Nitrox class, at home or on liveaboard?

[MikeC]

A friend has a liveaboard scheduled for this upcoming year and is thinking of taking a nitrox class on the boat. Pros and cons of doing it on a liveaboard. Pros and cons of doing it locally, other than cold quarry water.

PS she has about 12 years in the water, PADI DM certified but currently not involved with a shop.

 

[NJDiveGirl]

I know if you do nitrox thru SSI - there arent any check out dives! I'd take the class at home and get it over with!

 

[nickjb]

Good plan, nitrox will definitely be useful for a liveaboard trip. There is quite a bit of sitting around between dives on a liveaboard. That'll be a good time to do the Nitrox course as it is pretty much all theory.

 

[jeadiver]

Get it at home. It will usually be less expensive, and that way you don't have to waste valuable dive time in a class!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

It's no long class. Some of the boats let you dive nitrox at no additional charge if you complete the course with them. Depending upon your operator's policy, it may even be cheaper to do the course there by the time you add on surcharge for gas.

 

[GQMedic]

I'd opt for the class at home and reserve the time on the live aboard for fun. Who wants to "work" on vacation?

 

[RICHinNC]

Just did the course a few weeks back. Didnt see any justification other than $$$$$ for the two dives. But it was a PADI course,...so that explains it.

 

[rwpatterson357]

I know if you do nitrox thru SSI - there arent any check out dives! I'd take the class at home and get it over with!

I was Nitrox certified by SSI last year and had 2 cert dives. Where did you get it without cert dives?

rwpatterson357

 

[scubajoe]

SSI doesn't require dives to be certified, however the LDS can exceed SSI requirements and require the dives. If you do the dives it counts as a diving specialty towards the Master Diver rating. Check around to see who does it how.
I'd do the course locally. You've gotta sleep sometime on the boat. SI should be spent on the top deck in a lounger! Plus if you do it at home you keep the books and charts. Every boat I've been on that had courses used boat books and tables.

Drew may be right about the price and the discount on the Nitrox.

Joe

 

[SubMariner]

Just did the course a few weeks back. Didnt see any justification other than $$$$$ for the two dives. But it was a PADI course,...so that explains it.

How about the fact that the student has to actually demonstrate in "real life" that they know how do do things like:

- analyze the mixture
- calculate their NDL limit at their planned depth
- calculate residual PO2 as well as N2 using not only the standar pre-printed tables, but the Equivalent Air Depths
etc., etc., etc.

BTW, no one FORCED you to take a PADI course. There ARE other agencies that teach Enriched Air diving.

Enough with the PADI bashing, already! :shiner: