Learning path after AOWC (SSI)

[Doby45]

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.

I have the SDI Advance Scuba Diver card, so yes an ASD. Now that the semantics are out of the way, I would also say that any agency can have whatever that want printed on their card. So SDI could in fact have "Trained in 32% Nitrox" placed on their ASD card. Does that mean you are Nitrox certified? I would say no or you could read it as you are and say they are good to go for Nitrox 32% and only 32%, not 28% or 30% but only 32%. Sounds like if you read it the way you are then the "Fundies" card is good for Nitrox, Drysuit, Rescue and a whole host of certifications..

 

[HantsDiver]

I have the SDI Advance Scuba Diver card, so yes an ASD. Now that the semantics are out of the way, I would also say that any agency can have whatever that want printed on their card. So SDI could in fact have "Trained in 32% Nitrox" placed on their ASD card. Does that mean you are Nitrox certified? I would say no or you could read it as you are and say they are good to go for Nitrox 32% and only 32%, not 28% or 30% but only 32%. Sounds like if you read it the way you are then the "Fundies" card is good for Nitrox, Drysuit, Rescue and a whole host of certifications..

In terms of fundamentals then yes you are nitrox certified. For EANx 32. In the same way as padi/sdi certify you to use 21-40%.

If you'd done the course you would also know why it's 32% in terms of both usefulness and also working out no stop times.

 

[Doby45]

In terms of fundamentals then yes you are nitrox certified. For EANx 32. In the same way as padi/sdi certify you to use 21-40%.

If you'd done the course you would also know why it's 32% in terms of both usefulness and also working out no stop times.

Well if all that is the case then I think the added cost for Fundies is an absolute bargain. Take a single class and it includes "Intro to Tech", Nitrox, Drysuit AND Rescue.

 

[HantsDiver]

Well if all that is the case then I think the added cost for Fundies is an absolute bargain. Take a single class and it includes "Intro to Tech", Nitrox, Drysuit AND Rescue.

I agree - which is why I originally said that I didn't think it was a good idea to pay for fundamentals and then pay again for nitrox and drysuit training.

Here are the standards:

https://www.gue.com/files/Standards_and_Procedures/GUE-Standards-v8.pdf

I'd personally recommend a secondary rescue course covering more detail - but as you will see from the standards so do GUE they call it a rescue primer. However given you learn to do a buoyant lift which could save your buddies life on fundamentals it's a total bargain for an inexperienced diver.

Also I'm not sure I'd really call it intro to tech. You are not doing any technical diving. You are just practising the basics or as the DIR crew like to call it the fundamentals.

 

[Doby45]

I agree - which is why I originally said that I didn't think it was a good idea to pay for fundamentals and then pay again for nitrox and drysuit training.

Here are the standards:

https://www.gue.com/files/Standards_and_Procedures/GUE-Standards-v8.pdf

I'd personally recommend a secondary rescue course covering more detail - but as you will see from the standards so do GUE they call it a rescue primer. However given you learn to do a buoyant lift which could save your buddies life on fundamentals it's a total bargain for an inexperienced diver.

Also I'm not sure I'd really call it intro to tech. You are not doing any technical diving. You are just practising the basics or as the DIR crew like to call it the fundamentals.

But you are working in doubles and doing valve drills, longhose gas sharing and so forth. That for all intents and purposes is "Intro to Tech" But, I have been educated here and will have some confirmation discussions with GUE folks I know. Thanks for the insight..

 

[pinshootr]

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.

View attachment 420640

so every 3 years you have to go back and renew your nitrox and drysuit (FUNDIES)card?????

 

[Doby45]

so every 3 years you have to go back and renew your nitrox and drysuit (FUNDIES)card?????

I dunno, as that card is not mine. It does appear to have a renewal aspect though.

 

[HantsDiver]

You just need to confirm you have done (25 I think) number of dives in the last few years and pay a low fee. You don't have to redo the whole course.

No one I know outside of the instructor ranks bothers to do this. But I actually like the idea personally. If I didn't dive for three years then I'd consider myself a complete beginner again.

 

[pinshootr]

You just need to confirm you have done (25 I think) number of dives in the last few years and pay a low fee. You don't have to redo the whole course.

No one I know outside of the instructor ranks bothers to do this. But I actually like the idea personally. If I didn't dive for three years then I'd consider myself a complete beginner again.

but if it expires you no longer are Nitrox/drysuit certified? At least thats what the card reads so you might as well pay the 100 dollars for the nitrox course and drysuit cards come with a suit purchase at our shop and be good for rest of your life.

 

[HantsDiver]

but if it expires you no longer are Nitrox/drysuit certified? At least thats what the card reads so you might as well pay the 100 dollars for the nitrox course and drysuit cards come with a suit purchase at our shop and be good for rest of your life.

That's certainly one way of looking at it.

I'm yet to hear of anyone ever being turned away for a nitrox fill as their card is out of date. Or trimix for that matter. I'm rarely if ever asked to show a card to get nitrox but it's a possibility I suppose.

People need to stop thinking about cards and start thinking about training. I'd much rather dive with someone with no drysuit card who had exceptional training. A drysuit card is totally pointless to someone who is purchasing a drysuit. The training is useful. I'd resent the free card I was paying for in terms of markup on the suit.