Cost of PADI Rescue Diver Course

[Tiger_777]

Hi all,

I have my advanced certification and 44 dives under my belt so I was looking at doing the Rescue Diver Course to further advance my skills. I was wanting to do this close to home and did a bit research on some near by trainging centres and was quie surprised by the variation in price. My local dive centre is offering the course for $750 but the dive centre a couple of hours down the road are offering the same course (with the same inclusions/exclusions) for $350 (AUD). This seems to me to be quite an unreasonable price variation.

Can anyone tell me if there is any sort of average price for this course? Is my local dive centre a rip-off?

Cheers

 

[Bob DBF]

Couldn't tell you what's fair since I'm in the US however, talk to each shop and find out what the price includes. If the book, video, rental gear, and whatever else is not included in the lower priced course and is in the higher, you may have your answer.


Bob
-----------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[DevonDiver]

... was quite surprised by the variation in price.

You might also be quite surprised by the variation in quality.

Pricing variation tends to occur for good reasons. The scuba industry is too competitive to promote unrealistic pricing. Where pricing is higher, it is generally because an operator isn't willing to compromise on the quality of training. Where pricing is lower, it is generally because the bare minimum was provided.

Difference can include; boat versus shore dives, 50 minute dives versus 20 minute dives, a 20-year veteran instructor versus some noobie OWSI that just walked off an IDC course (pay peanuts, get monkeys), the allocation of extra dives to ensure skills are well ingrained, whether kit is provided or not,...

1) Talk to the varied operations and see exactly what their course entails.

2) Compare those courses on a like-for-like basis.

3) Remember that the value of training lies in the quality of training, not the card you receive afterwards.

 

[String]

Also be careful with RD - some places include EFR in the price whilst other places do not.
Some give you a course price then charge extra for the manuals and PiC.
Some charge gear rental, some don't.
Are you going to be in a group of 2 or 3 people or 8?
Are there extra dives included?


Lots of variations so you need to be sure you're comparing like for like with this.

 

[rickyd]

When I took rescue, also included was Emergency First Responder (EFR), O2 Provider, CPR and AED. All of these skills are/may be required in a real rescue situation.

I applaud you for wanting to improve your skills, but, please recognize Rescue is a TOUGH class;I question your desire to take rescue with so little experience under your belt. Your skill level for only 44 dives may be way off the chart - congrats to you if so. This is not a class to take to learn how to improve your buoyancy skills or SAC rate or to simply expand on what you learned in OW to tow a tired and cooperative diver. It is extremely physical -- you'll be placed in different situations to "rescue" unconscious divers, panicked divers, unconscious divers that wake up and all they want to do is pull out your regulator or get on top of you and drown you. Remember, a primary objective of the rescuer is to not become another victim. I can go on and on.

Rescue is probably the best class you will ever take, but, be sure you're ready for it. If you want to get a feel for the class, talk to an instructor and volunteer to be a "victim"; it's kick-ass fun to do, and will show you the scenarios you will be placed in, in class. A good instructor will not let you participate in exercises beyond your skill level.

Good luck.

Let the flames begin.

 

[TMHeimer]

Our shop has a Rescue course scheduled in the Spring for $300 Canadian. This is a bit cheaper than the $350 Australian one you mentioned (particularly since your dollar has even risen above the U.S.$ recently, and ours has sunk back to $.94 US). So the $750 one seems way too much I would think.

 

[Flyingkayak17]

If you know you are ready, you will get great benefit from completing rescue diver. Here in the states it runs from 250 to 300 USD for PADI. Go visit and interview some LDS in your area to determine who has the best instructors/program. The instructor is the person who makes the difference. Pick the best instructor that you can find.

 

[Tiger_777]

Thanks for the advice everyone. It seems that each dive centre has the same inclusions for the course so $750 seems a bit unreasonable. But I'll have to do a bit more research into the instructors at the cheaper venue.
And Rick, I appreciate your info about what the course entails but I spent 4 years in the Army I'm no stranger to emergency/high stress situations or having to be physically tough.
Thanks again.

 

[rickyd]

Tiger, Come back to us after the class with a review; always interested in hearing good and bad, and what you got out of it.

G'luck.