PADI Depth Limitations

When I was certified in 1985, there was basically little said about depth limits when diving. My son recently got his PADI OW certification and now there seem to be a whole series of recommended depth limits. He shouldn't go deeper than 60' unless, of course, he takes another course. I'm suspicious of a lot of PADI's recommendations since everything seems to point toward taking yet another course. I'm not interested in taking him to 100+', but is 70-80' really all that much different? How much of what PADI says is just marketing too make more money?

60' is a good depth limit to stick to until a new OW diver gets a little experience. What's the big hurry? You don't need an AOW to dive 61', but it wouldn't hurt him to get his SAC rate down before heading to deeper depths either.

The only time he'll *need* the AOW is if a charter requires it for dives in the 100 ft. range. Being narc'ed for the first time with a qualified instructor who can demonstrate the effect is better than him doing it on his own, IMO.

Gerry Rhoades:

When I was certified in 1985, there was basically little said about depth limits when diving. My son recently got his PADI OW certification and now there seem to be a whole series of recommended depth limits. He shouldn't go deeper than 60' unless, of course, he takes another course. I'm suspicious of a lot of PADI's recommendations since everything seems to point toward taking yet another course. I'm not interested in taking him to 100+', but is 70-80' really all that much different? How much of what PADI says is just marketing too make more money?

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Pretty much everything any of the agencies do is done with the next class in mind. You really can't blame them, since their existance is based on teaching, and there really is a lot to learn, so it's not completely a scam.

On the other hand, I beleive the 60' depth limit is reasonable given the amount of training in the OWD course, and the limited number of dives needed for certification.

I don't know the specific content of the PADI deep class, but the SSI deep class involves additional training about redundant equipment, gas planning, narcosis, and a bunch of other really valuable information (that IMO should be part of the OWD class), as well as help and deep OW dives with an instructor, which I beleive was more valuable than the textbook material.

While not part of the SSI text, our instructor also checked everybody's equipment and made recommendations as necessary when some students had regs that weren't up to the task of supplying a lot of air in very cold water (deep water here is typically in the 40's in the summer and colder the rest of the year).

Many of these things (narcosis, cold-water free-flow, terrible viz at depth) are things you probably would be better learning about before experienceing them.

Although the physics is the same, there's a world of difference between a 130' in a cold dark lake with 30' vis and 130' in a warm, clear blue ocean where you can see the surface.

Like anything else, the value of the course probably depends on the diver and the intended dive locations.

Terry

Web Monkey:

Although the physics is the same, there's a world of difference between a 130' in a cold dark lake with 30' vis and 130' in a warm, clear blue ocean where you can see the surface.
Terry

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How true...

Web Monkey:

Like anything else, the value of the course probably depends on the diver and the intended dive locations.

Terry

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I would also add that the instructor him/herself is a huge factor.

Pretty much everything any of the agencies do is done with the next class in mind. You really can't blame them, since their existance is based on teaching, and there really is a lot to learn, so it's not completely a scam.

On the other hand, I beleive the 60' depth limit is reasonable given the amount of training in the OWD course, and the limited number of dives needed for certification.

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True! Always good to seek additional training before going to more challenging dives.

The limit recommedations really aren't new either. Your instructor may not have mentioned them but they have been around aleast since 1980.

I think the main thing is to use common sense and not dive past your experience level whether you've had formal training or not.

ranger979:

I think the main thing is to use common sense and not dive past your experience level whether you've had formal training or not.

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Amen, I've met divers that were Rescue Certified but had virtually no experience. Conversely I've met OW divers with 1000 dives in all conditions under their belts. The bottom line is advanced education simply provides a better foundation to build on. You still need the experience to go along with it because experience is what builds confidence and comfort in the water. just my two cents.

...and not dive past your experience level whether you've had formal training or not.

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There's only one problem with this statement, and I know, it's more a matter of semantics but... if you never dive beyond your current experience level, then you will never progress beyond your current experience level.

The trick is to exceed your experience level, thus expanding your experience, in a controlled manner while under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

I should have mentioned that his first real experience will be a week in Bonaire in August

Dragon2115:

There's only one problem with this statement, and I know, it's more a matter of semantics but... if you never dive beyond your current experience level, then you will never progress beyond your current experience level.

The trick is to exceed your experience level, thus expanding your experience, in a controlled manner while under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

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I would agree. That's essentially what I meant.

I would even say that you don't necessarily need to be under the supervision of a qualified instructor as you are expanding your experience level, but you do need to do learn what the additional considerations are and to do things in gradual steps.

You don't jump from diving singles in 30ft to diving doubles in 200ft.