NAUI offers OW and EANx combo course

[tursiops]

PADI allows eleven different specialties to be taught concurrently with the OW class; Enriched Air (Nitrox) is one of them. Others include Drysuit and Altitude. But only one of those specialties may be taught concurrently....so if you are at altitude, or need a drysuit, either one trumps EANx!

 

[tomfcrist]

I just took the PADI nitrox class and over there you don't need math, only some biology, physics, and common sense.

Which is fine assuming you use standard nitrox mixes...at recreational depths.

 

[Centrals]

@g1138 the problem with the separation is that you can't certify a "nitrox diver" without actually diving nitrox. I.e. you would then have to submit a pair of certifications if you teach them together which is stupid. Terrance was trying to get it done for 18, but obviously didn't happen. Hopefully it happens in 19 because it's ridiculous.

You can

you're not going to get that benefit at the OW level where a lot of this should be taught, and there is no point in needlessly increasing the cost of the course just for someone to go "huh, I can now get an extra 5 minutes before my NDL kicks over.

Depend on the mix and depth the difference is far more than 5mins. Whether the usual ow student will benefit is another story.

 

[tbone1004]

@Centrals no, you can't. To certify a nitrox diver, they must complete 2 dives on nitrox. It's in the standards. "Nitrox Recognition" is different than "nitrox diver", that was the point of the discussion. "Nitrox diver" can be issued in lieu of "scuba diver" but 2 of the open water dives have to be on nitrox

 

[scrane]

Which is fine assuming you use standard nitrox mixes...at recreational depths.

Yes, of course. Isn't that what we were discussing?

 

[tomfcrist]

Somewhat. Standard nitrox mixes are 32 and 36...so those tables are generally provided as course material...32 being the most common.

So do you dive 32 at 130’? You certainly could, but arguably it’s not wise. Lots of locations bank 30 or 28 percent. So unless you have a computer (let’s face it..at least 50% of vacation divers don’t) or software to plan dives (same point as before) you are back to using elementary math to determine MOD, CNS, OTUs and NDL.

Unfortunately, I find the majority of divers are too lazy to do any of the above...and probably couldn’t tell you even the MOD of the gas they are breathing.

 

[tursiops]

Somewhat. Standard nitrox mixes are 32 and 36...so those tables are generally provided as course material...32 being the most common.

Agreed.

So do you dive 32 at 130’? You certainly could, but arguably it’s not wise.

Agreed.

Lots of locations bank 30 or 28 percent. So unless you have a computer (let’s face it..at least 50% of vacation divers don’t) or software to plan dives (same point as before) you are back to using elementary math to determine MOD, CNS, OTUs and NDL.

Cave Country and North Carolina are the only places I've seen with banked 30 or 28. Never saw it in the Caribbean, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, Fiji, etc. Also, I'd say most of the divers I see on liveaboards and at resorts have computers now. CNS and OTUs are not especially relevant to recreational divers. they use Plan mode to get NDL.

Unfortunately, I find the majority of divers are too lazy to do any of the above...and probably couldn’t tell you even the MOD of the gas they are breathing.

This is not my experience. they know it, they've written it on their tank, they've logged it when they got the tank. They needed no math; they did the analysis, and looked at a chart of blend vs MOD.

 

[tomfcrist]

This is not my experience. they know it, they've written it on their tank, they've logged it when they got the tank. They needed no math; they did the analysis, and looked at a chart of blend vs MOD.

I guess we share different experiences...
About 50% of tourist divers I encounter are borderline dangerous at best. Most have no business diving at all, much less in N.C. or MD.

 

[wheeledgoat]

I like the independent nature of NAUI instructors in that they are usually free of LDS entanglements. Also that NAUI allows instructors to set their own course prices depending upon the circumstances of the class.

Unfortunately I got cut by the other side of that double edged sword. I'm not one to even be late to appointments, let alone miss them and I had taken enough classes with this NAUI instructor for him to know this. And yet my father's cancer exacerbation sending him into the hospital wasn't valid enough of an excuse for my NAUI instructor who chose to invoke some fine print in the training agreement he had me sign. Something about "out of sequence training" was the reason that I had to pay additional money even though I only attended Sunday and missed Saturday.

Talk about "it's the instructor, not the agency." Indeed.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I don’t believe that combining OW with nitrox is anything new. Given that nitrox is the most popular con ed course (or do I’ve been told), teaching ow and nitrox in my opinion should be more the rule than the exception.

I know that PADI only allows combining one con ed course with ow. SSI allows nitrox and drysuit (I haven’t asked about other courses). I would guess that a number of other agencies do the same thing. It just makes sense.