NAUI Master Diver Test Prep

[350xfire]

Don't sweat it. Read the leadership book and the Master Diver book. Know the stuff about how to lift an anchor from the bottom of the ocean, how many cubic feet of air, etc. If you suck at math, don't worry too much. I don't think you can fail by sucking at math. Dive tables, DM duties, that kind of stuff is on there. Most of it is common sense stuff, some you'll have to read the books to get. Hey, if you fail, you can always take test 2. You'll do some Boyle's Law calculations, ATM/PSI/Depth, etc...

 

[DoogaDiver]

Thank you all for the excellent feedback! I took quite a few of your recommendations, and have continued my studying. I'm happy to say I just returned from my two week adventure with one of my best friends. We had a great time and did some interesting diving together. In the end, we decided to hold off on my Master Diver certification. We hit some dive spots in Laguna and Redondo beaches, worked on my basic skills, comfort, and competence in the water, and completed some challenging shore, night, and deep dives. When I return from this deployment, I will continue seeking opportunities to get wet and to hone my skills, as well as to continue studying. I have downloaded the Navy Dive manual, and also intend to purchase some diving related books to continue my studies while I am deployed. I would prefer to be capable above my rating rather than rated above my capabilities.

 

[DoogaDiver]

I did my NAUI Master Diver a while back. I had to simultaneously prepare for the NAUI Master Diver, Rescue Diver, and First Aide, as well as the LA County ADP program I was attending. One note of caution, it is fine to get the books and study them, but you'll only get so much without instruction. And you might get overloaded doing them all at the same time while trying to refresh your skills.

The ADP program focused extremely heavily on dive tables and physics. It is funny, took us about 6 hours do complete the ADP program final (written exam) and about 30-45 minutes to complete each the NAUI Reccue and Master Diver and NAUI First Aide (all of which multiple choice) and most of us scored in the 92-100% range on both (but 68-75 on ADP, go figure).

Reminescing aside, my point is that you can overload yourself easily. The NAUI Dive Master exam is actually not very simple. There are a few key things you might do well to learn to make it easier: dive tables and physics but the exam isn't only those points.

You'll get some equipment questions, such as care of cyliners and regulators, more about valves than I thought relevant, and even more about bouron tube gauges and diaphragm gauges. But it treads much lighter on the exam than the book leads you to believe. Some about the ocean enviornment and physiology, search and recovery and navigation.

In all, most of which was simple enough if you read the book once or twice (the equipment chapter thrice) and really really really understand your physics though I only got about 7 or 8 questions on it but those took me some time to work out. Brain seems fried after studying for all the other exams all at once.

In short, take your time, enjoy your dives, learn your tables and dive physics, a bit about physiology, all of which as it applies to the NAUI Master Diver cirriculum, and do not stress about it. As a suppliment, I used the NoAAA Diving Manual and Navy Diving Manual v5 at the time, v6 is now current) as a suppliment to get finer understanding.

I found the NAUI Rescue significantly more challenging a test because it seems to be much more rote memorization and procedures than something you learn simply by diving with your favorite NAUI Instructor Trainier bud.

And after you're done, if you're anything like me, you'll probly still use your C-Card for airfills and soon discover you've mastered nothing about diving except elementery dive physics and dive table management. Proud as I am of the card, and as aware of my skills and comfort as I am, I feel like flashing the card would misreprent my true mastery of the craft.

I found your response in regard to the LA County ADP particularly interesting. My dive buddy, Mike, is also an LA County instructor, and was preparing for an upcoming ADP while I was visiting him. I found the historical aspect of LA County SCUBA very interesting, and was surprised at how far superior their curriculum appears to the major agencies. I wish I were able to complete their training. Unfortunately the fact I live in Texas, am currently deployed to Iraq, and will move to Baltimore quickly upon my return makes that unlikely. It's unfortunate NAUI and PADI don't seem to hold their training to the same rigorous standards. In the future, when I meet a diver with an LA County C Card, I will know I am talking or diving with someone who has proven their abilities.

 

[mudchick]

FYI Calhoun's "Physics for Divers" is available thru Aqua Quest Publications (aquaquest.com) for $15.00. I'm considering doing the NAUI Master Diver class but I'm concerned about the math so I'm trying to collect all the ancillaries I can so I can study up before I actually take the class, at least have an idea what's going on so I don't feel quite so lost.

On another note (realizing I'm putting the cart well before the horse), what are my options if I choose to go on to divemaster? Knowing that padi is more prevalent around the world than naui (NOT a comment on which is better or worse), can I take my dm card to say, Thailand or Aruba and seek a summer job as a dm in a padi-dominated world?

