Charters not accepting certain agencies?

[Wookie]

The last bit in parentheses about not accepting SDI is no longer there, as of this morning. The rest of it still is.

Here's what's listed now on their charters page: "All participants must be certified through an internationally recognized and accepted Scuba Training Agency. The Captain and Crew reserve the right to assess the abilities of any and all divers aboard the boat and deny dives to those who do not meet the mimimum [sic] proficiency and standard of training required for open water diving."

As a charter captain myself, I think this goes without saying. But, they obviously like to cover their bases. On my boat we had a sign. "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone at any time for your and our safety"

 

[boulderjohn]

It appears that the vast majority of WRSTC OW qualifications wouldn't comply with their standards.

Here are the RSTC standards for OW instruction: http://wrstc.com/downloads/03 - Open Water Diver.pdf

Can anyone please go through these standards and identify ANY of these supposed standards identified by AustinV?

Industry standards require a minimum course that includes: 12 hours academics, with an instructor in a classroom (not online), 12 hours pool training with an instructor, and 5 open water dives including 4 on Scuba and one skin dive.​

 

[boulderjohn]

Their representative (s) were invited to the RSTC . In order to become a member LA Co would be required to water down their programs to conform to the RSTC structure which they refused and walked out .

Can you identify what they would be required to water down?

The RSTC identifies minimum standards. Agencies are allowed to exceed those standards as long as they are not doing things that are strictly not allowed. PADI currently has more than a few standards that are not included in the RSTC standards.

 

[Saltyhawg]

It appears they are reading Scuba Board!

 

[Neilwood]

Breaking them down bit by bit as far as I can see from the RSTC standards:

Here are the RSTC standards for OW instruction: http://wrstc.com/downloads/03 - Open Water Diver.pdf

Can anyone please go through these standards and identify ANY of these supposed standards identified by AustinV?

Industry standards require a minimum course that includes:
12 hours academics,No duration specified by RSTC so long as knowledge requirements are met
with an instructor in a classroom (not online) location of "academics" (knowledge requirements) and supervision by instructor not specified by RSTC
, 12 hours pool training with an instructor no duration specified by RSTC so long as "satisfactory skill performance" is determined however dives should be minimum of 15 minutes at depth 5-18m
, and 5 open water dives including 4 on Scuba only 4 dives required under RSTC standards
and one skin dive. Not a requirement under RSTC standards - is optional​

Therefore any RSTC course, unless they are going WAY beyond the minimum standards, will not comply with Viking's requirements. So that means PADI, SSI, SDI, RAID, IANTD, NAUI, PDIC, SNSI divers are all at risk of being refused on their charters.

I did read on their site that they are aligned with CMAS though who do operate to a different set of minimum standards.

 

[GreggS]

It appears they are reading Scuba Board!

Exactly what I was thinking. Coincidental that they took it down after this thread started? Maybe, but that's a hell of a coincidence.

Breaking them down bit by bit as far as I can see from the RSTC standards:


Therefore any RSTC course, unless they are going WAY beyond the minimum standards, will not comply with Viking's requirements. So that means PADI, SSI, SDI, RAID, IANTD, NAUI, PDIC, SNSI divers are all at risk of being refused on their charters.

I did read on their site that they are aligned with CMAS though who do operate to a different set of minimum standards.

You are completely right. But they didn't list any of the other certification agencies, they singled out SDI as not meeting the standards. Since it appears SDI has been a part of RSTC since early on, there had to be some ulterior motive for Viking to list them as exceptions. I would assume this has been on their website for quite some time and no one thought to change it until recently, as when this thread perhaps brought it to their attention and they say the kind of negative feedback they were receiving for it.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I grew up at the original PDIC HQ. The Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC) was formed around 1986 when I graduated from high school. I remember years of arguing among agencies to reach agreed upon minimum standards for open water. I mean ... we are talking about some really dysfunctional family style arguing in the beginning. The RSTC wasn't seen as the definitive body on agency representation until recently when the ISO nod of approval became a coveted and necessary international credential. It was nearly reinvented overnight and more agencies joined up. I believe MDEA was the only agency that started out with the RSTC that left, but somewhere along the way I lost track of MDEA's pulse and role in the industry.

 

[boulderjohn]

Since it appears SDI has been a part of RSTC since early on, there had to be some ulterior motive for Viking to list them as exceptions.

My wild guess: I believe SDI was the first to teach the use of computers rather than tables, and they were among the first to provide online instruction.

 

[GreggS]

My wild guess: I believe SDI was the first to teach the use of computers rather than tables, and they were among the first to provide online instruction.

Yeah, that would make as much sense as any other reason would.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

SDI wasn't part of what I'd consider the early RSTC. They joined 18 years after the organization was formed.