Change from PADI to CMAS

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Carlos - I cannot tell you what they will require but I can tell you that you will be surprised at how much more you will learn in the CMAS course than you will in a PADI course.

Yeah , that's very true. One of my instructors was showing us some CMAS training curriculum and it looked more thorough and advanced.
 
The only current agreement between CMAS and PADI is to recognize each others existence and give credit for the training done to allow a student to enter each others courses. That being said you have to realize that CMAS does not have as many segregated courses as PADI does. Many of the specialty skills PADI has classes for are contained in the core courses of CMAS. Thus a diver going from a CMAS course is going to be much more educated than a diver going the other way - Including Instructors. To quote John Wayne "No brag - just fact".

Cheers,
CMAS One
 
OK, this thread is a bit older and my reply probably too late, but for all the people with a similar question:

At this point you are an AOWD ... if you want to switch to CMAS you have to continue with the CMAS ** (you need SC Orientation and group leading) and I would also think about SC Stress & Rescue

The CMAS *** can only be attended when you are a certified PADI Rescue Diver

regards
Franco
 
Frank:

To say CMAS instructors are so much better trained than PADI instructors is absolute crap and you should know it. I am amazed how you take every opportunity to fire cheap shots at PADI.

You can't possibly make that statement because CMAS instructors in different countries are trained in different ways and to different standards. Why don't you stop trying to portray CMAS as being this one great organization which it is NOT. It is merely a loose confederation of diving organizations in different countries who have different standards. Some of those standards are VERY loose. In fact, in some countries the CMAS organization allows non instructors to teach the divers without an instructor even being present.

Carlos:

PADI has the requirement that you ahve to complete all training for a class within one year or it is not valid. It is up to an instructor or dive shop what is done if it is longer than a year. Personally, I would have reviewed what you already had done with you and then completed your training. If you had started with me or our shop and initially paid for the Rescue Diver course I would have finished you for free. My opinion is that you only pay once and you have me for life.

No, this is not a PADI policy, just mine.
 
My first dive, ever, was in Costa Rica with a CMAS operation. When I got back to Canada I couldn't find anyone teaching CMAS so I found a LDS that I liked and started PADI training; my instructor can also teach and certify CMAS if I want. At this point it's a question of how best to spend the money.
 
It's fairly new, but at least in Europe CMAS does have a Rescue Diver specialty now. I have a card and that's exactly what is says "Specialty" and "Rescue Diver". Syllabus was much like PADI's. At least in Finland, the Rescue Diver class course is now required for the 3-star class.
 
I am Padi instructor and I think I'd rather be primarily a
Cmas instructor. Does anyone know how easy it is to crossover?
 
It depends on the country you live. CMAS has a lot of 'child' agencies. And every 'child' has its own rules.
 
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