Getting C-Cards Without Testing?

[mselenaous]

Since when? Back in 2003, when I was working with a PADI instructor, there was an exam ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Since at least 2005, when I became a PADI Instructor. AOW - 5 knowledge reviews & dives, no tests. OW does have quizzes & final exam.

To the OP...sadly sometimes less demanding (ethical?) instructors take some short-cuts when issuing certs to "friends & family". Fortunately, these folks are few and far between. Like many other instructors (especially those of us here on Scubaboard), most of us really want cert. cards that have our instructor names/numbers on them to be synonymous with competent safe diver education.

 

[BDSC]

That's possible. You are right, I don't have all the facts, but I plan to find out. I am mainly going by the comment that the lady made about not taking any tests. You're right, maybe she meant for their first dives. I intend to find out the whole story. But it made me wonder if others had heard of people getting c-cards from instructor friends without going through the proper channels. Sounds like they have.

I can understand getting free training from friends. If you have a friend who is an instructor and will train you for free, that's great...I'm envious. But everyone should be tested and required to pass to get a c-card.

Let us know what you find out. I'm curious.

 

[fisheater]

An instructor who would do that isn't being a friend or a good family member. Quite the opposite.


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[Brian Sharpe]

An instructor who would do that isn't being a friend or a good family member. Quite the opposite.


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Agreed, scuba can be a very safe sport with proper training and equipment. Taking shortcuts can have tragic results.

I recall one diver from my AOW course who was livid that the instructor wouldn't sign off as he clearly had some issues diving in local waters (had done a Caribbean quicky for his OW).

 

[seaducer]

Maybe they don't have cards at all? While I am seeing something to the effect of "must have certification from a recognized agency" in some regulations now, there is no blanket law I am aware of that says you must be certified to dive.

I knew a few people who had connections for fills and boat rides and never needed a card, taught themselves how to dive out of Popular Mechanics before I was born and could dive circles around most of the instructors I have seen in the water. I myself was able to find out all the academic knowledge before I signed up for my OW, and this was pre-Internet.

If you have the initiative and can get around wary shop owners and dive operators, you can become quite the acomplished diver having never taken a formal class.

 

[Onewolf]

A couple of weeks ago, this couple heard us mention being in Key Largo over the July 4th weekend, and the man starts asking me if we dove the Speigel Grove and mentioned some other sites that they had dove down there. The Speigel Grove sits on 133 ft at the bottom, so its an advanced-level dive. I only had a moment to speak with him so I didn't get to ask detailed questions, but it sounds like they must have gotten advanced c-cards.

Not all dive operators require an advanced certification to do 'advanced level' dives. My first dives after getting my OW cert was a US based liveaboard and I was doing 100ft dives by day 2 or 3.

 

[Jax]

I agree that the AOW written exam is mostly common-sense questions, but it sounds like these guys went from non-divers to AOW without any exams. I plan to quiz one of them for more details next time I see them.

Just an off-the-wall devil's advocate question . . . Why?

Just because a couple of ladies chatted that one learned from a family member doesn't mean anything . . . The word 'test' or 'exam' has different meanings -- I cannot remember a test for aow, but that doesn't mean I didn't have to demonstrate proficiency of the skills.

I'm curious why you think you have to go 'quiz' these people . . .

:sinq:

 

[Jaydubya]

Controls in the dive industry are lax. I hear instructors can certify themselves to teach specialties in some cases. I had my out of hydro tanks filled about 20 times at 5 different places in the last 5 months before I finally noticed they were out of hydro. Nobody has asked to see my c-card this year, even for oxygen, and only one place knows me. I think it would be easy to dive without being certified at all as long as you "look the part."

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Just an off-the-wall devil's advocate question . . . Why?

Just because a couple of ladies chatted that one learned from a family member doesn't mean anything . . . The word 'test' or 'exam' has different meanings -- I cannot remember a test for aow, but that doesn't mean I didn't have to demonstrate proficiency of the skills.

I'm curious why you think you have to go 'quiz' these people . . .

:sinq:

... what skills did you have to demonstrate for AOW?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sas]

I got my PADI Boat Diver Cert off a friend without doing the course. He asked me what I planned to do now I had Cave cert and I said 'PADI Boat Diver'. He said 'which end of the boat is the pointy end?' so I answered and he goes 'ok I'll issue you a cert card'.

I am pretty sure I didn't miss much not doing the course.