Nitrox card required to dive, not just for fills?

[MXGratefulDiver]

On the other hand being asked for nitrox card, and showing full cave instead, is kind of like being asked for drivers licence for your car and showing one that lets you drive 18 wheelers.

Eh ... I don't get the analogy. If you can drive an 18-wheeler, it's a pretty good assumption that you first learned how to drive a car. On the other hand, there is no requirement for nitrox in order to get a full cave cert.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

---------- Post added May 14th, 2013 at 07:11 PM ----------

If necessary I'll ask for a Helitrox mix but leave the Helium out.

I had that experience in Bonaire once. Brought my trimix card thinking if I got the chance I'd like to go dive the clipper ship. Didn't get the chance, but when I wanted nitrox for some shore dives the guy wouldn't accept my trimix card as proof I was nitrox certified. So I told him "OK, give me a trimix fill, just leave out the helium.". He thought about it for a couple seconds and started laughing ... and gave me my nitrox.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[LowDrag]

Most of my certs are with SSI. They have an app that stores all c-cards on your phone. Nice and handy and no extra charge.

Does anyone know if NAUI has an app like this? I searched both NAUI and SSI and found zip.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Does anyone know if NAUI has an app like this? I searched both NAUI and SSI and found zip.

You don't need an app ... a scanner gets the job done nicely.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[al248005]

I know with SSI and NAUI you can go right online and do a diver cert check

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Eh ... I don't get the analogy. If you can drive an 18-wheeler, it's a pretty good assumption that you first learned how to drive a car. On the other hand, there is no requirement for nitrox in order to get a full cave cert.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

When I did Cavern Intro / 1999 I was required to be nitrox certified by my instructor. In 2002 when I completed apprentice / cave I was asked again if I was as it was required. I guess this is when it was becoming the norm or standard for everyone. I don't know if that has changed but it was mandatory when I did mine. But, maybe it has changed since then. Mark

---------- Post added May 14th, 2013 at 07:11 PM ----------

 

[vmsgeek]

NASE is starting a new really inexpensive, E-Course for NItrox.

Where do I find out more about this? I looked at NASE's website, and did not see anything there about an e-course.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Looking at Training Agency websites I don't see where Nitrox is a prerequisite. Maybe it was just my instructors. I also can't say I know any I dive with that didn't have the same requirement before training.

 

[kaerius]

Looking at Training Agency websites I don't see where Nitrox is a prerequisite. Maybe it was just my instructors. I also can't say I know any I dive with that didn't have the same requirement before training.

Isn't this just not looking deep enough? Full cave is tech right? Requires tech cert. Tech cert requires nitrox. Might not be true for all agencies *shrug*. I know it's true for PADI TecRec.

 

[bletso]

Divemastgerdennis posted
"I don't get it. How inconvenient is it to carry something the size of a nitrox C-card ?"

Well let's see. I have a stack of cards fully two inches thick. Do I sort through the lot for that or those card/s needed for the specific dive I intend on doing? I really don't think so. The shop was being pound foolish. To have had the cylinders filled with EAN, they could reasonably assume they had a card, unless they filled them themselves and in which case odds are very high they had the requisite training.

Safe Diving

---------- Post added May 15th, 2013 at 06:51 AM ----------

I don't get it. How inconvenient is it to carry something the size of a nitrox C-card ? And doesn't at least PADI now have an on-line "look up" to to confirm certification if you don't have a card? Ok, so you were put off by the experience, but hey, this is such a prevenatble thing, that the lesson learned for all thread readers is simply this: when engaging in any activity that requires or may require certain credentials, be sure you carry those credentials with you. That includes having your drivers license and proof of insurance when driving, appropriate C cards when diving, and so on. Sorry, JahJahwarrior, but on this issue, I think your anger and retaliation may not be appropriate. But then, I am not there in Florida and I do not know the people you were interacting with. Maybe they were being a little overcautious, but you should not be surprised that they wanted to see a nitrox card.
DivemasterDenis

I wouldn't say it is FAR from the standard. There are dive operations all over the place that ask for a nitrox card if you are diving nitrox on their boat . The fact is that there are people around that dive and have no formal training. Formal training is not a "real" requirement. But at the same time don't expect a dive boat to take you out diving just because you have money and a fancy set of dive gear.

I dove uncertified for YEARS. All from my own boat, and I knew that if I wanted to dive on a charter that they would ask me for a card. No nitrox course for any agency that I can think of states that when you have completed the course that you are qualified to get your tanks filled. They state that you will be qualified to conduct dives using enriched air up to 40% O2.
These shops are well within their rights to ask you for a nitrox card if you will be diving it from their vessel. Just the same as if you show up with trimix and want to use it on their vessel.

Then does that mean when I show up with a dry suit I have to show my drysuit cert? I have about 1000 dive dry and no cert. I also dive a homemade MCCR and no CCR card, yet have over 300hours on the unit. I can go on.

To the original poster's point, if the dive was within Nitrox range, where was the boat's captain's liability for diving nitrox? Air is nitrox. remember?

 

[tomfcrist]

Divemastgerdennis posted
"I don't get it. How inconvenient is it to carry something the size of a nitrox C-card ?"

Well let's see. I have a stack of cards fully two inches thick. Do I sort through the lot for that or those card/s needed for the specific dive I intend on doing? I really don't think so. The shop was being pound foolish. To have had the cylinders filled with EAN, they could reasonably assume they had a card, unless they filled them themselves and in which case odds are very high they had the requisite training.

Safe Diving

---------- Post added May 15th, 2013 at 06:51 AM ----------

I don't get it. How inconvenient is it to carry something the size of a nitrox C-card ? And doesn't at least PADI now have an on-line "look up" to to confirm certification if you don't have a card? Ok, so you were put off by the experience, but hey, this is such a prevenatble thing, that the lesson learned for all thread readers is simply this: when engaging in any activity that requires or may require certain credentials, be sure you carry those credentials with you. That includes having your drivers license and proof of insurance when driving, appropriate C cards when diving, and so on. Sorry, JahJahwarrior, but on this issue, I think your anger and retaliation may not be appropriate. But then, I am not there in Florida and I do not know the people you were interacting with. Maybe they were being a little overcautious, but you should not be surprised that they wanted to see a nitrox card.
DivemasterDenis

I wouldn't say it is FAR from the standard. There are dive operations all over the place that ask for a nitrox card if you are diving nitrox on their boat . The fact is that there are people around that dive and have no formal training. Formal training is not a "real" requirement. But at the same time don't expect a dive boat to take you out diving just because you have money and a fancy set of dive gear.

I dove uncertified for YEARS. All from my own boat, and I knew that if I wanted to dive on a charter that they would ask me for a card. No nitrox course for any agency that I can think of states that when you have completed the course that you are qualified to get your tanks filled. They state that you will be qualified to conduct dives using enriched air up to 40% O2.
These shops are well within their rights to ask you for a nitrox card if you will be diving it from their vessel. Just the same as if you show up with trimix and want to use it on their vessel.

Then does that mean when I show up with a dry suit I have to show my drysuit cert? I have about 1000 dive dry and no cert. I also dive a homemade MCCR and no CCR card, yet have over 300hours on the unit. I can go on.

To the original poster's point, if the dive was within Nitrox range, where was the boat's captain's liability for diving nitrox? Air is nitrox. remember?

As far as the drysuit goes, it would be well within their rights to evaluate your proficiency prior to letting you dive it on their boat.
Homemade CCR, with no training, you would be asked to either not dive, or rent some OC gear. There is no chance that I would allow an untrained CCR diver on my boat.

Why is this my stance? Because I am the poor guy that has to retrieve your corpse.