OP
PADI Master diver?
- Thread starter NudeDiver
- Start date
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I had a really "cute" one this year. I was working at the counter one morning when a lot of "new" divers (as in "we hadn't seeen them before") came in. I was working at a vacation resort DC. Anyway, I'm taking a photocopy of people's certs and checking their insurance and having them fill in the paperwork. A really nice young lady arrives at the counter with a MASSIVE log book binder. I said "So can I see your certs?" She unzips (the binder, guys) and low and behold she has just this huge stack of C-cards. Crowned by a PADI MSD. I say:"Wow, impressive!" She smiles, I take the MSD card, do all the paperwork.
The rest of the guys get her the right gear (she owned no equipment) and just before we are going to go on the boat (moored right up against the DC) she says: "I'm kind of nervous". I reply: "How come?" ..............."Well, I have only dived twice in the sea before!".
She had 200 dives............198 of them in quarries............Master Scuba Diver. I sure learned something that day!
The rest of the guys get her the right gear (she owned no equipment) and just before we are going to go on the boat (moored right up against the DC) she says: "I'm kind of nervous". I reply: "How come?" ..............."Well, I have only dived twice in the sea before!".
She had 200 dives............198 of them in quarries............Master Scuba Diver. I sure learned something that day!
NudeDiver:
What makes you think that is the point? The only point of anything PADI does is to increase PADI's profit.
HomelessDiver
Contributor
(hope I'm still on topic here...)
As I'm finishing up a few specialties for my own PADI MSD cert, I see something thats been missing in this thread. The OP was pretty right on the money and did a good job of collating the info succinctly. I'm far to new to diving to get involved in the agency vs agency flames. Gimme a decade and I might join in. :cool2:
Now as for the actual NEED for MSD, here's how I've always seen it. Lemme know if anything in here is incorrect.
Cave diving is cave diving. Wreck is wreck. nitrox and the tables..those dont change. You come here and want to hit some deep caves...cool, just show deep/cave cards for an agency and we all know you took a respectable course. Sure, some are better than others but I'll leave that for later
But MSD from PADI, as far as I can tell... its simply stating that by PADI's own internal standards - that cardholder is well rounded and experienced for their own line of standards. Not someone elses.
If PADI controlled a persons training, they put their name on it. MSD is merely recognition within that organization. If at SDI it means more classroom training, then so be it. I think all the extra gas theory is what PADI does as TEC/REC instead.
I've not heard of any site where operators will refuse a certain location unless they have an MSD card from any given group---however MOST places will (and should) do that for individual certs/specialties. If you respect your agency and like a bit of recognition for your diving, then get their MSD.
To close... I extend congratz to the OP (NudeDiver) for wading thru the other thread and picking the relevant facts of PADI MSD.
As I'm finishing up a few specialties for my own PADI MSD cert, I see something thats been missing in this thread. The OP was pretty right on the money and did a good job of collating the info succinctly. I'm far to new to diving to get involved in the agency vs agency flames. Gimme a decade and I might join in. :cool2:
Now as for the actual NEED for MSD, here's how I've always seen it. Lemme know if anything in here is incorrect.
Cave diving is cave diving. Wreck is wreck. nitrox and the tables..those dont change. You come here and want to hit some deep caves...cool, just show deep/cave cards for an agency and we all know you took a respectable course. Sure, some are better than others but I'll leave that for later
But MSD from PADI, as far as I can tell... its simply stating that by PADI's own internal standards - that cardholder is well rounded and experienced for their own line of standards. Not someone elses.
If PADI controlled a persons training, they put their name on it. MSD is merely recognition within that organization. If at SDI it means more classroom training, then so be it. I think all the extra gas theory is what PADI does as TEC/REC instead.
I've not heard of any site where operators will refuse a certain location unless they have an MSD card from any given group---however MOST places will (and should) do that for individual certs/specialties. If you respect your agency and like a bit of recognition for your diving, then get their MSD.
To close... I extend congratz to the OP (NudeDiver) for wading thru the other thread and picking the relevant facts of PADI MSD.
