What is actually required to get an open water certificate?

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josh'smom

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um, hi,
I have a question regarding the minimum number of open water dives that are required to get "open water" certified and, are there any regulations as to how many of these test dives can be done in any 24 hour period, are there "specific" tests required??
 
.........some require 4, others require 5, others require 4 SCUBA & 1 skin, others 5 of which 1 may be either skin or SCUBA. Some agencies now allow 3 dives on 1 day.

Walter
 
In addition to the comparisons mentioned, there are many other agencies that have similar, but not quite exactly the same, requirements. And SSI, for example, allows the individual instructor (with the approval of his/her school) leeway to expand on the minimums. As an example, at our school we generally require six open water dives (four in fresh water and two in the Gulf). Check with your local dive store.
Rick
 
I recently quized a PADI shop about their Rescue Course and was told they required 6 dives vs. PADIs normal 5. Sounds good to me, heck the more the merryier. I wonder if PADI also gives this leeway to instructors, or if this one is just getting away with it.
 
Hey Guys

PADI minimum requirement is 4 O/W dives with O/W dives 1 and 2 being conducted on one day and 3 and 4 being conducted on the second. The instructor is allowed to add a third "experience" dive on day 1 with no skills being assesed and a third dive on day 2 as well. The third dive on day two can count towards the "Adventures in Diving" program. The way we apply this in this neck of the woods is to do O/W checkouts at one divesite have a cookout then do a night dive at the same site. It seems to work very well.
 
Yes, PADI does give this leeway to their instructors. The standards require a student achieve, to the instructors satisfaction a group of predetermined skills in a specific order. I have been known to require a student to perform additional dives (at no charge) before I felt comfortable with signing them off. No one has ever complained, afterall it's their lives on the line...
 
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