NAUI Open Water Class Requirements

[MXGratefulDiver]

NAUI standards for the Scuba Diver (OW) class require four scuba dives plus one skin diving dive ... or you can substitute the skin diving dive for a fifth scuba dive.

If he's covering all of the skills in one pool session, how long is the pool session? With one or two students, I have a hard time covering them all in four hours ... and only then if the students are quick on the uptake. This does, of course, include some time for practicing those skills, but it's what I'd consider a barebones minimum amount of pool time. I prefer six hours ... and even then I'd only do this with one or two students, where I can keep them moving pretty much the whole time.

NAUI's online class is set up to allow the instructor to track a student's progress as they work their way through the modules ... but that assumes the instructor bothers to go online and check. It's fairly efficient in terms of allowing us to know what the student is "not getting" ... so that when they show up for the review/test if you (the instructor) have done your homework you will have a very good idea ahead of time what needs to be discussed and reviewed. Again, this assumes a diligent instructor.

If you're checking around for the cheapest price, chances are you're not looking for a diligent instructor ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dumpsterDiver]

NAUI standards for the Scuba Diver (OW) class require four scuba dives plus one skin diving dive ... or you can substitute the skin diving dive for a fifth scuba dive.

If he's covering all of the skills in one pool session, how long is the pool session? With one or two students, I have a hard time covering them all in four hours ... and only then if the students are quick on the uptake. This does, of course, include some time for practicing those skills, but it's what I'd consider a barebones minimum amount of pool time. I prefer six hours ... and even then I'd only do this with one or two students, where I can keep them moving pretty much the whole time.

NAUI's online class is set up to allow the instructor to track a student's progress as they work their way through the modules ... but that assumes the instructor bothers to go online and check. It's fairly efficient in terms of allowing us to know what the student is "not getting" ... so that when they show up for the review/test if you (the instructor) have done your homework you will have a very good idea ahead of time what needs to be discussed and reviewed. Again, this assumes a diligent instructor.

If you're checking around for the cheapest price, chances are you're not looking for a diligent instructor ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The pool session is in the morning and then in the afternoon, two open water dives are conducted. He didn't say how long the pool session was, but he did mention it depends on the tides, since it has to be concluded so that the two openwater dives need to be done at high tide in the afternoon.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The pool session is in the morning and then in the afternoon, two open water dives are conducted. He didn't say how long the pool session was, but he did mention it depends on the tides, since it has to be concluded so that the two openwater dives need to be done at high tide in the afternoon.

Doesn't sound like a class that meets NAUI standards to me ... I'll withhold judgment on the pool time, but only two checkout dives is a clear standards violation.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tomfcrist]

Re read the original post bob, there are 2 additional boat dives further down the line .

 

[SeaCobra]

Bob,
NAUI dropped that 5th OW dive requirement with the past S&P revision, only 4 OW dives are required, but they have to be all on scuba. As far as I can tell, based on how the course is described, it meets the barest minimum requirements. That is, as long as everything goes perfectly.

 

[Teller]

Bob,
NAUI dropped that 5th OW dive requirement with the past S&P revision, only 4 OW dives are required, but they have to be all on scuba. As far as I can tell, based on how the course is described, it meets the barest minimum requirements. That is, as long as everything goes perfectly.

I agree. Newest standards are 4 OW dives. Pool time is up to the instructor. I make my students pass all the skills in the pool before we even touch OW. I think if your teaching/reteaching skills during OW you did something wrong during your confined water sessions.

 

[Drin]

I would only allow her to take a class I can completely monitor (especially the open water dives, I MUST be allowed to be her buddy). I have concerns about some other extremely poorly trained student killing her. There is no way, I would trust her safety to these certification agencies or their instructors.

You'd be welcome to monitor in my class , but you wouldn't be allowed in the pool, and if you insisted that you MUST be her dive buddy you'd be asked to leave and return when the dives were over.

Like it or not, a conscientious instructor has the safety of the students in his or her hands, and has assumed the liability associated with their teaching. Your jumping into the class not only disrupts it but opens the instructor to greater liability should he/she have allowed you to participate in the in-water activities.