When I got my 5th PADI specialty, I applied for my PADI MSD card. Does that make me an itinerant badge collector? Probably, but so what? I kind of viewed it in much the same light as my degree certificates - no one really cares, but it is nice to have something tangible remind you of what you did.
I do remember thinking at the time though that it would be a lot cleverer if PADI just "endorsed" your specialities on your current card (so instead of getting a new "specialty" card, they just reissued your last certification level (OW, AOW, Rescue or MSD) with an additional endorsement showing that you have the relevant specialty. Bit like a driving license in some countries when you get a license to use a motorbike or drive a heavier class of truck.
Just quickly (on the most repetitive subject on SB) I also find it strange that everyone seeks to flame PADI for trying to make money - we all try to make money, and it is a free market - if you don't want to buy what they sell, then don't buy. Nobody holding a gun to your head.
I have always suspected that PADI does not actually make very much money at all, but it still tries hard to promote a sport that we all love, and takes time to get involved in conservation and clean-up projects. If PADI was actually a not-for-profit just trying to make ends meet it wouldn't be flamed nearly so much. If my $45 or whatever it was (can't remember now) generally helps the teaching of diving or the promotion of the sport, then that is all to the good. And if that means that PADI's shareholders get a dividend this year, so they keep plugging away next year, I can find a way to live with myself about that.
I do remember thinking at the time though that it would be a lot cleverer if PADI just "endorsed" your specialities on your current card (so instead of getting a new "specialty" card, they just reissued your last certification level (OW, AOW, Rescue or MSD) with an additional endorsement showing that you have the relevant specialty. Bit like a driving license in some countries when you get a license to use a motorbike or drive a heavier class of truck.
Just quickly (on the most repetitive subject on SB) I also find it strange that everyone seeks to flame PADI for trying to make money - we all try to make money, and it is a free market - if you don't want to buy what they sell, then don't buy. Nobody holding a gun to your head.
I have always suspected that PADI does not actually make very much money at all, but it still tries hard to promote a sport that we all love, and takes time to get involved in conservation and clean-up projects. If PADI was actually a not-for-profit just trying to make ends meet it wouldn't be flamed nearly so much. If my $45 or whatever it was (can't remember now) generally helps the teaching of diving or the promotion of the sport, then that is all to the good. And if that means that PADI's shareholders get a dividend this year, so they keep plugging away next year, I can find a way to live with myself about that.
HomelessDiver
Contributor
that sounds like an excellent idea. They still have to crank out another PVC card anyway, like they were already doing. No extra burden at all!
Thats a really good observation. I wonder why they dont?
Rhone Man:
No one does that. The rub is making money at the expense of safety. That is not the case in the topic being discussed here. PADI's only goal in issuing Master Diver cards is to increase profits. I don't see that as a bad thing, I just see it as a fact. When folks think the goal is to demonstrate and/or acknowledge diving in a variety of diving conditions, they're mistaken.
Rhone Man:
You're mistaken.
Rhone Man:
Look into the history of why Project Aware was started. You might be disillusioned.
Point taken. Those of us who are primarily temperate climate ocean divers tend to see quarry or lake diving as being more "hairy" than what we do. My only lake diving has been training alone but never for fun. Maybe I'm missing something.....:doh2:LOL Leap 89% of my dives are quarry and lake dives. Less then 12 of of my 100+ dives are saltwater and I got quiet a collection
rescue15
Contributor
That's because the SDI Advanced Diver Development PROGRAM card has all the specialties. The SDI Advanced card requires a certain number of dives and 5 specialties. It is much more than the PADI AOW. SDI gives a specialty of sorts - it's called Advanced Adventure diver which is the same as the PADI AOW. It is a preview of deep, nav , and previews of 3 other specialty dives and some class work. For the SDI Master scuba program you need the Adv diver dev. program, Rescue diver course and 50 dives. This is a much more comprehensive program than PADI...My background is the PADI program up to PADI Rescue diver and several PADI specialties. I just finished all the requirements for SDI Master diver program with 3 SDI specialties. The SDI dive program (I feel)is much more educational than the PADI program. (just my 2 cents)
Steve
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