NAUI OW diver, and downside to doing Nitrox thru PADI?

[FreeFlyFreak]

We are currently NAUI Open Water Scuba certified and have been wanting to do the Nitrox class for a while but keep missing it.
The PADI LDS has a Nitrox class coming up soon that we are available for.
Additionally the PADI course is way cheaper and doesn't require any dives.

So questions:

1) I presume it is possible to get Nitrox certified thru PADI even though we dont have PADI OW?

2) Any down side to doing it this way, not hidden annual renewal fee or anything?

 

[Bob DBF]

Yes, you can take the Nitrox through any agency.

Once certified you get your card and you are done.


Bob

 

[Bigbella]

I always thought that EAN should have been part of, say, open water II, considering its now common use.

There was a running joke, years ago, that PADI was simply an acronym for "put another dollar in;" and should your dive boat sink while still aboard, you'd be later charged for a wreck dive.

You can mix and match agencies; and there shouldn't be any hidden fees. I began,as a kid, with the YMCA, and went through NAUI at university . . .

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

Yes, you can take the Nitrox through any agency.

Once certified you get your card and you are done.


Bob

I always thought that EAN should have been part of, say, open water II, considering it's now common use.

There was a running joke, years ago, that PADI was simply an acronym for "put another dollar in," and should your dive boat sink while still aboard, you'd later be charged for a wreck dive.

You can mix and match agencies; and there shouldn't be any hidden fees. I began with the YMCA and went through NAUI . . .

Ok, that's what I thought, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
Like the PADI, Put Another x Dollars In, every year or something.

Thanks

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

NAUI is $100 class, $70 materials, then you have to do 2 dives on Nitrox with a free tank.

PADI is $50 instructor fee, $25 Book and cert fee. No required dives.

I was surprised at the disparity, but my main motivation is I can attend the PADI class coming up whereas I have missed 3 NAUI classes already and they are few and far between.

 

[Ben_3]

If the class fits your schedule go for it! I'm not sure what more is taught with the 2 dives but I dont think it's necessary. Yes you can cross over from one agency to another.

 

[Bob DBF]

Ok, that's what I thought, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
Like the PADI, Put Another x Dollars In, every year or something.

Thanks

There is a lot of misinformation put out by all the agencies to try to keep divers from chaining their training preference. Since PADI is the big dog, they get most of the heat. The big thing for the student to learn us to find the instructor that can teach them the best and the most. Without taking training, or an in depth interview with an instructor, it is a guess whether they are good or bad or average, regardless of agency. Anyone with just one instructor, especially OW, has little frame of reference to rate the quality of their instructor.



Bob

 

[Bigbella]

Wow, I was staggered by those NAUI prices, since they were typically the "cheaper" agency through which university scientific diving classes were taught. The courses I took were dirt cheap -- and I'm still here . . .

 

[Bob DBF]

PADI is $50 instructor fee, $25 Book and cert fee. No required dives.

Sounds like something is missing, let us know how it goes.


Bob

 

[The Chairman]

I often teach it for free at our Surges and Invasions. Easy to do. It doesn't matter where you get certed from.