How to switch to PADI?

[ligersandtions]

Definitely find a good instructor....agency really doesn't matter, but your instructor will make or break you diving enjoyment.

PADI doesn't require any number of dives to get your AOW certification. You could be an "advanced" diver with nine dives (four from OW and five from AOW). Keep in mind that this truly does not make you an advanced diver....it gives you some more experience under the supervision of an instructor. You can get some good information or skills out of AOW, but don't get too caught up about the title.

 

[Beyond_Diving]

I want to thank everyone for helping me with their input.Yes I want to get advanced open water certified through PADI instead of SSI.Please allow me to explain there are a few reasons why I want to train under PADI instead.

1st my open water certification my instructor put 10lbs of weights on one side of me with out evening them out which caused me to roll.Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure why I kept rolling yet for the life of him he couldn't figure out why? Hmmm`

That one has nothng to do with the agency... there´s bad instructors in all of them.. SSI, PADI, NAUI, etc..

2nd everyone I speak with seems to like PADI more then SSI yes they also told me PADI is more commerical then SSI.

3rd while reading more info about specility courses offered through PADI IE:Nitrox,deep dive,rescue,Photography They talked briefly about things I should've been taught while taking my open water certification and it dawned on me a few things SSI never told me about or showed me.

different agencies have different standards... however for the most part, you are taught pretty much the same stuff with all of them... again, every agency has some bad instructors unfortunately..

4th is my wife and I are planning in a few years to relocate.At which time I am hoping to be a DiveMaster.We plan to move to Costa Rica or DR.mY Concern is finding a divemaster job at a resort might be harder if I am SSI certified verus PADI.

once again thanks
also now that I am going for my advance open water does PADI require more dives then SSI before you get advanced open water?


thanks
John

I think with SSI to work as a DiveCon and avobe, you have to be with an SSI afiliated shop. so in that case then definitely PADI would have an advantage over SSI...

 

[Sas]

once again thanks
also now that I am going for my advance open water does PADI require more dives then SSI before you get advanced open water?


thanks
John

No SSI requires more dives. SSI AOW is 24 dives + four specialties. PADI is 5 dives.

Just a comment, you had a bad SSI instructor. That does not mean that SSI is a worse agency than PADI. But if you have found a much better PADI instructor then great, use them. Most of the time it is the instructor that makes a course, not the agency. Good luck with your AOW

 

[Scubakevdm]

Why do you want to switch?

Well gosh, who wouldn't want to?

 

[offthewall1]

SSI to PADI... isn't that like apples to apples? What's the point?

I mean I know that structurally there are differences.. such as SSI actually requires you to go diving to earn an advanced rating while PADI will hand it to you after 5 dives... I also know PADI allows Instructor Independence while SSI requires shop affiliation... but aside from these misc. little differences... as a brand new Open Water Diver - who cares what card you have?

Someone earlier said... Put Another Dollar in... oops, I mean take another class and PADI will be happy to give you a PADI card.. For that matter why not take a specialty with all 22+ agencies and have a card from each... after all... he/she with the most cards wins.

 

[jbop65]

Thanks again,I understand what everyone is trying to say and it makes sense about having a good instructor,I do believe I will take my advance open water with PADI though just feel better with the instructor teaching it.Now is it still a requirement for me to take 2 specilty courses as well before I can take my AOW test with PADI? What two courses would you recommend?

Thank you

 

[robint]

Thanks again,I understand what everyone is trying to say and it makes sense about having a good instructor,I do believe I will take my advance open water with PADI though just feel better with the instructor teaching it.Now is it still a requirement for me to take 2 specilty courses as well before I can take my AOW test with PADI? What two courses would you recommend?

Thank you

no, the only requirement to take Adv Open Water is that you are OW certified. The course is designed to be a continuation of OW cert. (unlike what the previous poster said about it makes you an advanced diver - it does not. The course is called AOW not AD.)
Yes, the most important thing is to have a great instructor, regardless of agency.

robin

 

[Walter]

Well gosh, who wouldn't want to?

The purpose of my question was to try to figure out his goal to help him move in that direction, but to answer your question - anyone who understands anything about their standards and their philosophy about training who prefers a better quality approach whould want to stay as far away from them as possible.

 

[Scubakevdm]

The purpose of my question was to try to figure out his goal to help him move in that direction, but to answer your question - anyone who understands anything about their standards and their philosophy about training who prefers a better quality approach whould want to stay as far away from them as possible.

Walter! I bet a surprise of a pair PADI Divemaster chevrons secretly ironed onto your jacket will turn that frown upside down!

 

[texdiveguy]

The purpose of my question was to try to figure out his goal to help him move in that direction, but to answer your question - anyone who understands anything about their standards and their philosophy about training who prefers a better quality approach whould want to stay as far away from them as possible.

Yea, maybe the OP could switch over to the YMCA program.....oh wait they folded up that's right. Guess then he will have to try the 'new' Scuba Acquisitions Inc., but as I have read Walter does not like them either.....I think Walter is just a grumpy old guy.