Old Commercial Diver w/34 year old cert

[boulderjohn]

You must have missed the part where the OP said his father hadn't been diving in 32 years. .

The other point was that he was mostly not a scuba diver when he did dive--he used surface supplied air.

Sure, it is possible he is OK. I have, however, had some bad experiences with people coming into do basic refreshers when they have been out of diving for more than 20 years. Most of them really struggle.

 

[Rich Keller]

My father is 58 or so years old. He dove from like 1978 to 1982. Most of his diving was in shallow very low viz water on surface supplied air. He is in shape. He is VERY hard-headed and I'm not sure if I can get him to go to a full OW class again.

I am going in January with him to Cozumel for a week of diving at the iberostar. My LDS thinks he should start from scratch with OW cert. Is this right? Is there another option? what are they?

Your father and I have a similar history though I worked for 10 years and continued to dive after I stopped doing it for work. There is no need to take OW over again if he still has his card. He has probably spent more hours underwater in a single year then most sport divers will in their lifetime. If you cannot talk him into a refresher course then just make your first couple of dives shallow so he can adjust to the rental gear and he will be fine.

 

[Barrod]

OP here...

The $650 is for the full rental equipment - excluding fins/mask/snorkel. They want you to buy those before takin OW cert. It also includes the PADI e-learning. He got rid of his equipment long ago. There are a lot of great ideas for me to ponder in this thread. Thanks everyone~

 

[Croomrider]

I recently took a friend diving that hadn't dove in 20 years. I loaned him my spare equipment, made sure he knew how it worked, and knew what the dive plan was. He dove great the first dive, used less air than I did, and was probably more proficient than any of my buddies. It probably helped that he had been a US Navy diver for 11 years, but it certainly showed that not everybody needs a refresher after a fairly lengthy layoff!

Mike

 

[Frosty]

OP here...

The $650 is for the full rental equipment - excluding fins/mask/snorkel. They want you to buy those before takin OW cert. It also includes the PADI e-learning. He got rid of his equipment long ago. There are a lot of great ideas for me to ponder in this thread. Thanks everyone~

Barrod--Horse/water -nuff said??
In your shoes I'd book dad for a DSD or even a resort course now then " let" dad find out the LDS won't let him dive without an up to date cert. But "coincidently" theres a spot open TODAY on the resort course which is a 1 day/2 day course.
-Yep I deal with stubborn older guys regularly myself.

 

[Subcooled]

That is a double-edged sword. Being a geezer ex-commercial diver myself, I can relate. He would be horrified if he took a class today because it is so incomplete. There is a better chance that he will correct the instructor unless (s)he is a salt. He would probably walk out in disgust even in the unlikely event you could get him to go.

He needs to take this class: Recreational Diver Level 1 - Nitrox diver | Global Underwater Explorers

 

[Tom Winters]

Set up a class for him and pay for it in advance. Tell him that he doesn't need it and that he doesn't have to go - you'll lose the money that you paid - but if he really doesn't need it, well that's ok. Tell him that you did it for you, not him and that it would really, really, really make you feel a lot better if he did take the class before the trip so you could enjoy the diving in Coz and not worry about him the whole time underwater.

You could also take the class with him just for the hell of it.

 

[oldschoolto]

You must have missed the part where the OP said his father hadn't been diving in 32 years. Diving continuously is one thing. Not diving for over 3 decades is different. I've seen people's in-water skills degrade in just a few months of not diving. How do you think he'll do after 32 years?

Anyone can read or be told things like, "No, BCD's don't have CO2 canisters in them anymore", or "Here are the changes associated with dive planning", etc. I haven't flown a plane in 10 years. You can TELL me about new changes to glide slope indicators and what the newest version of TCAS is capable of. That doesn't mean I shouldn't get some training with the new stuff, regardless of how minor it is. Minor misunderstandings can turn into severe problems at a mind-blowing speed.

I also am a pilot.... I bet you that after 10yrs of not flying you'd be just fine in a C-152 / C-182 class aircraft.... In VFR flight , local.... Now a cross country in IFR with a glass panel.... Not so much....

His dad will most likely not be doing a MIX GAS - DECO dive....

JIM...

 

[Hawkwood]

Barrod--Horse/water -nuff said??
In your shoes I'd book dad for a DSD or even a resort course now then " let" dad find out the LDS won't let him dive without an up to date cert. But "coincidently" theres a spot open TODAY on the resort course which is a 1 day/2 day course.
-Yep I deal with stubborn older guys regularly myself.

I like that approach. Very clever.

Do it with him though so you are in the pool together. With the DSD, even just a pool session only, he will see and use the "new" equipment. He (and you) will also be able to make an honest self-assessment of where he places himself after so much time. "Sell" it to him as a way to get familiar with the way things are done now and that you will feel better if your "buddy" is familiar with how you learned.

 

[videofly]

My father was a diver when I grew up. I have vivid memories of him, with a mask, fins, weight belt, and double hose tank set up. He started me snorkeling in the early 60’s and I received my NASDS certification in 1974. I used a mask, snorkel, fins, J-valve tank, and a horse collar. I stopped diving in the 80’s and I recently decided to start diving again. I purchased gear for my fiancé and four of our children and we are all taking a PADI course, with our open water dive coming up in 2 weeks.
I am 57 now and while the gear has changed and I am new to using a BCD, SMB, computer, second regulator, and improved ascent techniques, I have no problem diving. It is as if I had never taken a break. However, the course is not torture. It is even fun going through instruction with my family. Additionally, I lost my NASDS card years ago and I don’t think it can be replaced. So I think I will need a new card to get air and dive now anyway.
Taking the class again is fun and I am glad I chose to take it. I don’t see what the big deal is. To each his own, but if you go through the class with your dad, it should be a thoroughly enjoyable and bonding experience.