24 Aug 95 16:41, Diane Boettcher wrote to Dan Misiaszek:
 DM>> Normally when I think of a master
 DM>> diver I think of a guy with years of experience.  I wish there was a
 DM>> way of establishing some criteria for a certification instead of just
 DM>> paying you money.  A minimum of 100 hours prior to advanced, and
 DM>> 500hrs for Master Diver. Or something similar.
 DB> This idea comes up every once in a while.  The certification implies
 DB> training, which does implies *some* experience (after all most
 DB> specialities require dives).
 DB> I prefer divers to get their experience with an instructor or
 DB> divemaster, learning new things and fine tuning their basic diving
 DB> skills.  Why dive 100 hours, ingraining bad habits before going for more
 DB> training?
I don't agree completely.  I hold both a Master Diver and Master Instructor 
rating and I logged many a dive between courses.  I think that diving ONLY 
with an instructor or divemaster leads a person to develop a dependance on 
them for major decision making and planning.
It's sort of like hiring a new pilot into a copilot slot without him first 
acquiring the years of experience flying weather.  You may develop a fine 
First Officer, but he will lack the command mind set that people who've made 
their own mistakes develop.  He becomes a great FO but an indecisive Captain.
Make sense?
Jay
PADI M-9033
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