What are the rules for dive operators and certification level?

[bversteegh]

I became certified back in the dark ages (1979 to be exact) when they still taught buddy breathing and dive computers were a dream. I took the class as a college credit (so had probably 15 - 20 hours of pool time practicing skills) so had significantly more instruction than a typical class today. I believe my original c-card was open water. Anyway, I lost my C-card several years later, (late 80's) and PADI decided to give me a new card with a certification level of basic scuba diver - I don't know why it wasn't still an Open Water. I also have a NAUI Nitrox C-card. I am a relatively experienced diver (around 450 dives), have done day, night, drift, warm, cold, deep, shallow, shore, boat etc. - but I only have an electronic log book (on my laptop) to verify experience.

Anyway, my last trip to Coz the divemaster said I was limited to 60 feet max depth because of my C-card Basic rating (didn't have my Nitrox card with me at the time) - he didn't care how many dives I had. I have never had the issue come up before, so thought I'd ask the DM's out there what the rules really are.

Guess I should get off my duff and just take the AOW class, but it still chapped me off. So what exactly are the rules - and does experience matter?

[somewhereinla]

You should try to start logging your dive in a regular log book, since this is the only reel way a DM can have an idea of what your experience is... doing you AOW is also a good idea if you want to make sure the DM let you go over 60ft deep.

[Zenagirl]

Have you called PADI and find out what's up with not issuing you an OW card? If they won't correct the error and send you an OW card, then just carry your nitrox card and use it as proof of your certification.

Log books are only as good as the paper they are written on....it's very easy to forge them, so that isn't a guarantee that a DM will consider it as proof of experience.

[ScubaToys Larry]

That was probably a very rare thing. I have seen folks in Cozumel do 100+ foot dives when they had only a few quarry dives before in their lives. Normally, they don't care much it seems. I remember when I first started diving... many, many years ago, I went to a place in the Bahamas, and they wanted newer divers to do the first day on easy shallow reefs, but if you had good buoyancy and looked comfortable in the water, they'd let you do any dive the second day... or the rest of your time there.

And I've been to places where they never looked at cards at all and didn't care what your level was... so it really depends on the operator you are dealing with. There actually no laws concerning this - it's just what they want to enforce for safety and avoiding lawsuits.

[awap]

The card I use in Cozumel is the PADI entry level certification which is "Open Water Diver". Padi say it is good to 60 ft. With about 20 trips to Cozumel, I have never had an operator limit my depth. I'm not sure whether PADI screwed up or the operator you dove with screwed it up. Check with PADI and find another dive operator in Cozumel. Who was it anyway?

[CompuDude]

Technically, that is PADI's depth recommendation for the level of training indicated by the card, but it's extremely rare for it to be enforced.

That said, it's worth getting AOW just for the few idiots who can't understand the difference between a card and an experienced diver.

And actually, once you have AOW, it's worth considering Rescue, which is one of the best courses you can take. Well worth taking, no matter how many dives you have.

[nightdiver]

My first dive in cozumel was right after my OW, so I'm only certified for 60'. The operator never asked to see our cards or log books and the first dive took us to 80'.

[bversteegh]

Originally Posted by awap

The card I use in Cozumel is the PADI entry level certification which is "Open Water Diver". Padi say it is good to 60 ft. With about 20 trips to Cozumel, I have never had an operator limit my depth. I'm not sure whether PADI screwed up or the operator you dove with screwed it up. Check with PADI and find another dive operator in Cozumel. Who was it anyway?

Sand Dollar at the Reef Club - it was a couple years ago. It was actually the "manager" at the dive shop that said I couldn't go below 60 feet - but he did tell the DM on the boat to not let me go deep on a wall dive. I only dove with them that day and moved my business elsewhere the rest of the week.

I try very hard to not be a blowhard - nothing I hate worse than some prima donna bragging about what a great diver they are, and then not knowing how to assemble their gear, control bouyancy, and tear up the reef. When the diveshop manager brought up the depth limitation (which wouldn't have been a big deal if we weren't scheduled to dive a wall), I offered to do a check dive and demonstrate I know what I'm doing. But he said it didn't matter, they only let people dive to their certification level.

Never happened before or since (and my c-card has no restrictions listed on it other than alternate air source required) - but it has bothered me ever since it happened.

[greyzen]

sounds like a dive shop guy who either had something to prove, or has dealt with issues like this in the past.

[ertechsg]

It's mexico... My first blue water dive out of OW was COZ did a wall dive looked at my compu when we were back on the boat 96ft Less then 20 dives. Like Larry said RARE