Question about Nitrox certifications
- Thread starter thebird36
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Compared to the lakes, the St. Lawrence is like bath water. Because of the flow, the water never stratifies into thermoclines.
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
The cert does not matter. Any of the agencies teach you the same basic stuff and the dives don't gain you anything. You can read everything you need to know. That's why TDI / Padi don't require the dives.
What does matter in being competent in analyzing your gas. 99.9% of nitrox diving is just being 100% confident of what is in your tank. Its not brain surgery. The trick is there are multiple brands of analyzers out there, multiple ways to connect them and other small differences. The certifying instructor will show you how to use his setup and let you practice. What you find in the dive boat may be slightly different and throw you into a trust me situation. Make an effort to use as many different analyzers as possible, ask when you don't know (The DM's will show you IF you don't wait to the last minute to ask when everyone is gearing up) and always do you own calibration + analysis. If you not comfortable with user the boat analyzer, buy your own.
What does matter in being competent in analyzing your gas. 99.9% of nitrox diving is just being 100% confident of what is in your tank. Its not brain surgery. The trick is there are multiple brands of analyzers out there, multiple ways to connect them and other small differences. The certifying instructor will show you how to use his setup and let you practice. What you find in the dive boat may be slightly different and throw you into a trust me situation. Make an effort to use as many different analyzers as possible, ask when you don't know (The DM's will show you IF you don't wait to the last minute to ask when everyone is gearing up) and always do you own calibration + analysis. If you not comfortable with user the boat analyzer, buy your own.
SDI and NAUI do not require dives either, although, as I understand the SDI course is computer based. The TDI and NAUI courses utilize tables, formulas and charts, I imagine the PADI course is similar. I would appreciate more details in this area.
However, I would add that the dives do have merit, especially when it is possible to exceed the MOD of the gas. Having the discipline to pay attention to and adhere to your MOD is important. In areas when I can't really drop too deep, perhaps in 60ffw in my local training lake I carry along a spare computer set on "air", then periodically compare that computer to others set for the gas we are breathing.
However, I would add that the dives do have merit, especially when it is possible to exceed the MOD of the gas. Having the discipline to pay attention to and adhere to your MOD is important. In areas when I can't really drop too deep, perhaps in 60ffw in my local training lake I carry along a spare computer set on "air", then periodically compare that computer to others set for the gas we are breathing.
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