Posted by RaiderKarl on June 12, 2001 at 11:52:41:
In Reply to: market share is king in a capitalistic society posted by JRM on June 12, 2001 at 11:27:47:
Dive training, the old fashioned way, done in years past, is still available. It is just carved up into smaller pieces and sold separately.
Three of the pieces are swimming proficiency, freediving, and open water rescue. Twenty-five years ago, those were covered by some OWSIs to a limited extent in an OW1 class. Now they are available separately.
Deep diving on air is now sold separately as an "extended range" class, although not all stores and agencies offer this. NAUI has done it for a awhile, whereas PADI has recently formed a program for it, limited to 165' MOD.
Thorough training is still available, there is just more responsibility on the individual to find it and then take it, if wanted. By de-bundling it from the basic scuba program, it becomes easier to take that dive vacation if you have never dived before.