are you actually reading what you write? You would put an inexperienced diver into this situation? All it takes is OW to get you an inshore dive. Show up and wing it like I did? Sorry.Strongly suggest you try that here.Wow.

So what would you recommend the new boat diver do differently? The only thing I can suggest is listen carefully to the safety brief. Diving a boat is not challenging.

No new diver is going on the trip you suggested. The operator would turn them away. Second, handing off fins is a common practice to avoid losing a grip on the ladder. What good are your fins when you're on the ladder? Do you regularly fall off it and need to swim back?

Boat diving is a waste of money, in my opinion. There is about nothing that you'll learn, even from your instructor. It is indeed common sense.

 

[lowviz]

So what would you recommend the new boat diver do differently? The only thing I can suggest is listen carefully to the safety brief. Diving a boat is not challenging.

You do realize that this is "New Divers and Those Considering Diving"? I'm saying for this crowd, yes, indeed it is. Scuba Diving - New Jersey & Long Island New York - dive Wreck Valley - Dive Sites - New Jersey - Sandy Hook Chart

No new diver is going on the trip you suggested. The operator would turn them away.

Really? Not here. I am proof that a cert will get you a seat.

Second, handing off fins is a common practice to avoid losing a grip on the ladder. What good are your fins when you're on the ladder? Do you regularly fall off it and need to swim back?

You hope for seas that are 2-3 feet. Much more common is 3-4. 4-5 is common. You lose your grip or the downstroke knocks you or your mask off, even you will be wanting your fins..

Boat diving is a waste of money, in my opinion. There is about nothing that you'll learn, even from your instructor. It is indeed common sense.

You are just as entitled to your position as I am. No prob. C'mon up and dive with us sometime. Just don't ask what to do. It's all common sense...

---------- Post added April 12th, 2014 at 07:26 PM ----------

Hoping to get out this weekend, iffy, but looks like it is going in the right direction...




Coastal waters from Manasquan Inlet to Little Egg Inlet NJ out 20 nm

Marine Zone Forecast

Philadelphia, PA
NWS Weather Forecast Office

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
LATE SUNDAY NIGHT... 6 TO 9 FT...SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 7 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SHOWERS... AFTERNOON...THEN DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT IN THE EVENING... INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT...

• SynopsisA WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH OF THE REGION TONIGHT. TOMORROW, A HIGH CENTERED IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC WILL BUILD, BECOMING THE PREDOMINANT FEATURE FOR OUR WEATHER THROUGH MONDAY. LATE TUESDAY, A STRONG COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH THROUGH THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO BUILD AND REMAIN ENTRENCHED OVER OUR REGION THROUGH THE LATER HALF OF THE WORK WEEK.
• Tonight S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Mainly in S swell with a dominant period of 8 seconds.
• Sun S winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt... Increasing to 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Mainly in S swell with a dominant period of 6 seconds.
• Sun Night S winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft. Mainly in S swell with a dominant period of 7 seconds.
• Mon S winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Mainly in S swell with a dominant period of 7 seconds.
• Mon Night S winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Showers likely after midnight.
• Tue S winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Showers.
• Tue Night NW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 6 to 9 ft...subsiding to 4 to 7 ft after midnight. Showers... Mainly in the evening.
• Wed N winds 20 to 25 kt...becoming NE 15 to 20 kt in the afternoon...then diminishing to 10 to 15 kt in the evening... Increasing to 15 to 20 kt after midnight. Seas 4 to 7 ft... Subsiding to 3 to 5 ft. A chance of showers through the day.
• Thu NE winds 15 to 20 kt...diminishing to 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft.

 

[augurs]

Regarding the fins thing, just do what the boat tells you to do. The ones I've dived on has never had ladders designed for fins so I've always had to take them off before climbing on even when the water was rough. You might want to keep your fins on but if the ladder isn't designed for fins, I doubt it's going to work out well.

 

[T.C.]

You do realize that this is "New Divers and Those Considering Diving"? I'm saying for this crowd, yes, indeed it is.

And I state for a fact; No, it is not. You are confusing the skill required to dive a certain site with the skill required to get on and off the boat. Boat Diver specialty will not back you a better diver. And I'd still like to know what this instructor could possibly teach that isn't common sense.

You hope for seas that are 2-3 feet. Much more common is 3-4. 4-5 is common. You lose your grip or the downstroke knocks you or your mask off, even you will be wanting your fins..

Then...don't lose your grip. Hold the ladder at the bottom; as the boat goes down, the ladder goes up; minimizing the force needed to keep a grip.

Now, I agree; I like to keep my fins until I'm on the boat. But I have yet to lose my grip; even in 6-8 foot seas. Yours is not the only place with waves.

Regarding the fins thing, just do what the boat tells you to do. The ones I've dived on has never had ladders designed for fins so I've always had to take them off before climbing on even when the water was rough. You might want to keep your fins on but if the ladder isn't designed for fins, I doubt it's going to work out well.

What we're talking about is the common practice of removing the fins and putting them around your wrists, so you can retain them if you fall of the ladder, and need to swim back to the boat.

However, in strong seas and heavy currents, your best bet may be to just inflate the BCD, chill out, and wait for the boat to come and get you again.

You are just as entitled to your position as I am. No prob. C'mon up and dive with us sometime. Just don't ask what to do. It's all common sense...

It is. And getting on and off the boat is not challenging or counter-intuitive. The dives are different. You may have an advanced site requiring experienced divers to safely dive it. That's fine. But do not confuse the skill required to dive a site with the ability to get on and off a boat; which doesn't change from place to place.

Really? Not here. I am proof that a cert will get you a seat.

I know. See previous post. It's a marketing strategy.

You don't, it's a myth that PADI likes to keep going. Shops may ask for either liability (Deep come to mind), or to get you to buy the card (training) from them in order to do the dive.

 

[flots am]

Now to play Devil's advocate. Put Another Dollar In, we've all heard it and thought it was hilarious (the first time). Without referencing "don't dive beyond your training/limits"... Why do i need a cert to do something, aside from just the dangers?

If you own a boat, or have access to shore, you can dive anywhere you feel like, without any certification at all.

You might live or die or have a great time or be injured, but there are no SCUBA Police (except in France) and only you are responsible for your own dives.

Now if you want to sign up for a Dive on Jimbo's Awesome Dive Boat, Jimbo wants some assurance that you're qualified for the dive, so his insurance company won't cancel him. Since Jimbo doesn't want the personal responsibility of determining if you're going to be safe in 100' of water, he'll ask to see your "deep" certification card, so when you claim your Darwin Award, he can just say that PADI or whoever said you were qualified.

flots.

 

[lowviz]

...//... Then...don't lose your grip. Hold the ladder at the bottom; as the boat goes down, the ladder goes up; minimizing the force needed to keep a grip.

Now, I agree; I like to keep my fins until I'm on the boat. ...//...

Point is, for this forum, you are giving advice to people who probably have never been on a dive boat. Some of them actually listen to this stuff. I know you like to tangle with others on the internet, it is all a matter of record. No problem, I couldn't care less.

I'm speaking to the people who belong in this forum: You don't necessarily need a formal course, but you DO need something. The boats know this. That is why they offer things like:

Saturday 7th

Lakeland

New Diver Special Extra hands will be on board to make your first dives into the North Atlantic an interesting, safe, and enjoyable adventure.

Not a commercial, just I boat I picked, I can think of many others that offer the same thing...