When should you do a refresher course?

[boulderjohn]

To give you an idea of how angry a customer can get under theses circumstances...

There was a thread on ScubaBoard about 5 years or so ago about a woman who was told that because she had not dived recently enough, she would have to dive with a personal divemaster as her buddy--and pay extra for it. She had no choice, and she was visibly furious about it as they got on the boat.

No one is really sure exactly what happened during the dive, but she was seen to be swimming furiously down and away from the DM at one point in the dive, the DM in pursuit but well behind. The DM did not catch her, and her body was never recovered. No other details are available.

 

[Aguablanco1]

As I believe it has been said before, if the dive op requires a tune-up or refresher, other than a formal Scuba Review, are they not taking responsibility for my diving by saying that I am good to dive? Have they not set themselves up for a lawsuit if something bad does happen? The old line about insurance requirements is nothing but pure BS. We had a similar discussion about equipment requirements several months ago. Some LDS was requiring their employees to use a particular brand of equipment, which they just happened to sell, because of insurance requirements. I called BS on that as well. If a dive op wants to observe me set up my gear or watch me dive that is fine with me. If they want to pressure me into some kind of retail arrangement that is another issue. We had a shop here locally that wanted to charge $25 to inspect your gear before allowing you to participate in a class. That wasn't a very bright idea and went away fairly quickly. This is no different than that. These refreshers, or whatever you want to call them, are nothing more than a money grab to increase profits. We are licensed for life. We don't take a driving test every time we rent a car, and that involves possibly putting more people at risk than a bad diver would.

If a check out is going to be mandatory have the guts to state that up front and allow me to decide whether to dive with you or not. Don't wait until I have spent tons of money and traveled thousands of miles to spring this on me at the last minute.
RichH

 

[redacted]

The notion of "you haven't dived in 6-12 months (or more)" and "need" a refresher seems just as arbitrary to me. I understand from the legal end why a dive operator would require a class.

I don't really understand that. I suspect it just increases the op's liability. I prefer the op that says if you have the appropriate C-card, you can do the dive. If something happens, their defense is that the customer had the appropriate certification. If, OTOH, the op requires and provides (at a price) additional training and something happens, isn't it fairly obvious that the ops additional training was inadequate?? One might even make the case that it was just a scam to get more $$$ and the resulting penalty could be appropriately increased.

 

[freewillie]

I don't really understand that. I suspect it just increases the op's liability. I prefer the op that says if you have the appropriate C-card, you can do the dive. If something happens, their defense is that the customer had the appropriate certification. If, OTOH, the op requires and provides (at a price) additional training and something happens, isn't it fairly obvious that the ops additional training was inadequate?? One might even make the case that it was just a scam to get more $$$ and the resulting penalty could be appropriately increased.

The original premise was from the earlier threads where the dive op required a refresher for divers who haven't dived in over 6 months.

Unfortunately for the US which is so highly litigious you are at risk either way. On the one hand someone will make a point that despite adequate certification you should have been more strict about verifying the information. Sort of like they lied and you should have done more to find out they lied. On the other hand if you did the training then you can argue you trained them but they made the mistake. But it's sort of like you are damned if you do or damned if you don't because either way you can get sued. There really isn't any real way to protect yourself 100% from getting sued.

From my perspective all you can do is set in place a policy or guideline that won't prevent you from being sued but helps defend you once the suit takes place.

 

[TMHeimer]

Interesting last couple of posts. Yeah, I never thought of it the other way around--if they check you out THEY may become responsible for you. Interesting take. Wonder where the waiver signing fits into all this? There have been many threads about lawsuits, with many agreeing that if they dive op/DM, crew, etc. doesn't follow normal standard prudent guidelines they may be at fault--or the customer caused his own mishap and thus can't collect on a suit. As long as you know as a customer beforehand what kind of refresher you may or may not have to take and pay for, you have a choice to go or not. As well, the op has the right to do what they want, as long as it is made known.

 

[BradMM]

I was certified in '91 and did some diving with my new wife and step kids. We transitioned to snorkeling for the most part just because it's so much simpler to travel and can see a lot of the same stuff (I like free diving). Meaning.... no SCUBA for 15+ years thereabouts. I went diving in a local lake (20' max) a few times last year with some friends who dive every day for work after those years of lay off... couldn't even assemble my gear correctly at first. Did another lake dive couple of weeks ago and just got back from Bonaire yesterday. Did three dives and all went well. Learned that I'd forgot some stuff but I've always been cautious about ascents so that wasn't a problem. Never got below 80'. In any case, this has prompted me to seek an Advanced class because I've realized that I need to refresh my knowledge of diving. Will still snorkel and free dive but want to be better prepared for SCUBA diving when the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Dorian]

When I was younger I used to take breaks from diving and never thought about taking a refresher course. A year or two could go by without any dives and I would think nothing of it. I could put me gear together, hop in the water and have a nice time. Now that I work with students, I agree with the 6 month time frame. It's not the basic skills that go so quickly (like mask clearing), it's the more subtle things that become important if something goes wrong, that people forget. Things like div planning, air sharing, safety stops.... The things that keep you safe.

 

[Skittl1321]

We went for a tune up dive this weekend (having not dove since December, and going on a dive vacation in December). It didn't go great- so I'm taking a refresher course next month when it is offered. Husband did fabulously, taught himself how to send up an SMB, and won't take a refresher course. Despite the fact that we have identical dive logs- it is clear I need some more time with supervision, and he doesn't.

I think it makes more sense to maintain your skills with your buddy that continually take the classes- but if the tune ups don't go well, a refresher course is in order.

 

[TMHeimer]

On the side issue of being away from diving for periods of time I always recommend re-reading the manual(s) and mimicking the skills on land, which of course is not as good, but it does help a lot. I don't have a regular dive buddy so some things just can't be practised. I just DMd a pool session after not doing one since last Oct. with no problems.