Learning path after AOWC (SSI)
- Thread starter Berry Ke
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I see what you are getting at by it being on the card. This still does not absolve you from getting the actual certification for those specialties.
As someone that fills tanks and rents drysuits, I would not rent or fill for you with nothing more than a Fundies card.
Is what it is and you are entitled to your position.
Satrekker
Contributor
Respectfully, I find your objections ridiculous. I chose to take the GUE fundamentals course in parts in order to have the time to practice and assimilate as many of the skills and as much of the information from part 1 as possible before taking part 2. I've only completed part 1, and it was an intro to GUE philosophy, gear configuration, and lots of skills/drills practice, which is exactly what I wanted and expected. Since I have yet to take part 2, I really don't know for certain everything that will or will not be covered. I didn't know about the nitrox component in part 2, so thank you for adding that information. I had no idea a Fundies card included a nitrox cert. On the other hand, if I don't wear a drysuit or bring doubles for part 2, I'm not exactly sure how much useful training in that equipment I'll be receiving, and since that describes my circumstances, I'll be wanting future drysuit and doubles training sometime afterwards.
I chose to take GUE fundamentals in parts and recommended it that way because of recommendations and the perceived practicality. I do not know of a better course for an already certified OW/AOW diver to take to expand his knowledge base and improve his diving fundamentals. This is in addition to the introduction to GUE. However, I don't claim to know about every course out there.
I've always been told "you don't know what you don't know," so I think it's more reasonable for a diver to make an informed decision about the adoption and implementation of GUE diving principles AFTER having some direct GUE experience and training. You don't really expect a diver to potentially discard much of what he has learned and experienced and 100% adopt the entire GUE philosophy solely because he has signed up for a training class, do you? That certainly appears to be your expectation based upon your post.
I'm also very aware that GUE teaches unified team diving. I'm also aware of the FACTS that each person is ultimately responsible for himself and not everybody is fortunate to have a GUE dive buddy for every single dive opportunity. As such, I think the SDI solo course is a great way for a diver to learn what they don't know about solo diving - situations, equipment, philosophy, etc... Taking a solo course does not guarantee that a diver will become a solo diver just like taking GUE fundies does not guarantee every student will become a GUE diver; however, I do think that every diver would be a better diver for having taken and learned from both courses. They both provide an opportunity to be exposed to and learn about things they may not have known. If you don't approve, that's not my problem. It's only my 2psi which is worth about as much as was paid for it.
Anyhow, best wishes and safe diving for the op on his diving journey.
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I am not certified to do fills. But, from that card, I would think you would be okay to give them a fill with EAN32. But, if they wanted anything else, then I would expect you to say no. And why not rent them a drysuit (if the card says "trained in drysuit")?
Nothing about that card tells the station operator that the diver has been trained to use other blends of Nitrox. For all anyone looking at that card would know, the diver has no training in calculating an MOD for any other blend. I mean, why would an instructor teach someone how to calculate an MOD for other blends of Nitrox if they are also going to teach them to always and only use EAN32, for dives up to a certain specific depth, and then use another specific gas for dives in the next depth range?
My TDI Nitrox card says:
"Qualified in the use of 22% to 40% nitrox to a maximum depth of 130 fsw/40 msw."
My TDI Helitrox card says:
"Certified to utilize Nitrox and Helium mixes with no greater than 20% He, and up to 100% Oxygen for decompression diving to a maximum depth of 45m/150ft only."
If a card only said "Trained in 32% Nitrox", how would anyone just automatically expect a fill station operator to give them a fill of any other blend of Nitrox?
Go back and look at the link that I posted from the GUE site about the requirements that need to be met for "Fundies". Yes, there are different levels, such as Rec, Tech and so forth, but none of those requirements state that you will analyse tanks (one of the few skills that must be done to get a Nitrox cert with any other agency) nor is there any specific skills that must be done in or with a dry suit.
The same would hold true with my AOW card from SDI. I took Nitrox as one of my specialties so because I took Nitrox as one of my specialties I should just be able to show a fill operator my AOW card and be good to go.
My point is, do you really expect a random fill station operator to go look up standards? Or do you expect them to go by what it says on the card? If you're a fill station operator and the card says "trained in 32% Nitrox" or ("trained in drysuit"), then why would you feel like you were not perfectly clear (from a legal/liability perspective) to fill them with EAN32 (or rent them a drysuit)?
SDI doesn't have an AOW card. Do you have an SDI AAD card or an SDI ASD card? Does it say that you are trained for Nitrox? I don't have an AAD (or AOW) card. But, my SDI ASD card doesn't say anything specific about my training. I bet the SDI AAD card doesn't, either. So, how do you conclude that presenting it would be just as good as presenting a GUE card that does specifically say "Trained in 32% Nitrox"?
And what difference does it make to you, the fill station operator, how GUE teaches their course, as long as the person asking for a fill of EAN32 has a card that says they are trained to use 32% Nitrox? Do you go online and read the course standards for every agency that someone presents a Nitrox card from before you give them a fill? That sounds exceptionally tedious. Especially if the card says right on it what they are trained for.
Also, I note that the link you posted takes you to GUE's "marketing" for their course. That is not their actual instructor manual (I don't think). So, you can't really go by that anyway. You don't actually know if the instructor's manual includes things like teaching how to use an analyzer. Just because it doesn't say so in the "marketing" blurb for the course doesn't mean anything.
And this is why I said it was ridiculous.
Not only do you have to analyse your gas - you have to label your cylinder in a very certain way. You won't get in the water on fundies unless you do this. GUE even sell their own (ridiculously expensive) tape for this purpose. You have to analyse your own gas for every dive you do.
As for specific skills in the drysuit... You have to be able to do every skill required in trim - and you have to vent from both the drysuit and the wing in trim whilst ascending from a dive. You also have to stop the ascent at various points and hold your position. You are taught how to use your drysuit to make this possible.
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