First off, before you rip into me, as you WILL do, try to be honest for a moment.
Please tell me why a C-card is necessary.
Diving is not that difficult, nor is the physiology, or the high school physics.
It seems, to me, that the driving force behind the C-card is the greed and avarice of the certifying agencies, and the instructors.
It's all too much like an internet pyramid scam.
Without a C-card, the dive shop won't you sell air, (but will sell you expensive tanks and regulators), the dive boat won't let you on, the campground won't let you swim in the spring....
Take this course, that we can provide, then how about another course so that you won't have these imposed limitations, hey after that course and this one you too can give courses, and make big money! Imagine, if you taught ten people you could make ten times the money we took from you!
When I started diving, early '70's, there was not so much greed. Diving shops gave low priced courses in order to enhance the sales of equipment. Most dive shops closed for the winter in New England. Dive shop owners worked at boatyards, fire departments, commercial ventures. There were not as many dive shops/instructors competing for a very small market share.
The only way to survive financially was to create a never ending string of certifications, and sell it through the cooperation of everyone that has the slightest connection to the industry.
There is no legal precedent that requires certification, only forced compliance through an industry seeking monetary gain.
As I said, I have been diving since 1972,and within 2 years I was doing light commercial salvage, inspecting moorings, scrubbing hulls, assisting the local fire dept with search and recovery. I have done several wreck dives, used almost all types diving equipment available.
I'm set up to do surface supply, air and heliox, which includes a Kirby Morgan Superlight 17K and a DESCO air hat, complete with comms and an Outland Technologies video inspection system (Check out the UWS-3010. http://www.outlandtech.com/otisys.htm) I have available 3 AGA and one Neptune full face masks (with comms) for SCUBA, as well as standard DIR configured regulators. Viking dry suit, and several wet suits for different climates. I have a first aid kit that rivals most rescue services, complete with triage, oxygen, burn, and impact injury support. I've dived several historical equipment configurations. And own many unusual pieces.
Several people on this board want to make diving sound like climbing Everest, it's not that difficult. You need to know your limitations, and be in control of your fears and panic. If you read everything available, watch the internet for new info, try things out under controlled conditions, an instructor using a prepared lesson plan seems like a waste of time.
I'm a mechanical engineer and I can't understand why anyone would pay someone to teach them how to use a DPV that they could build in their garage. I'm currently building a low cost ROV for water tank inspection. It's not rocket science.
I hold no certification, and no instructor will acknowledge my past or present achievements toward attaining one, they will however, express interest in diving my gear.
I await your vitriolic criticism, as you must, I have attacked your livelihood, and quite possibly your ego as well.
Please tell me why a C-card is necessary.
Diving is not that difficult, nor is the physiology, or the high school physics.
It seems, to me, that the driving force behind the C-card is the greed and avarice of the certifying agencies, and the instructors.
It's all too much like an internet pyramid scam.
Without a C-card, the dive shop won't you sell air, (but will sell you expensive tanks and regulators), the dive boat won't let you on, the campground won't let you swim in the spring....
Take this course, that we can provide, then how about another course so that you won't have these imposed limitations, hey after that course and this one you too can give courses, and make big money! Imagine, if you taught ten people you could make ten times the money we took from you!
When I started diving, early '70's, there was not so much greed. Diving shops gave low priced courses in order to enhance the sales of equipment. Most dive shops closed for the winter in New England. Dive shop owners worked at boatyards, fire departments, commercial ventures. There were not as many dive shops/instructors competing for a very small market share.
The only way to survive financially was to create a never ending string of certifications, and sell it through the cooperation of everyone that has the slightest connection to the industry.
There is no legal precedent that requires certification, only forced compliance through an industry seeking monetary gain.
As I said, I have been diving since 1972,and within 2 years I was doing light commercial salvage, inspecting moorings, scrubbing hulls, assisting the local fire dept with search and recovery. I have done several wreck dives, used almost all types diving equipment available.
I'm set up to do surface supply, air and heliox, which includes a Kirby Morgan Superlight 17K and a DESCO air hat, complete with comms and an Outland Technologies video inspection system (Check out the UWS-3010. http://www.outlandtech.com/otisys.htm) I have available 3 AGA and one Neptune full face masks (with comms) for SCUBA, as well as standard DIR configured regulators. Viking dry suit, and several wet suits for different climates. I have a first aid kit that rivals most rescue services, complete with triage, oxygen, burn, and impact injury support. I've dived several historical equipment configurations. And own many unusual pieces.
Several people on this board want to make diving sound like climbing Everest, it's not that difficult. You need to know your limitations, and be in control of your fears and panic. If you read everything available, watch the internet for new info, try things out under controlled conditions, an instructor using a prepared lesson plan seems like a waste of time.
I'm a mechanical engineer and I can't understand why anyone would pay someone to teach them how to use a DPV that they could build in their garage. I'm currently building a low cost ROV for water tank inspection. It's not rocket science.
I hold no certification, and no instructor will acknowledge my past or present achievements toward attaining one, they will however, express interest in diving my gear.
I await your vitriolic criticism, as you must, I have attacked your livelihood, and quite possibly your ego as well.