Online Nitrox and SDA??

[soonerwink]

Soonerwink, did they give a reason as to why they wouldn't except the card?

They said they had never heard of it, and researched it and said they wouldn't except their card.

 

[on_two_wheels]

Well, I don't think anyone can argue too much with ffdiver since he seems to be the only one to have taken both SDA and PADI nitrox classes. So, if he says they're pretty much the same and both quality courses, I'll take his word for it. However, still doesn't change the fact that shops may or may not take the card. PADI is pretty much accepted everywhere!! Additionally, they still listed shops on their site that allegedly accept their card and the shop hasn't even heard of them. That alone is enough to lose my recommendation or business.

 

[ffdiver]

I was trying to look into the whole affiliated shops, and my interpretation of it was that SDA recommends those shops but doesn't really say that the SDA referral will be accepted. The wording was alittle suspect, like they were trying to make people think that those shops are affiliated and not just good shops to check out.

You don't need to go into any of those shops for the online nitrox course. The part of the website that recommends those shops is under the online open water class. Its the same as I think divetraining.net or padi elearning concept. except that SDA gives a WORLDWIDE scuba referral.

Again I don't know if its a scam or just a small agency doing what they have to do to survive. I will make my opinion later.

 

[DandyDon]

They said they had never heard of it, and researched it and said they wouldn't except their card.

That could have been for insurance reasons, but anything that Divewookie (gawd, I can't remember the skipper's name?!) I'd want to count on. His first night briefings are a little long and detailed but for good reasons. Hehe I was on a liveaboard six months later and certainly counted no more than 10 pieces before flushing - and if you've been on the Spree, you know. If you got to visit with him any privately, you were probly impressed; I certainly was.

 

[fisherdvm]

I think what SDA started is actually a good thing - if they had done it right. I hope soon, more than 1 major certifying agency will do the same - offering online nitrox card. We have many professional organizations (including physician specialties) offering online recertifying exams, online ACLS recertification (although a face to face proctored session must be done). Nitrox seems a relatively trivial issue that I DO NOT think a proctored exam is required.

Afterall, if my local SSI shop gave my son a take home OW exam (which I didn't allow him to do as open book), how can an online nitrox exam be any worse.

 

[Damselfish]

I don't see any reason someone else shouldn't be able to break into the market and offer such a thing. They just need to do it right, which these guys (guy?) aren't doing. Be honest about everything, promote it properly, work to get it accepted. It's unclear if they're even trying to do such a thing or simply make a few bucks 'cause they can.

 

[Thalassamania]

I have no problem with an on-line NITROX card, my problem is the the dishonesty of the organization's representation of dive shops' affiliation with it. If you can't trust that, what can you trust?

 

[fisherdvm]

If you can't trust that, what can you trust?

That major credit cards will be honored, and your check will be cashed?

 

[boulderjohn]

You don't need to go into any of those shops for the online nitrox course. The part of the website that recommends those shops is under the online open water class. Its the same as I think divetraining.net or padi elearning concept. except that SDA gives a WORLDWIDE scuba referral.

We had a thread on these guys a while ago in relation to the open water course they do. I can't find the thread, and my feeble memory is no doubt short on a few details.

They were pretty much saying--although not exactly--that you could do all your coursework online through them and then just show up at the listed shops for your pool work and the rest of the referral. Eventually we realized that what they were saying was that they were a good supplemental resource in addition to your open water class.

They had a representative taking part in the thread. I contacted the shops in Colorado that were listed, and none of them had heard of them, and they said they would contact the group and tell them to take their names off the list. You will note that there are now no Colorado shops listed. I challenged the guy on this, and eventually he stopped participating in the thread.

 

[fisherdvm]

This is what they said about their OW online scuba class:

http://www.aquastrophics.com/corresfaq.html

"What agency is the certification?

The Academic portion of the scuba course and it's certification works for ANY scuba certification agency.
When you go on vacation to any resort in the entire world, you can present your certificate of completion and by-pass the "book work" and go straight to the pool or open water. We include a "Worldwide Scuba Referral Form" and all other necessary paperwork to complete your certification. The "instructor of record" (the instructor that takes you into open water) may want you to take a quiz, exam, or complete a verbal quiz to test your knowledge. They may want you to watch a video or two. But you won't be required to waste valuable vacation time sitting though the classroom portion of scuba diving. "

They mislead the buyer in thinking that PADI, SSI, NAUI, or any shops will honor their online class as equivalent to the shops' class, and will allow the student to go straight to the pool and then OW.