Shore-based courses

[theriel]

Hello,
Taking into consideration the fact that I will have a small gap before my next diving trip, I was thinking about doing something to improve my diving knowledge and awareness in the meantime.

Do you happen to know any courses, trainings, whatever, recommendable for a PADI Rescue Diver (+Nitrox)?

I was thinking about doing a blender course - but I am not sure to what extent these courses are helpful for a diver, whether the knowledge acquired is of any use in the case when I am not a professional working in a diving centre, filling gases.

I have heard also about different medical courses, but these seem to be quite dependant on the location, so I will probably ask about it on a local forum (I have already participated in DAN courses).

There is also PADI equipment specialist, but I am not sure if it is really useful... basing on my experience with previous PADI training, this course will probably tell me once again what BCD is and how it differs from fins - without going really in depth. But maybe I am wrong?

Thank you for any suggestions!

Best regards,
Theriel

 

[rstofer]

The equipment specialist course is whatever the instructor makes it. I enjoyed it for the regulator disassembly/reassembly portions but others have thought less of it.

I took 3 PSI courses: Visual Inspection, Oxygen Clean and Valve Repair. These are pretty good courses but they may not translate well if your VIP is handled differently. Around here, there is no reason you can't visual your own tanks. Then again, I'm not sure the LDSs will really accept the tag. OTOH, shops that don't know you personally are more likely to accept it because they don't know WHO did the work. My local LDS would know...

Richard

 

[diverdowndude]

Theriel-
When I know I'm going to be away from diving for a period of time I will look around for course books that intrest me or just pick up a PADI adventures in diving manual and read. PADI, TDI and SDI, International Training :: Home :: :: English both have many course books available on line or on ebay etc. You will be surprised what a review might bring to mind and if you later decide to do the course or look for an instructor you will already have some of the course material and an idea of what you expect from your training.

My son is a very conservative recreational diver, I learned to dive in the late sixties and early seventies when a single “C” card allowed you to do anything and most of my diving interests and experience are in the 99fsw – 250fsw range, while my son has no intrest in diving deeper than 130fsw he will ask to borrow some of my manuals and actually do the quiz work which in my opinion has made him a safer recreational diver- In his opinion prior to reading these he would have thought that solo diving is an extreme sport for the foolish – now he thinks solo training makes you a safer buddy and dive team member because more thought is going into the planning stage of the dive which allows more freedom to enjoy the actual dive and your buddies with a margin of safety.

As you said in the beginning you are current with your Rescue, CPR, and O2 provider courses etc. I find reading the manuals for these refreshing as well….I think the equipment specialist is for maintaining and repairing equipment, regulators, valves etc.? The gas blending course is useful if you ever intend to work in the field or homebrew your own bottles or just want to know what is going on behind the scene with your air/nitrox fills-

Just my thoughts-