What is the problem with doing a Scuba Review/Refresher?

[ScubaRose]

Hi all,

A question that has been puzzling me for a while now. I work in a divecenter/resort that organizes daytrips (located outside of the US) and we have a pretty strict policy regarding Scuba Review/ Refresher which causes the occasional discussion with customers. Simply stated, we require proof of recent diving experience, and if someone hasn't been diving for more than 6 months* we ask of the customer to do a Scuba Review before joining the divetrip. They can either do the refreshere here before trip departure or on another location, whatever is most convenient for them.
For me, this seems like a very reasonable policy especially considered the fact that our dives are unguided (in the water, of course there's a DM/Instructor at hand giving a detailed briefing and helpin with dive planning if needed) so we need to be reasonably sure that everyone is up-to-date with their skill and knowledge about procedures.

What baffles me is the amount of people that insist that they do not need a refresher and refuse to do one. Interesting enough, it's mostly people with 10-20 dives and a gap of 8 months to 2 years (!) that feel like they don't need to do a scuba review, whereas that's the demographic that probably will have the most benefit from it.

I'm curious to know what the objections are against doing a Scuba Review and hope you can enlighten me. I really feel that we're not being unreasonable in our request (especially considering local liability policies which are quite different than, let's say, the US) and we're not asking an outrageous amount of money for a scuba review either. Any of you has been presented with this issue from a customer's perspective? What did you think? Do you refuse to do a refresher? Why?

*Of course we take experience level into account, there's a very gray area here that we have to take into account.

 

[OMANDIVER]

it's a complete no brainer, OK no terrible currents in Oman but vis can be tricky. My experience is that it is tied to the Put Another Dollar In corporate reputation rather than to the individual or dive centre, particularly where an individual has not had a great experience at OW or AOW. Maybe you're at the ODC so this doesn't apply to you, I dont know.

 

[Storker]

If I'm on a diving vacation I won't have a problem with an op who makes my first dive a simple, benign one to check me out and get a feeling of my skills and abilities. The more the op knows about my skill level, the better they can offer me dives that are neither too simple and dull nor too difficult for me.

I would, however, have a problem with anything more than that, especially if I had to pay for it. That would, to me, seem like a ripoff, and I'd be shopping elsewhere.

 

[jacsve]

If I'm on a diving vacation I won't have a problem with an op who makes my first dive a simple, benign one to check me out and get a feeling of my skills and abilities. The more the op knows about my skill level, the better they can offer me dives that are neither too simple and dull nor too difficult for me.

I would, however, have a problem with anything more than that, especially if I had to pay for it. That would, to me, seem like a ripoff, and I'd be shopping elsewhere.

Agree. I'm from a small country up north, where most (or at least a lot of) divers only dive one week a year, abroad. At home, a "scuba review" dive will cost 200$ or something like that, and when on my one week dive trip, we don't want to waste time on it...
Make it free of charge, or rather, incorporate it in the first dive, and I think you will face much less resistance.

 

[Thanshin]

I've always seen that as part of the first of a new series of dives.

It all depends on cost both in money and time. I've always fount it very reasonable to do a simpler first dive, as long as it's an enjoyable dive. I wouldn't accept a forced refresher course even if it was free and I most assuredly wouldn't accept to pay a padi review every time I don't dive for 6 months.

 

[KeithG]

what does your "scuba review / refresher" involve?

i am all for the first dive being billed as a "checkout" or "weight / new equipment check" dive on an easy site. but my dive buddy and i do it by ourselves. it is just another dive for us. the only difference is that it comes with a "verbal reminder" that you may be rusty and/or have some new gear and should give that some attention.

do you want me to burn my dive time demonstrating scuba basics like mask removal & reg swap skills?then sorry, i am going some where else.

 

[Divescape]

I must say I lean more to the OP's view that if you have not dived for more than 6 months and you are in that 20-50 dive bracket it would be necessary to do a refresher. I have seen a diver bolt for the surface after forgetting about the purge button on their second stage. I looked briefly at the experience level of those that have responded and note where i can that the majority are more experienced divers who i would say would not need a refresher if they have dived within a year, which perhaps influences their answer. I have dived with a dive group that only dive once a year in the less than 20 dives bracket, and know that we don't let them loose without a check out dive. An easy dive to make sure they remember the basics. This is in clear water no strong current, so perhaps a good compromise on the refreasher. Where i dive in Cape Town, cold murky water no current, if you were looking to dive unguided after not diving for a year, I would not even want to be on the same boat as you because the potential for an accident would just be to high. Having said that the majority of our dive charters have a DM in the water as well.

 

[wspalding]

I will answer this question differently today than I would have 2 months ago. I think a scuba-review is totally appropriate for anybody with a significant gap in time from their last dive. Two months ago I think I would have answered differently. However, in that time I had my son certified, and as part of working with him prepping for his cert dives, we practiced mask removal and replace, reg recovery (including surprising him with losing his reg), and buoyancy. Since I hadn't really practiced reg recovery since I got my first certification 10 years ago, and in that time had never lost my reg, I practiced that skill with him. The very next day, while trying to adjust my gear underwater, my dive buddy knocked my reg out of my mouth. Since I had just practiced the skill it wasn't a big deal to suddenly have no reg and I blew some bubbles and did the recovery routine. But had I not just practiced the skill, I think it would have been a little more alarming than it was. It just reinforced for me the need to practice these skill once-in-awhile. However, I think that someone that has been diving > 6 months ago but < 1 year likely has maintained those skills, and a refresher course may be overkill. If there is a significant gap (I'm thinking > 1 year), then it seems appropriate. But if the operator is going to require it, it should be for a very nominal fee and/or incorporated into the first dive.

 

[Mike126]

I don't have an issue with the Dive Op requiring proof of diving within 6 months or so. But I think what happens with the refresher/tune up course is it comes across as another way for the Dive Op to make money. Maybe the better option is what a lot of people have already said, require the first dive to be under the guidance of the DM or Instructor to ensure the diver is competent in basic skills. This can serve two purposes: 1) to aquaint the Dive Op with the diver and 2) to aquaint the diver with the local conditions.

my 2 cents...

 

[Rayallyn]

Here in the keys most shops ask when you last dived. If more than a year (I believe most shops) will require you to take a refresher course and that is somewhere around $250.00. It's a way to get more money but after not diving for a year physical characteristics can change and you might need to adjust your gear, Change weights, loosen or tighten straps, and get use to diving safety again. There may also be some insurance issues here - if an accident were to happen and the diver had not dived in a year or more the insurance liability might require the refresher.
Of course being in the keys I don't worry much about a refresher as I dive at least three times each month.