Is a refresher course required?

[RonFrank]

If you feel you need a refresher, than schedule one. If you think that jumping in a pool for 30~60 minutes would do the trick, then do that, and review any materials that you feel necessary.

If the diving is not advanced (shallow reefs with reasonable vis), you may just want to review some material, and then treat your first dive as a refresher.

This is highly dependent on your skills, and comfort. You could also hire a DM for your first dive, and use the money you would have spent on a refresher on a DM. A good DM (generally an instructor, not just a DM) will spend some time going over basic skills, and buoyancy before you jump in the water. They can also provide a comfort factor, and make for great guides especially if they do a lot of diving in the area you plan to dive.

 

[katdiver]

A good choice of dive site to give you a relaxed intro to get you back in, that's how we do it! No extra cost, just come and enjoy!

 

[watboy]

From what I've seen, many dive shops offer refresher courses much cheaper if you sign up for dives with that shop. The shop I DMC'd at I think charged 800 baht, they may even toss it in for free if you are coming as a group. As others have stated, they can also do the refresh in some of the shallower reef dives, won't take long and is much cheaper than $100 and perhaps even free.

 

[Michael_Lambert]

Most dive operators i have dove with require a refresher course if you have no logged dives in the last 6 months. If you don't feel a refresher is needed then grab some buddies and jump in for a couple of local dives sign off on the log sheets and present them when you go for your vacation.

 

[katdiver]

I've known divers been charged 500 baht just to have a DM watch them take off a mask and put it back on! That was their refresher! No big deal here, we've got some divers with some dives under their belts.

 

[mgmonk]

Here in Thailand, at least in Lanta and Koh Tao, most shops will ask you if you want one. They rarely try and force you. As for what they entail, it depends on the shop and the diver's ability. I've done full refreshers in a pool for very nervous customers, and I've done ones that (because it's obvious that the diver is competent as I watch their equipment setup and we descend) entail a few quick skills, and we're off for a fun dive. It can take less than 10 minutes if the divers are ready to go.

I think you just need to be honest with yourself and whatever dive op you choose. Don't balk on it just because it's a little more money. If your mask strap breaks during a dive, could you swim up to the guide and ask for a spare without feeling panic? Is your buoyancy good enough to hover above coral to watch a harlequin sweetlips dance without stirring up silt or finning the coral?

 

[lord khram]

A good choice of dive site to give you a relaxed intro to get you back in, that's how we do it! No extra cost, just come and enjoy!

Sounds like 'spot on' advice to me, but just beware of the philosophy from the almighty which is followed by some of the more unscrupulous shops.

Pay Another Dollar In

 

[Bronson]

It has been a year since your last dive. How well can you do the 20 skills? when was the last time you swam without your mask on, or did hovering, or did a CESA? If your honest answer is you can do all the skills comfortably then you should be good to go. Ask the boat DM to do a checkout dive instead of the pool refresher. Better safe then sorry. I have conducted a few (only a few) refresher courses under Instructor supervision and from my experience, a refresher is a very good idea to make sure that you are safe. $100pp is high but your life is worth more. Just my 2 cents....

 

[oly5050user]

It has been a year since your last dive. How well can you do the 20 skills? when was the last time you swam without your mask on, or did hovering, or did a CESA? If your honest answer is you can do all the skills comfortably then you should be good to go. Ask the boat DM to do a checkout dive instead of the pool refresher. Better safe then sorry. I have conducted a few (only a few) refresher courses under Instructor supervision and from my experience, a refresher is a very good idea to make sure that you are safe. $100pp is high but your life is worth more. Just my 2 cents....

I conduct refreshers on a constant basis.If YOU feel you need to get pool time in because of time out of the water then do it.Here in NY at the facility I teach out of the policy is if we taught you to dive and you purchased gear from us-does not have to be everything, could be just mask-fins-snorkel, just do not show up with gear purchased elsewhere and expect to test it in our pool(there will be a fee charged if that is done) you can use the pool any time,we have an onsite indoor heated pool,at no charge.
IF you want an instructor to work with you then we charge $120.for 1 person $130. for 2 people, for about 2 to 3 hrs time and not only go over in water skills but anything you want in the classroom.

 

[lord khram]

IF you want an instructor to work with you then we charge $120.for 1 person $130. for 2 people, for about 2 to 3 hrs time and not only go over in water skills but anything you want in the classroom.

I must congratulate you here, thats a good philosophy and a good amount of time to spend on a refresher.
There are shops in Pattaya doing the open water course with not too much more actual instructor time than that, and at a much greater cost.