caipi
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I took my padi open water cours almost 20 years ago... is that certification still valid? I still have my ID.
My Padi certification - still valid?
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Chugwhump
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Yup, but you should absolutely go to a Dive/Training facility and get the refresher course.
In 20 years, several things have changed. The water will still kill you and stuff like you learned, but much of the gear has been refined. There are new methods on safety stops, gas management, and other things. You may have developed a physiological situation that may need to be worked around. Your skills are rusty. I am not saying gone, I am saying rusty.
Contact an instructor and get rehoned to the edge that you felt you achieved 20 years ago.
You will have a good and fun time getting reaquainted with the sport.
Chug
In 20 years, several things have changed. The water will still kill you and stuff like you learned, but much of the gear has been refined. There are new methods on safety stops, gas management, and other things. You may have developed a physiological situation that may need to be worked around. Your skills are rusty. I am not saying gone, I am saying rusty.
Contact an instructor and get rehoned to the edge that you felt you achieved 20 years ago.
You will have a good and fun time getting reaquainted with the sport.
Chug
:lol: What he said!!!
I don't know what things are like in your area, but in our area, you generally have two choices for a refresher course. You can take a regular, scheduled, group refresher. In such a course, you will be with a group of maybe 6-8 other divers who are refreshing their skills. Alternatively, you can pay a few bucks more and get a private refresher where it is just you and an instructor. After 20 years, that is what you want.
divecon_nik
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you know, what i did when i had been out of the water for a few years was take a stress & rescue class or some sort of other advanced class. most instructors will go over all of your skills first anyhow. plus, your getting additional training for not too much more mula. however, you would still want to pick up an open water book to read up on what has changed and to refresh. your shop may have a loner that you could borrow to review before the class. just a thought... have fun with it!
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Definitely take a refresher course. It could be as easy as a couple of hours in the pool one evening with some quick academic review. It is for your own safety.
I was out of diving for about 20 years and when I came back I started all over again. But I was certified in 1970 by YMCA before any new-fangled gear like we have today. So I really had to re-up from the ground floor.
You can likely get some instructor to spend a couple of house updating you.
I was out of diving for about 20 years and when I came back I started all over again. But I was certified in 1970 by YMCA before any new-fangled gear like we have today. So I really had to re-up from the ground floor.
You can likely get some instructor to spend a couple of house updating you.
john_w
Registered
You're getting some good advice.........
Pearldiver07
Contributor
Also, get a new replacement card from PADI and put that one in a safe place!
I love it when a customer/student brings in a really old card. It's a true collector's item.
I love it when a customer/student brings in a really old card. It's a true collector's item.
Chugwhump:
Other than SMBs, what has changed? I agree he needs a refresher, but because he's lost skills and forgotten things, not because of changes.
sabbath999
Contributor
General computer use and the functionality of modern computers as opposed to the very rudimentary and VERY expensive computers that were available then (the first dive computer, the OctaEdge, had only come out in 1983 and it was a bazillion dollars), BCD designs, the virtual elimination of J-Valves in favor of SPG's, the general use of octos, the fact that new divers are NOT trained to buddy breath as a part of PADI curriculum so newer divers don't know how to do it, the common adoption of Air II's (a large minority of divers now use them) come to mind off the top of my head. Additionally, many if not most modern BC's are weight integrated with various weight release systems that were not common back then...
Yes, almost all of that stuff was available 20 years ago... but really, even though the AIR II was on the market, what are the chances a person had ever actually seen one in use in 1989.The horseshoe BCD was all over the place even though ScubaPro had invented the Jacket BCD 15 years before that. Dive Rite had just invented the doubles wing, and BP/Wings were not a common sight in recreational diving as they are today.
The way the OP was trained 20 years ago isn't the way that divers today are trained to dive, and if he is using a "modern, PADI trained" insta-buddy there's going to be culture shock and a LOT of differences in expectations.
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