Master Scuba Diver Certification

[Aquatic Eagle]

PADI requires advance ow and rescue along with 5 specialties.
In advance diver gets experience with deep and navigation. Search/recovery experience is in Rescue,as patterns are used -as in the navigation dive for advance-to find a "missing diver". Depending on which full specialties,that are chosen,which are more formal with academic and ow training, than the 5 dives for advance class have ,a diver can get quite a bit of experience with the right instructor.
Its not the agency,its the instructor and how well he/she communicates required skills to student..I have seen awful PADI-NAUI-SSI-CMAS-BSAC the list goes on and on.If a student of mine did adv/rescue/5 specialties with me and and wants a MSD card I'll pay for the card.Costs the student nothing.
For myself its a thankyou and giving recognition to my student for all the work they have put in.

NAUI requires Advanced too. That means they are getting double exposure to night/limited vis., deep and navigation instead of just trusting that they mastered it the first time around. Not only that but who knows how long it might have been since they took Advanced. This is a time to refresh and continue those skills and knowledge.

I have seen awful and great instructors from many different agencies as well. I agree that the instructor is the key, not the agency. This isn't about PADI vs. NAUI. This is about comparing their MSD programs which, in my opinion, don't really compare to each other.

The recognition to the student for the hard work they have put in has come with the certifications they have gotten thus far. MSD should not only be to recognize past hard work but to encourage more hard work and taking the next step in his diving education. If you earn an Associates degree, Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, you don't just get a PhD to recognize your hard work. It's the next and highest level and is typically the toughest to achieve.

 

[SleepWithFishes]

Hey Folks,

I am trying to figure out if I should get the Padi Master Scuba Diver Certification, so I was wondering what you guys think...

I am currently rescue certified, but coming up to the 5 required specialites plus have the logged dives - in other words I satisfy all the requirements.

Question: Is the Master Scuba a "real" course (where I actually learn new skills etc.)? If so, what is the content?

Or is it basically just a "title" confirming all of the requirements, but no added content? If so, why would anyone pay for this?

Any insights welcome!

Thanks !

I think that it is a motivator for somone to get more knowledge and complete more dives with more training. It advances the thinking of the diver, who will have to be in contact with much more experienced divers. This typically leads to better and more competent divers. Many people dont want to drag around newbies for no pay just to get a DM, so that they have the ok to drag around more newbies for someone else for little pay if any.

If you take the right specialities from the right instructors you can get a good recrational diving experience and be a pretty good rec diver at the end. BTW there is no way if you pick the more important specialities that you will do it in 50 dives. Most people I know just did it to give them selves a reason to learn, and had about 150 to 200 dives prior to paying a small fee for only having to carry one card.

Naui does have a good course, as does several other organizations, however sometimes you will wait a long time to get into a class.

Clearly people here are salty and jaded at times. There are lots of ways to achieve your goals, and that is just one of them.