SSI advanced adventurer vs Individual specialities

[Adam Grose]

<SNIP>
Most decent instructors will do so. It saves them the cost of sending off to whatever agency for the card. And in turn can save you some money. You still get the coaching just not the card.

<SNIP>

In the case of an SSI dive center, I believe that the card is actually printed right there at the shop. Any SSI instructors on the board can probably confirm or deny that.

Adam

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I recommend taking full specialties.You come out a better diver.

 

[Doby45]

I recommend taking full specialties.You come out a better diver.

Still depends on the instructor. I have seen DMs that I would not trust to button up a BC, have zero buoyancy control and half the time put regs on a tank wrong. Specialties does NOT equal a better diver, just like 4,000 dives does not equal a better diver.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I meant in comparison to 5 day sample platter. If both are taken from the same instructor the complete specialties will develop more competent divers. I am a huge disbeliever in the sample platter training certifications. I think both instructors and students would gain so much if these were eliminated and more focus was spent on full specialities.

 

[rick00001967]

<SNIP>

In the case of an SSI dive center, I believe that the card is actually printed right there at the shop. Any SSI instructors on the board can probably confirm or deny that.

Adam

it is true that ssi is trying to encourage the dealers to adopt their own printing ability so ssi does not have to print and mail cards. the student will of course receive the digital card.
we find most students are not interested in the digital card. they want to have the real card as a keepsake and a reward for their accomplishment. and i agree. unfortunately our shop does not have the ability to print our own cards. hard to justify the expense when you have such a small shop.

 

[Bubblesong]

I went with the "sample platter" to try out a variety of dives before deciding which full certifications would be best for me. I thought I would like fish ID but the little buggers won't pose next to my fish ID card, or else they try to nibble on it.
I dreaded the night dive, but it was the most fun, and worth getting the complete cert. I won't double count dives for a cert. The opposite. I want to repeat Neutral bouyancy and rescue dives in different conditions, Drysuit/wetsuit/tropical for different experiences.
As for not needing to pay an professional instructor for an organized education, that is like scarfing ketchup packets and saying you don't need to buy dinner.

 

[Bob DBF]

I depends on what diving you plan to do along the way. Some operators require AOW (Advanced Adventurer) for some dives and could restrict your choices until you had the time and money to complete the specialties and qualify for the AA. The specialties will help you more to be a better diver over the long run, but you may miss some good dives along the way.

Specialties does NOT equal a better diver, just like 4,000 dives does not equal a better diver.

A high dive count may not make me a better diver, but I've come back every time which is more important to me.


Bob

 

[HantsDiver]

As for not needing to pay an professional instructor for an organized education, that is like scarfing ketchup packets and saying you don't need to buy dinner.

You misunderstood me.

Option A: walk into a shop and ask to take a buoyancy course and pay. You get a card/certification at the end which the shop/instructor pays for and therefore either you pay for or they earn less.

Option B: you find an instructor who is incredibly skilled in the area you want to improve in. You ask for coaching in that area. The instructor works specifically to make you a better diver and structures and dives around you personally and not performance requirements. You still pay the instructor. You also now have the option of picking different instructors who all have different areas of interest and things they are best at. Here you become a better diver and either the instructor earns more - or you save money. But no card/certification.

 

[Marie13]

I depends on what diving you plan to do along the way. Some operators require AOW (Advanced Adventurer) for some dives and could restrict your choices until you had the time and money to complete the specialties and qualify for the AA. The specialties will help you more to be a better diver over the long run, but you may miss some good dives along the way.

I guess it depends on how your shop prices it out. Mine does a package for the SDI Advanced that includes 4 specialties. I'll have it done in August, so one a month. No trips planned that would be affected by lack of an Advanced card. I've already got my deep card, so I'll have that for my Lake Huron trip in a month.

I already knew the specialties I wanted, so it was a no brained to do the specialties instead of the sampler platter.

 

[Doby45]

I meant in comparison to 5 day sample platter. If both are taken from the same instructor the complete specialties will develop more competent divers. I am a huge disbeliever in the sample platter training certifications. I think both instructors and students would gain so much if these were eliminated and more focus was spent on full specialties.

I could not agree with you more on that point..