The NAUI Master Scuba Diver Course?

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Location
Eurasia
# of dives
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Just finished my PADI AOW and am trying to figure out what the best next step is given my goal is to get the training/experience to dive Atlantic wrecks as soon as I can safely/confidently do so. Going for PADI's Master Scuba Diver program seems like a waste of time because I really didn't learn very much new/useful/non-obvious stuff in my Dry Suit Specialty course (nor honestly in my AOW for that matter), so I don't think four more specialty courses will train me that well, but I did talk to a NAUI instructor who was telling me how thorough their Master course was on getting eager "new" divers like me as well educated and prepared as possible, and that for the eight required dives I can find an instructor who dives locally and can do them on boat charters to wrecks like the Iberia, the Lizzie D, or even the USS San Diego. The sales pitch was that this course would teach me everything I would need to know about recreational diving in order to move on to advanced specialties (I would like to do wreck this year, ice next year or the year after, and maybe a rebreather course by 2009), instructorship (which I currently have no interest in), or technical diving (which it seems I would need for the deeper wrecks, probably also a 2009-2010 thing).

For this type of goal (Atlantic boat diving, non-penetration for now), would this be the best possible training course to take right now, or are there other courses by one of the other agencies I should consider? Also, for any NAUI instructors or Master alumni, can you tell me if this course also cover recreational "deep" diving so that the card will suffice requirements to visit 130' wrecks or 40m Blue holes?

Any other advice or course/reading/practice recommendations?
 
I took this course and its one of those things that depends on the instructor. I thought my class was fairly good and I learned a lot at the time. We also included some deep dives in addition to covering everything else under the sun. Doing this course with an instructor that will really push you should be a good stepping stone in your progression as a diver, and also a necessary requirement for divemaster.
 
Stop at a NAUI dive shop if you can and thumb thru the Master Diver Manual. It's really pretty impressive IMO, and can give you an idea of what's covered.
 
I found the master diver course to be excellent. My instructor demanded "master" level skills. The academic course also does a good job getting into the many details of diving. Before I started the MD course, I spent several dive trips practicing skills to prepare me for the course, so it was more than just eight dives for me.
 
Lots of class work, 8 dives. The whole idea is to give the student an "instructor" level knowledge and skills without the teaching/guiding/assisting aspects of a leadership course.

I would like to say any NAUI Instr. will do a god job on this course....instead I will recommend you find one that teachs this level often (an Instructor Trainer/Course Director/Tech Instructor is a good place to start)
 
UW Basket Weaving with a good instructor will teach you more than than Advanced Technical Diving with a bad instructor. This includes the MSD programs from all agencies.

--Matt
 
matt_unique:
UW Basket Weaving with a good instructor will teach you more than than Advanced Technical Diving with a bad instructor. This includes the MSD programs from all agencies.

--Matt

This might be true if the course requirements were the same. In this case, they're vastly different. The Naui MSD course is an actual course, and you cover everything that's covered in the DM course, with the exception of the teaching modules. Padi's MSD doesn't even come close.
 
Firefyter:
This might be true if the course requirements were the same. In this case, they're vastly different. The Naui MSD course is an actual course, and you cover everything that's covered in the DM course, with the exception of the teaching modules. Padi's MSD doesn't even come close.

That's a misnomer actually....the collective requirements of the PADI MSD require lot's more dives and instruction than the NAUI MSD course. The NAUI course requires only AOW and 8 dives. The PADI requires AOW, Rescue, 50 lifetime dives, then the dives/instruction required for the individual specialties you choose. In PADI you can choose fluffy courses or things like ice, deep, night, etc.

People confuse the NAUI MSD program as better than the PADI program "because it's an actual course" without understanding the rest of the details.

--Matt
 
matt_unique:
That's a misnomer actually....the collective requirements of the PADI MSD require lot's more dives and instruction than the NAUI MSD course. The NAUI course requires only AOW and 8 dives. The PADI requires AOW, Rescue, 50 lifetime dives, then the dives/instruction required for the individual specialties you choose. In PADI you can choose fluffy courses or things like ice, deep, night, etc.

People confuse the NAUI MSD program as better than the PADI program "because it's an actual course" without understanding the rest of the details.

--Matt
:beer:
I brought the beer, who has the popcorn?
 
matt_unique:
That's a misnomer actually....the collective requirements of the PADI MSD require lot's more dives and instruction than the NAUI MSD course. The NAUI course requires only AOW and 8 dives. The PADI requires AOW, Rescue, 50 lifetime dives, then the dives/instruction required for the individual specialties you choose. In PADI you can choose fluffy courses or things like ice, deep, night, etc.

People confuse the NAUI MSD program as better than the PADI program "because it's an actual course" without understanding the rest of the details.

--Matt

I disagree, the PADI MSDT while it may have more dives does not touch on the knowledge or level of the NAUI Master Diver

Best,

Chris

NAUI 17055
PADI MSDT 157937
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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