Padi Master Scuba Diver?

[Walter]

DB,

How could you have missed it?

In the first response, Dectek said, "It looks like you have already completed the requirements. Pay a few bucks, get the card and FLASH Away. To me it is only a collector card but I may be wrong."

Worded slightly differently, but in essence the same info you pointed out.

Later in the thread, Omicron said, "Master Diver, to me, seems to be just paying some cash into PADI to get a card that says "Master Scuba Diver" on it.

You fill out a form with all the specialty courses you've taken, attach a check, and a few weeks later you get your card. No training, no additional knowledge, you just get another card to stuff into your logbook. Woo."

Glad to see you can look at the other side. Very good!

 

[WreckWriter]

DiverBuoy once bubbled...
And most important of all, you've got to send in:

MORE MONEY

Interesting that YOU bring that up....

WW

 

[detroit diver]

The poor guy probably doesn't have any MORE MONEY after taking all of those "specialty" classes!

 

[raybo]

I'll end up getting the MSD as part of a package deal along with the speciaties I needed to finish the requirements. I was going to do the specialties anyway, so the LDS kind of wrapped it all up in one deal.

The more I read & post here, the more I'm leaning toward DM. Wasn't really going to do that, but starting to think maybe it would be the right thing to do.

Not so much for me but to pay it forward=-)

 

[DiverBuoy]

Walter, WreckWriter, and DetroitDiver I wanted to chime in by repeating this information for emphasis especially because I knew the three of you would get a kick out of the PADI poster child admitting to this. Of course PADI is about money, so is any for-profit organization. I don't believe they are entirely about money. But this particular area just happens to be one of those places where it is entirely about the money, there is clearly no additional benefit to the diver (ok the little plastic thingy).

 

[O-ring]

DiverBuoy once bubbled...
Walter, WreckWriter, and DetriotDiver I wanted to chime in by repeating this information for emphasis especially because I knew the three of you would get a kick out of the PADI poster child admitting to this. Of course PADI is about money, so is any for-profit organization. I don't believe they are entirely about money. But this particular area just happens to be one of those places where it is entirely about the money, there is clearly no additional benefit to the diver (ok the little plastic thingy).

You guys kill me. I think there is value way beyond just a card...if you are into that sort of thing, this is another item that you can lord over people. One can never have too many of these...

Scenario - (on the dive boat, couple of divers out for their first OW dives after certification)

New Diver #1: "Man, I hate these tank straps...hey Diver#2, does the valve thingy go on the top or bottom???"

New Diver #2: "Dunno..they didn't go over that in my class...I thought someone on the boat was supposed to switch these tank doohickeys over for us?"

You (newly minted MSD): "Hehehhe...get outta the way, I am a Master Scuba Diver!"

New Diver #1: "Wow..."

New Diver #2: *begins groveling at your feet and begging for assistance*

 

[MikeFerrara]

The MSD cert is meant to be an incentive for divers to continue their training and to pat them on the back if they do. I sell the card to those who qualify for what it costs me which is about 13 bucks.

It's also a way to market continuing education. You know "Earn your MSD by completing rescue and 5 specialties". Some specialties are usefull, some are silly and all can be fun especially for those lacking a reason to dive. They provide an infrastructure for pros to take folks diving and get paid. Part of what's being sold here is entertainment. I think it's ok to get paid for entertaining people. Some make millions entertaining.

 

[Walter]

Diver # 2 isn't "groveling at your feet and begging." He's on the deck laughing.

DB,

I understood what you were doing, I was responding to, "no one mentioned this."

 

[MikeFerrara]

DanL once bubbled...
Find myself very much into diving after 1-1/2 yrs and nearly 150 dives in all sorts of conditions. Completed thru PADI Rescue Diver and 6 specialties, mostly just to keep learning. Looking back, have sent a lot of money to PADI, have learned alot along the way, but not sure that the learning/$ spent was a great value (good, but not great).
What is the Master Scuba Diver rating? How much, and is it worth it? Don't hear much about this step.
I'm somewhat familiar with Divemaster rqmnts and cost, but not sure if that's the best next step.
What are some additional worthwhile training opportunities where the learning/$ spent ratio is high? My interests are cold water (out of necessity), longer dives, Lake Superior wrecks and carribean drift diving.
Thoughts appreciated....

Some ideas that might help with your diving goals....


Advanced Nitrox
Cavern
A wreck class as tought by the tech agencies
DIRF

 

[DiverBuoy]

Walter once bubbled...
DB,
I understood what you were doing, I was responding to, "no one mentioned this."

Of course Great One, I did say that.

All If you've already taken all these courses and prerequisites with PADI you should be able to obtain a free card. In fact, as soon as PADI computer records indicate you have the qualifications the card should be in the mail.

If the card was the incentive to get you to sign up for all those courses and pretty much be a PADI child then PADI's already collected a ton of money for you to have reached that point, so the card should be automatic - IMO.

Mike Ferrara I like your list of courses they would make a much better "master diver". I'd like to see night and equipment in addition to five specialties. I'd have to disagree with cavern though. Why have both the wreck penetration risk and yet another overhead environment risk. A good portion of the principles and techniques overlap with enough redundancy to introduce the diver to all the concepts of the other.

WreckWriter I nearly fell on the floor laughing ...