PADI's dive depth standards - Vague?

[Teamcasa]

This is a split from the “Log book checks” thread but I felt it needed more focus.

PADI is vague about max depth allowed by each level of training. Below is directly form PADI’s training material.

"Limit your maximum depth to your training and experience level. Scuba Divers are limited to 40 feet. As an Open Water Diver, limit your dives to a maximum depth 60 feet. Divers with greater training and experience should generally limit themselves to a maximum depth of 100 feet."

"Divers with appropriate experience and/or training may dive as deep as 130 feet."

"Plan all dives as no decompression dives and no dive should ever exceed the maximum depth limit for recreational scuba diving of 130 feet. Decompression diving falls outside recreational diving, and the Recreational Dive Planner was not designed for planning decompression dives.

It is my interpretation that the Maximum depth an “Open Water Diver” can dive to is 130’.

I am not saying everyone should run out and dive that deep without some training and experience with deep water diving but I am saying PADI’s Open Water Diver level permits it.

I’ll make a few other points. Since PADI has a underwater photography certification, should dive ops not allow divers to use cameras without that cert? How about the courses for Drysuit, DPV, Night diver and Boat Diver? Just because PADI has a course does this mean no boat dives without a PADI card for one? Certainly not. I feel that PADI offers training to make a diver a better diver. It should not be used to restrict divers. However, if I was a dive operation, I would ask and determine how qualified a diver is before booking them and then taking him/her to a potentially dangerous site or depth. I would review their experience and logbook if I did not know them personally.

Dave

 

[MSilvia]

I don't see what's vague about that.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

What's the difference between a Scuba Diver, (limited to 40') and an OW Diver? *scratching my head*

 

[MSilvia]

I'm not positive, but I don't think non-OW scuba divers are supposed to dive without supervision.

 

[gangrel441]

What's the difference between a Scuba Diver, (limited to 40') and an OW Diver? *scratching my head*

The course that was taken. PADI Scuba Diver is a less involved course which only certifies the diver to a hard limit of 40' and restricts the diver to having to dive with a professional (DM, Instructor, et al.).

An OW Diver is one who has completed the OW course and is certified to dive with other certified divers and has a recommended depth limit of 60 ft.

 

[HowardE]

This sounds like a job for the SCUBA police.

Seriously. What's the big deal. My first OW dive (post cert) was to almost 70 FSW. I will say I was PADI certified, and I was with my instructor. And the big deal is?

 

[diveman7683]

What's the difference between a Scuba Diver, (limited to 40') and an OW Diver? *scratching my head*

The ScubaDiver cert means that you haven't completed the full OW course. You only do 2 open water dives and you have to dive with a Dive Leader.

 

[DBailey]

The PADI Scuba Diver bascially only completes half of the class and requirements. As a result, they must always dive with a qualified professional. Think of it as a resort course that is good for longer than just your trip and accepted at more than just that one resort.

I don't think there is anything wrong with how PADI has worded the depths. You said it yourself that you won't jump right in and head to 130 feet without additional training or experience.

 

[in_cavediver]

Simply put, these are guidelines for the public and PADI's students to use.

PADI is not the scuba diving authority of the world (thank god).

That said, when taking a PADI course, then guidelines become limits subject to training standards.

 

[DBailey]

This sounds like a job for the SCUBA police.

Seriously. What's the big deal. My first OW dive (post cert) was to almost 70 FSW. I will say I was PADI certified, and I was with my instructor. And the big deal is?

I think it comes down to a matter of liability.

"Look, we recommended to the person that they should not dive past 60 feet. See here, they even answered it in the Knowledge Review that we have on file. What they were doing down at 120' on their first dive post certification is news to us."