NAUI Nitrox course - "Recognition" course v. "certification" course

[MB]

Lemme ask a question here. I am getting ready to take the NAUI nitrox course... it gives me ten different ways to figure out something... am I going to have to know every single way (mathamatically) to come to an answer, in feet AND meters?

A good instructor will work at the edges a bit until s/he sees how you learn best. THEN, the instructor will work through some formulas based on how you understand things. And if you regularly think in feet instead of meters, then your class will be i feet, not meters.

Most good instructors want you to be able to problem solve when there's no instructor around. That means the instructor has to find a reliable way for you to use the stuff you learn. Some stress formulas, others stress concepts. After a good class, you'll walk away thinking you already knew it!

If you get the class that takes you to a 25' quarry for a nitrox dive, call a foul, then call NAUI!

 

[tlawler]

So to keep both camps happy, they said fine... If you teach them about Nitrox will give them a card that says "Nitrox". Anyone in the world will honor it and let you dive Nitrox. But if you want to make your students do some dives, we give them one that says "Nitrox Diver".

I never realized the difference until now. I just looked in my NAUI nitrox book and it does state the clear difference between the "program" and the "course". When I signed up for it I asked about the dives and was a liitle miffed that there were none (hey...any excuse to go diving, right?). The LDS boss lady (owners wife) stated the purpose of the course isn't to teach you how to dive, but to teach you the physics and math involved in planning your nitrox dive. She went on to brag about how cheap her course was compared to other LDS blah, blah, blah...And the course, um...program, I mean was very informative and by the time I left, I had all the formulae memorized that I needed to know and I've got several nitrox dives under my belt now and I'm still alive so that's a good thing. But according to my nitrox c-card, I'm a full fledged nitrox diver! It says Nitrox Diver on the front and on the back:"This credential verifies that the individual has demonstrated the open water skills and academic knowledge necessary to meet NAUI Worldwide Diving Course Standards and at the completion of the course was determined competant to dive in open water"

Do the "nitrox program" cards actually just say Nitrox and not Nitrox Diver? If that's the case, I feel like I just paid for the cert and didn't earn it. Prior to this, I had bought a lot of stuff from this LDS and rented a lot of tanks on my 24 year old NAUI open water c-card, but never actually dove with them or any of their instructors. For all they may have known, I may have gone 20 years or more and never dove. And the way it was pitched as "cheaper than the other LDS's", kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth about the whole thing. I dunno...maybe I'm kind of over reacting to this. What do you guys think? Has anyone else had the same thing happen to them?

 

[MB]

I never realized the difference until now... When I signed up for it I asked about the dives and was a liitle miffed that there were none (hey...any excuse to go diving, right?). The LDS boss lady (owners wife) stated the purpose of the course isn't to teach you how to dive... went on to brag about how cheap her course was compared to other LDS blah, blah, blah... For all they may have known, I may have gone 20 years or more and never dove. And the way it was pitched as "cheaper than the other LDS's", kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth about the whole thing.

When the main selling points of a class are that its cheap, fast and easy, it usually means that its cheap, fast and easy - and sometimes some learning goes on during the class. Other instructors stress "thorough" or "comprehensive" or ... Some even require dives. Those instructors typically enjoy teaching, take pride in their students' growth, actually have something to teach, and know the difference. They usually don't compete with cheap, fast and easy.

 

[tlawler]

When the main selling points of a class are that its cheap, fast and easy, it usually means that its cheap, fast and easy - and sometimes some learning goes on during the class. Other instructors stress "thorough" or "comprehensive" or ... Some even require dives. Those instructors typically enjoy teaching, take pride in their students' growth, actually have something to teach, and know the difference. They usually don't compete with cheap, fast and easy.

Yeah, but shouldn't I have ended up with the Nitrox card and not the Nitrox Diver card?

 

[MB]

Yeah, but shouldn't I have ended up with the Nitrox card and not the Nitrox Diver card?

Their main selling point was "cheap." Are you surprised that they issued the wrong card? There really isn't any functional difference though. Most of the industry is not aware of the two "types" of NAUI nitrox cards, and both enable you to get fills and entrance to the boat.

 

[tlawler]

OK, I'll assume from the replys that it's really no big deal. I'm not thinking I got ripped off by the LDS, I did get what I paid for (and more literally).

You asked if I was surprised that they issued the wrong card. Frankly I am. First, I don't know if it was an oversite, or if that is just business as usual. Second, they are the professionals we put our lives in the hands of to some extent and I would like to think they pay attention to the small details like that. Granted, when I rent tanks there and bring them back used, the obvious assumption is that I went diving with them and didn't just bleed down some pressure and return them. It's just not an assumption that I personally would make and sleep well at night.

Anyway case closed on this for me. I've accepted it and won't beat it to death anymore. As a last word, I really do like this particular LDS and their instructors and their prices for the most part. I have shopped them against others and the web on occasion, but I do buy more there than from any non web LDS. They are good and patient people and this was the first time I had any cause to question anything they did. End rant.

 

[WaterDawg]

Other instructors stress "thorough" or "comprehensive" or ... Some even require dives.

Thats crazy! Your a dinosaur man you can probably hold nitrox class over the phone or a web presentation... JUST KIDDING!!

The truth is that if you local instructor only does the class w/o dives I would not ask them to hold a class that includes the dives, after all if they cant think of anything to do during such dives it probably IS a waste of time. A little creativity and and knowlege above the level they are teaching goes a long way. It scares me when folks try to get away w/ doing the minimum and then justify it by saying "I couldnt think of anything else too do".

 

[MB]

Thats crazy! Your a dinosaur man you can probably hold nitrox class over the phone or a web presentation... after all if they cant think of anything to do during such dives it probably IS a waste of time... folks try to get away w/ doing the minimum and then justify it by saying "I couldnt think of anything else too do".

hehehe - I really am a dino! I even get cold when snoozing on a hot rock!

I agree about not pushing for extras or deeper learning when "instructors" have little to offer - sad but true, as seen in posts in other threads about advanced deep dives to 60', nitrox dives to 25', and leadership classes that have to teach "leaders" how to dive without a mask. (Tho for $79.99 you can enroll in my on-line, no-mask specialty. No dives required!)

Not making any assumptions about the specific LDS in this thread. I'm not impressed that "cheap" is the magnet used to draw business, but who knows... They might be excellent teachers who are caught up with a poor business plan. We all tote an albatross sooner or later.

 

[beejw]

PADI give you full cert without dives now, SSI still requires dives.

 

[LuccaTheFox]

One good thing to experience in person is going on a dive boat, doing one EAN 36 dive to 85 feet and using half the gas. Surface interval of one hour and the boat only fills with air... Now a new EAN mix, new MOD, plus you get to the learn how to use the gas analyzer. Definitely should be part of the class before they let you out on your own.