Master Scuba Diver

[CaribbeanDiver]

I am always searching for ways to be a better diver. More knowledgeable, more skilled, safer and better able to be a good buddy.
With that way of thinking, I completed several courses and hold a ton of cards. I am not sure any of them jolted me over some magical hump or made me lightyears better than I was going in but each of them gave me a little bit more knowledge and in some way, made me a teensy weensy bit better as a diver.
Now I am thinking I want to take the Master Scuba Diver course and wonder what it entails. A semi-local shop (baton rouge) is offering the course (NAUI) at a low price of $185 and I asked them what would I do and have to learn. They replied, a few nights of classroom lectures, a pool dive and two days of checkout dives.
I looked on the NAUI site and they said 8 dives plus classroom work. (they were more detailed but that is the gist).
And now I am wondering, is this course going to be one where I gain knowledge and become better, safer, as a diver? Or is this just another card for my wallet? I dont need no more steeeken cards, I want knowledge and skills training.
So, all of you out there that are Instructors, shop owners, and such, what is the deal with the Master Scuba Diver course? I am interested in SSI or NAUI because in my (yea, I know narrow view) opinion, I prefer NAUI and SSI much more than PADI because the PADI courses I have seen are rather mickey mouse compared to the NAUI courses of the same title.

[ScubaToys Larry]

If it's just a few nights of class room.. they are assuming that you really know your stuff - or will be doing a ton of self study. A Master Diver for Naui is basically someone who wants instructor level knowledge - so basically instructor or DM types of tests on Physics, Physiology, Environment, Dive Tables, etc... and has all the water skills - but doesn't want to work with classes.

If you want to work toward being an instructor - the Divemaster course will not vary much in the amount you learn - you just spend additional time going over the teaching and evaluating and working with divers more.

For either your level of knowledge that you will be tested on will be, as an example in physics: You have a 80 lb anchor that occupies 1/4 cubic foot of space sitting on the floor bed at 92 feet of depth in salt water. How much air would you need to pump from the surface to fill the air lift bag to make it neutrally buoyant?

[TxScubaBear]

Originally Posted by ScubaToys Larry

For either your level of knowledge that you will be tested on will be, as an example in physics: You have a 80 lb anchor that occupies 1/4 cubic foot of space sitting on the floor bed at 92 feet of depth in salt water. How much air would you need to pump from the surface to fill the air lift bag to make it neutrally buoyant?

sounds like it tends to be a bit on the intense side...BUT educational

[ScubaToys Larry]

Ah come on.. that's not that hard... Here are some pages over in our educational area that walk you through all the gas laws and how to calculate those types of problems: http://www.scubatoys.com/education/archimedes.asp

[mike_s]

My impression was that the NAUI MSD course was a real course that you had to spend a lot of time in, not just a night of classroom.

Any LDS that offers a lesser version of what the requirements are, I'd be leary of.

The PADI Master Diver course is basically get 5 speciailities, fill out a form, send in some extra $$$ and they print you a new shiney card.


Remember it's not so much the agency that you learn from, but from the instructor. Any instructor who wants to "hurry up the class" is doing it to meet his needs and not his students.

[dludwig]

I think PADI also requires RESCUE DIVER along w/ 5 specialities

[CaribbeanDiver]

I believe NAUI also requires the applicant to have successfully completed Rescue.
Thanks for the info everyone. Larry, that sounds an awfully lot like one of those nameless math courses I took in H.S. Only this time, there is no smart girl to sit next to that will let me see her answers.

[Vercingetorix]

Originally Posted by dludwig

I think PADI also requires RESCUE DIVER along w/ 5 specialities

Nope.

[datamunk]

yea, id get rescue and then maybe divemaster... that an just dive.. thats the best way to get better is thru experience

[datamunk]

PADI Master Diver is rescue plus 8 specialties