I can't speak for others, butI'm a NAUI instructor and my students get 10-12 hours of pool time, 10-12 hours of classroom instruction (whether or not they've done the online learning - I consider it ancillary to the classroom material I cover), and five open water scuba dives, accompanied by me and at least one dive master.

If you're uncomfortable with the quality of instruction you found at the cut-rate LDS, keep looking until you find one you're comfortable with. And if you're looking for the cheapest cert card possible I'd suggest reevaluating your priorities.

-Adrian

 

[dumpsterDiver]

You'd be welcome to monitor in my class , but you wouldn't be allowed in the pool, and if you insisted that you MUST be her dive buddy you'd be asked to leave and return when the dives were over.

Like it or not, a conscientious instructor has the safety of the students in his or her hands, and has assumed the liability associated with their teaching. Your jumping into the class not only disrupts it but opens the instructor to greater liability should he/she have allowed you to participate in the in-water activities.

I can't speak for others, butI'm a NAUI instructor and my students get 10-12 hours of pool time, 10-12 hours of classroom instruction (whether or not they've done the online learning - I consider it ancillary to the classroom material I cover), and five open water scuba dives, accompanied by me and at least one dive master.

If you're uncomfortable with the quality of instruction you found at the cut-rate LDS, keep looking until you find one you're comfortable with. And if you're looking for the cheapest cert card possible I'd suggest reevaluating your priorities.

-Adrian

Why do you teach for an organization that has such easy standards? Obviously it sounds like you teach a much more extensive class than is mandated by the NAUI agency. Are there not other agencies that dictate a more robust training program? Since you seem to "need" to take much, much more time than the agency specifies, why not teach through a different agency?

And I'm serious here, I had no idea that there is no longer any mandated pool time, "just leave it up to the instructor's discretion" is amazing to me. I taught through PADI and felt that they had an extremely efficient method of instruction, but there is no way I would be able to certify students following one pool session and some dives.

On a related topic, I think there used to be some kind of accelerated certification program for "experienced" divers. Do they still have that and is it ok for children? After a few more open water dives (with me) she would be ready to complete any skills that I imagine would still be required from a recognized course. Is that a cheaper alternative?

 

[tomfcrist]

NAUI has some of the most stringent standards in the industry, albiet not number 1. NAUI gives us the leeway to add as much as we see fit to our courses and require proficiency in those additions in order to attain certification.

The experienced scuba course still exists, and in my humble opinion...no your teenager would not be eligible. Maybe your best bet would be to reactivate your instructor status for a year and certify your whole family yourself. Probably be the cheapest option in the long run.

Remember that quality anything doesn't come cheap. I would assume as a prior instructor you would have a higher understanding of this.

 

[Drin]

Since you seem to "need" to take much, much more time than the agency specifies, why not teach through a different agency?

Nice try, but I don't "need" to. I choose to teach my students above the minimums required by the certifying agency so that I can be confident that they're ready to handle themselves in situations within the limits of their certification. I've asked students more than once to come back and repeat their in-water skills in the subsequent class so that I can be confident they're ready to dive as capable, competent, comfortable divers. I tell them that's my goal on the first night of class, and that if they're looking for a quick cert card factory they should look elsewhere. Oddly enough none of them ever quit after that talk.

As to why I teach NAUI, it's what was available in my region when I decided to become an instructor. I stay with it because I *can* teach skills and materials that I feel are useful and informational beyond the required class curriculum. It's a freedom I enjoy in my classes. I also make sure to tell my students when I'm covering material beyond the class requirements so that they can opt out of it if they want. Again, none of them ever take me up on it.

I personally believe it's a mistake to try to teach your daughter rather than finding a competent instructor (and I'm not saying you're not a competent instructor). The parental relationship interferes with the instructor relationship. It's the same reason drivers education exists, rather than every parent simply teaching their kids to drive. I applaud your motives and your desire to keep your child safe but I think you'd be better off finding a capable and conscientious instructor and letting them teach her for her initial OW class.



-Adrian