Agencies

[texdiveguy]

Same players each game!!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Oddly enough its similar here.
Although anywhere ive been or dived in the world ive yet to meet a NAUI diver or instructor. Loads of PADI though.

Agencies spread and popularity definitely depends on geography. The same agencies big in america aren't necessarily as big in Europe and vice-versa. Id never heard of YMCA until i found this board (other than the village people song) and assume they dont operate outside the USA at all.

Id recommend people train with as many agencies and instructors as possible.

You may have encountered Y instructors or students and not known it. We can also issue CMAS cards to our students. All that's required is that we apply for CMAS instructor status. Any Y instructor can send in, I believe it's now $50 gotta check to be sure-books in the car- just got done with teaching a class, and get his CMAS Instructor card.

 

[DBailey]

There are pros and cons to each agency. Usually, the agency that trains someone is decided mainly by locale and word-of-mouth. Simply stated, all of the agencies will teach the new diver a basic skill set. Some skills are hogwash and other skills are used on nearly ever dive. Each agency will have a different delivery method.

Welcome to the board. Please continue to learn. There are a lot of different "camps" on this board. Some are anti- or pro- a particular agency. You can tell by the tone of some of the posters whether they are pro or con toward a particular agency. If you filter through a lot of the hate or blind faith, there is tons of useful information on this board.

 

[fisherdvm]

I am sure the YMCA has a fine program. The local YMCA OW course is 10 sessions, plus 2 days of open water dive. It is just awfully hard for the average american to take 10 weekdays and complete the course. The skills that Jim mentioned is really not taught in PADI well until their divemaster program, which I believe add to one's confidence greatly.

I guess a typical person in our local YMCA class would chose a 2 day OW course, plus 2 days OW dive than one that takes 12 days. The typical class locally is from 8 am to 4 pm over 2 saturdays, then 4 check out dives over 2 more weekend days. I think most americans would chose this.

It is too bad that the Y can not make their program more condensed, not in term of material, but perhaps having it over 4 days instead of 10, with the hours still the same?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

My YMCA OW class was 8 class sessions and 8 pool sessions ... each session was 2 hours. Since it was conducted every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 10 PM over a four week period, there weren't a lot of scheduling issues. All it took was a desire to put in the time and effort.

I would not want to see the YScuba program condensed ... then it would look like everybody else's. I prefer choices.

Another thing I really liked about the YScuba OW ... after the first week, they took you on a "Discover Scuba" type OW dive. It gave you a chance to really see for yourself if this was going to be something for you. If you opted out at that point, all it cost you was that day's rental gear.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[NancyLynn]

There are two major viewpoints on teaching diving.

<snip>

Viewpoint 2.

<snip>
Once a simple skill is mastered, other elements are added to the skill allowing plenty of time to practice each element. When those added elements are mastered, still more elements are added in the same manner. By approaching skill development in this manner we are able to teach quite complex skills in a manner that makes it easy for students.
<snip>

YMCA follows viewpoint 2.

YMCA certainly is paced to enable viewpoint 2 - but, as with any other agency, whether viewpoint 2 is actually implemented is very instructor dependent.

 

[chffn1975]

Grateful Diver I believe that is the answer I was looking for thank you. I thought I was going to start WWIII with that question but everyone took to it very well. I have a much better idea on how to make future training decisions thank you all.

I look forward to more input

 

[Guba]

My fellow divers, I am impressed! (No sarcasm...)

When this thread was posted, I cringed, remembering how similar threads in the past degenerated into a verbal bloodbath with one or more agencies being skewered while others were held up as near-omnipotent presences that enabled their card-carrying graduates abilities and skills that far exceed those of ordinary men. I am most pleasantly surprised and gratified to see that this lamentable situation has been averted by wonderful posts by extremely knowlegable and gracious contributors. The information has been fair, insightful, analytical, and tactful. I thank these fine divers for sharing their experience and analysis in clear, conscise terms and above all avoiding the unpleasantness that all too often creeps into discussions of this nature.

It's refreshing and encouraging to see discourses such as this here on SB. Much obliged, compadres!

 

[BarryNL]

Let me ask you all this. As a diver with a recently broken "bubble" can anyone tell me a little bit about the differences in the agencies. By this I mean style (teaching and diving), Philosophies, how long they have been around. Just curious about a little bachground.

Also (not that I am considering this) do people switch between agencies as they progress through the ranks ie. ow aow etc.

PADI: Diving, is FUN, FUN, FUN. (You have to learn some skills too). FUN, FUN, FUN. (There's a couple of exams). Start NOW!!!

TDI/ANDI/IANTD/NAUI: PADI cuts corners and doesn't train people properly. You will die. Only our training can save you.

GUE:

 

[Lead_carrier]

The local YMCA OW course is 10 sessions, plus 2 days of open water dive. It is just awfully hard for the average american to take 10 weekdays and complete the course. ?

I respectfully disagree fisher. We are in such a hurry up, I want gratification now mode, I believe that most aren't WILLING to put in that much time to do the OW course. I get complaints because I schedule 4 weeks, I can only imagine the crying that would go on for any more.