Nitrox Course

[Solido]

Hi

I have my open water cert. I am interested in doing a nitrox course and assumed that I would have to do the advanced course first but was told that I could do the nitrox course without first doing the advanced. I was also told that the nitrox course would certify me to 30m/100ft. Is this true?

 

[DevonDiver]

None of the courses 'certify' you to specific depths. The agencies (inc SSI) simply assign prudent recommended maximum depths, according to your experience and training. A prudent diver acknowledges those prudent limits.

Sometimes (often?) dive operations/charters wish to impose depth limits on divers. This is for risk prevention and liability, they will often apply those limits recommended by the RSTC scuba agencies. Dive operations/charters are within their rights to apply any limitations to divers that they feel are prudent.

Nitrox training wouldn't further your understanding of deep diving, so it wouldn't really directly contribute towards your experience and training for deeper diving. Especially as many nitrox courses are now 'theory-only' with no actual dive component.

Given that you "just don't log dives", it is hard to ascertain whether your actual in-water experience would be sufficient to recommend extended your depth limits, or not, regardless of your certification.

 

[Solido]

I don't log dives because my computer does it for me. Anyway its just that a lot of agencies say they wont take you on certain dives unless you have done the Advanced course regardless of your experience. Just seems like a way to get people to pay for another course that really isn't necessary. If they want people to be competent at certain depths they should be telling them to do the deep speciality rather than the advanced.

 

[tstormdiver]

Hi

I have my open water cert. I am interested in doing a nitrox course and assumed that I would have to do the advanced course first but was told that I could do the nitrox course without first doing the advanced. I was also told that the nitrox course would certify me to 30m/100ft. Is this true?

No. Probably what the instructor means is that using 32% Nitrox at a partial pressure of oxygen of 1.6, your maximum operating depth would be 130ft. That means that is the deepest you can use that gas with realitive safety(?) (it is not recommended to go to a partial pressure of oxygen of 1.6). As Devon Diver said, that does not qualify you to do that deep of a dive, as it does not adress the other issues tha come with deep diving. If you really want to do deep diving, I would suggest taking a deep diving course.

Also SSI doesn't really have a AOW "course" per se. For AOW you must have 4 diving specialties & a minimum of 24 logged dives to reach AOW. The dive shop can offer the specialty courses all together (say in a weekend), but you must have the minimum # of dives to get AOW.

 

[Solido]

So would you recommend skipping the advanced and going straight to the specialties like deep and nitrox?

 

[tstormdiver]

So would you recommend skipping the advanced and going straight to the specialties like deep and nitrox?

The way it works with SSI, is you can get the 4 specialties at any time, at any pace you want. Some people spread it out, some people will do the specialties in 1 or 2 weekends (some dive shops may offer a package deal this way). They just have to be full specialties. As long as you have 4 specialties (must be diving specialties & is usually a minimum of 2 dives) & a minimum of 24 logged dives (experience). With SSI you can get the experience first or the specialties first,.... doesn't matter, to reach the level of AOW. You can get the specialties alone, or you can get the specialties & the dives & get your AOW level. Whichever you prefer.

Oops.....
I just happened to look, you're in Austrailia,... what I quoted was the US standards on it, so it may be possible that the standards may be a little different in your area.

 

[Solido]

Ok so once I have done the minimum requirements do I have to apply and pay to get the card?

 

[scubajo007]

The Nitrox course only qualifies you to dive with Nitrox nothing else. The only pre-qualification you need is OW certification.
The PADI Nitrox course is build up of two modules. Module one qualifies you to dive with up to (I think) 32% oxygen under indirect supervision by an Instructor, if you add module two then you are qualified to dive with up to 40% oxygen, without any supervision. Both modules require that you pass an examine, I expect the other agencies operate a similar structure.
I did the full Nitrox course last year and find that’s the best advanced course I have done so far.

 

[Solido]

Well Im definately not doing the PADI advanced course because it doesnt seem to qualify you for anything. The SSI structure seems better because its AOW recognises specialities.

 

[tstormdiver]

Ok so once I have done the minimum requirements do I have to apply and pay to get the card?

Depends (going on US standards) it really depends on your LDS's policies & the standards in your area. You probably need to talk to them. You can get the specialties 1 by 1 & get the individual cards (pay for each card) or you can have them listed on your AOW card (pay for the AOW card) if you want, or you can get the individual cards & the AOW with them listed on it (would likely have to pay for each specialty & then the AOW card). Whatever is your preference.