What questions should I ask to see if I'm going to be a tank-hauler or someone that matters to the shop I do the class with? And when the shop says, "you'd make a good dm" do they mean it or are they just looking for cash and strong backs?

Thanks all.

 

[Thalassamania]

Fred's physics book is really good, it was open on the table when I wrote the Master Diver/Instructor exam physics section, but I don't know if and how much it has been changed.

 

[leabre]

I found your response in regard to the LA County ADP particularly interesting. My dive buddy, Mike, is also an LA County instructor, and was preparing for an upcoming ADP while I was visiting him. I found the historical aspect of LA County SCUBA very interesting, and was surprised at how far superior their curriculum appears to the major agencies

... [snip]...

It's unfortunate NAUI and PADI don't seem to hold their training to the same rigorous standards. In the future, when I meet a diver with an LA County C Card, I will know I am talking or diving with someone who has proven their abilities.

Mike who? I will be assisting the ADP class this year.

I don't think that PADI would be any different if you took 14 weeks of straight classes (every specialty) one after the other all culminating into a final exam and proficiency demonstration. Every instructor is volunteering their time in ADP so you paren't paying them for it.

But they do get LACO Instructors to lecture on various topics of their specialy: E.G. Dive Physicians lecture on Physiology and Medical Aspects of Diving, Marine Biologist might lecture on Underwater Naturalist/Marine Identification or Oceanography. Phsysts while lector on Phsycs. Nick Icorn (co-founder of PADI) lectured on history of diving (complete with a museum of diving antiquities), Los Angeles Fire Dept. Rescue and Life Guards on SAR (they sink fake body parts and pieces of airplane in a harbor in Long Beach and then you practice SAR in low viz near no viz to locate), emergency communications, first aide and so on.

Most of those topics in a typical organization wouldn't be taught by volunteers of the trade so you'd learn the topics, but with a different degree of refinement.

I was ADP graduate #2020. So there aren't many of us, but hopefully you'll find someone. Keep in mind, LACO also has OW and Intermediate Diver before ADP. ADP is the holy grail of non-pro LACO certs. I would recon anyone trained by LACO is probably being trained by the same standards as PADI and NAUI were in the early 80's (NAUI probably still today). They students spend 8-10 weeks in each course before completion. Most of the time is spent in practice and comfort.

I don't hold any PADI certs but all my instructors could have, they were multi-agency. So I don't hold to it that the agency matters. What I do hold, is that every boat trip I've ever done has been spoiled by a recent OW grad from a certain org where you Put Another Dollar In every time. I think in general more and more divers are ill prepared to be left-alone in the waters.

But that is because the market demands it. So I'm told. It could also be because it is available. I'm sure if you told a student that they could spent 14 weeks in training or 8 they choose. They'll likely choose 8. Call that a crash-course. But now we say you could spend 8 days or 3 days including over the internet, and guess what, people will say 3. No one knows that they may not be ready for their exploration in such short time. But the agency or instructors or dive shops push it to get more students in and meet the demand that they themselves hype. I'm sure its a combo of both but not being an instructor or dive shop operator I have no specific insights.

Anyway, next time you're in LA ping me and we'll go diving.

 

[DoogaDiver]

FYI Calhoun's "Physics for Divers" is available thru Aqua Quest Publications (aquaquest.com) for $15.00.

I actually just tried to order this book, but unfortunately I am back in the big sandbox and they do not ship to APOs. I'll get someone back home to order it and ship it out to me. It seems to be highly regarded, and all I can do in the next four months is watch diving videos and read!

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

No ... instructor level knowledge and diving skills are what the course was designed to provide (I should know, I am the designer). A NAUI Master Diver should be the equal of a NAUI Instructor in all ways EXCEPT: knowledge of actual teaching stuff and the NAUI organization.

LOL that's beautiful.

Thanks for the design, I just finished the course last week

 

[SharkWhisperer]

I just finished my Advanced 3 weeks ago, and am taking my Master Diver Test tomorrow morning. The class has been great, and getting to spend so much time in the water has also been wonderful (helps taking the class on Catalina Island, and being retired, altogether I've been here 5 weeks). I've been hammering myself with Henry, Doyle, Amontons, Charles and all the other guys who had too much time on their hands.
I have read the book, cover to cover twice...taken great notes during class and am reviewing my dive tables (computers have made us all a little rusty I think).
Just thought I'd throw in my two cents.