PADI Specialty requirements online?

[jupitermermaid]

PADI requires students for many courses (OW, Rescue, Nitrox, leadership-level) to have their own set of manuals and tells instructors not to lend out materials in the interests of course quality. It is merely "recommended" for most specialty courses but PADI strongly encourages students to have their own materials.

Sounds like it's a money thing. Was the manual supposed to be included in the course fee? If so then they are trying to make more profit by not giving you what you paid for. If not, then it's your responsibility to pay for them and you can buy them on your own anywhere if your shop doesn't have them in stock.

I paid $599 (plus mandatory $119 80 in tips for the boat and crew), but wasn't told about materials being optional until two months later when I still hadn't received my cert. card. It was then I was informed about having to pass a Knowledge Review, which was then sent via email (I took a course down in the Keys). I asked about a manual, as I didn't recall some of the material being covered that was in the review (I didn't practice tying off a line or other skills I later read about in the manual). The course consisted of 8 dives (4 boat trips), with no classroom training, so everything was done on the boat. If I had known the manual was optional, I would have paid for it, because I like (need) to refer to what skills I want to practice in all my diving endeavors. However, it wasn't even mentioned that I could purchase it at an additional cost, we just ended up in a fight, and I finally got the 49 page manual. A little communication could have prevented a lot of hard feelings. Guess I'll do all my business locally from now on. Thanks for the info. ( I didn't even get the sunscreen and visor that WAS promised....lol)

 

[Hank658]

The secret hand-shake probably involves a beer mug.

Awww...now it's not a secret anymore..
Ah well, the more, the merrier!

 

[ReefHound]

Jupiter, sounds like you were dealing with some really crappy people who were just after your money. That will happen in life. They should have explained everything better but ultimately you have to look out for yourself as a consumer, to make sure you know exactly what you're getting for your money. That's a hefty price for a wreck specialty even if you consider $75 each for 4 charters. (I call a "mandatory" tip a "fee".)

Were those 8 dives all on wrecks? The course only requires 4 dives and that could be done on 2 charters. Hard to evaluate the actual training, but seems you weren't taught some basic course material. And the knowledge reviews should be done prior to the dives.

 

[jupitermermaid]

I usually learn the hard way....lol. The dives included were 5 wreck and 3 reef. On the first day we dove the Ancient Mariner, a coral reef, the Sea Emperor, and Lighthouse Point Reef (?). The second day we dove the Spiegel Grove, the Benwood, the Duane, and Molasses Reef. I know it's my fault for not finding out all the information upfront. I have a tendency to trust people too much and assume everyone is honest. It's easier to look back and see the mistake made before you know what to look for. No, a lot of training in the manual was not covered in the dives (hence, I believe, the hard time he gave me about giving me the manual). Although, to his benefit I will have to say I learned a lot about diving in general through him, but not the required knowledge to pass the wreck cert. How is one to pass the Knowledge Review before the class if they don't have the manual?

 

[ReefHound]

Most shops I know will strongly encourage you to buy the manual at the time you book the course so you can have it read before the class. Then the "classroom" session (sometimes conducted on the boat) would precede the actual dives.

 

[jupitermermaid]

Makes sense to me. I wish this was the way this course had been handled. I will be more careful in the future and deal with only my local dive shop, as I know I can trust them and know them. I also have some friends I dive with who are instructors and trust their integrity, but I've been really turned off by this particular operation.

 

[ReefHound]

Sounds like it was more about selling you overpriced trips than teaching you a class. Could've done in two trips, Spiegel/Benwood one day then Duane/Benwood the next.

 

[jupitermermaid]

Sounds like it was more about selling you overpriced trips than teaching you a class. Could've done in two trips, Spiegel/Benwood one day then Duane/Benwood the next.

Yep! (Expensive) Lesson learned the hard way. I gave up going to a great dive expo for this crap, and have nothing except a manual (now...lol), and a bunch of pictures (much of which were of other dives that I wasn't even on) to show for it. He gave me such a hard time about wanting the manual so I could complete the Knowledge Review (which, again, was sent two months after the class when I asked what the hold up was for the c-card), that I ended up telling him to forget it because it wasn't worth the hassle. So now I've got a manual (which I'd rather have and can practice the skills with some instructor buddies of mine <which I should have taken the course with in the first place, except I didn't know them at that time>) and hope I don't ever have to show a card to do a wreck. But I'm not going to spend that kind of money again for another class, even if I KNOW the instructor. If people have experiences like this the first time they try getting certified, I understand why some people never go diving after getting certified. It's a shame.

If manuals for specialty programs are available at an optional cost, it should be mentioned so the students know of them and can make the decision to purchase them. I know I would have (oh, but wait, I might have questioned the instructor about wanting to practice some skills rather than posing for pictures then. Would that have caused problems?)

 

[ReefHound]

Do the knowledge reviews and get your card - you already paid for it. It's not likely you'll ever need to show it but you took the class and paid for it so get credit for it. If they resist then demand your money back and report them to PADI.

 

[Hank658]

If you paid that kind of money and did twice the number of dives required for the cert then by all means complete the knowledge reviews and get the card. It may be a pain to go through this part, but in my opinion it's more the principle of the thing. I have never personally seen anyone challenged for a wreck card on a boat, but it is a decent cert to have and does count towards the PADI Master Scuba Diver cert if you decide to go that route.

If all reasonable attempts to resolve this situation are not successful, here is the link to the PADI Quality Management page: Quality Management
PADI takes both compliments and complaints seriously and will take action if warranted. IMO, it would be much better to settle this amicably but just know that this avenue is available to you if required.
I hope you are able to resolve this situation and please know that this situation is an exception, not the normal practice.