PvilleStang
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From http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pa...n=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
AUSTIN -- It's like graduating from school, then being told you have to repeat all four years. A married couple in Austin found out the hard way.
Matthew and Amanda Young took scuba lessons from an instructor who they later found out was hiding something. The Youngs have the gear and they took hours worth of lessons, but they don't have the cards that prove they completed diver training.
"We're thinking going scuba diving this coming summer realizing we still don't have our permanent license and that's a problem," Amanda Young said.
Last year they were lucky. Upon completing lessons at Deep Blue Scuba in Austin, the Youngs used their temporary certification cards to dive in the Bahamas.
The Youngs said they had a good time in the Bahamas. But as time passed, they realized their permanent certifications were not coming. The Youngs had expected to be certified through PADI: The Professional Association of Diving Instructors.
Turns out, their instructor, Thomas Dutton, wasn't even certified to teach PADI lessons. PADI pulled Dutton's license one year before he taught the Youngs.
"First couple times he answered the phone and he said he'd look into it," Matthew Young said. "But then he just never got back to us."
Matthew and Amanda were not the only customers affected.
Lauri Wright's nephew took PADI lessons from Deep Blue Scuba around the same time Dutton lost his certification in 2005. Wright said her nephew finally got his card only after she contacted PADI.
"I believe he (Dutton) gave good service," Wright said. "I think it's just the card fiasco."
However, the Youngs will probably have to take a diver training course all over again.
"The time that you spend plus extra money to go through another course," Amanda said. "It'd be great if PADI would just give us certification."
7 On Your Side found Dutton at his shop, where he expressed an apology to his students.
Dutton claimed he had a dispute with PADI and thought it would be resolved so that his students would get their certifications. Dutton also said he's trying to get the Youngs certified with another diving association.
Dutton said if that's not possible, he would try to set the Youngs up with another teacher at no charge.
Before you sign up for diving lessons, one diving expert told us what you should expect from an instructor.
"They have to renew their certification every year with the organization, with the agency and they also have to renew their liability insurance every year," said Mack Machacek, owner of Oak Hill Scuba.
"When you go to any dive destination, the operation there is going to ask to see your certification card so that they know that you've been trained to scuba dive safely."
Which is exactly what the Youngs need. If things don't work out with Dutton's latest offer and they need to re-take scuba training, Machacek said his business could certify the Youngs at a discounted price.
Either way, the Youngs plan to dive again.
"Anywhere in the ocean, really," Matthew Young said. "The Bahamas would be great again. I love the Bahamas."
Remember, dive locations across the world are supposed to check your certifications before they allow you to dive.
There are several agencies who certify divers:
Professional Association of Diving Instructors
National Association of Underwater Instructors
Professional Diving Instructors Corporation
SCUBA Schools International
AUSTIN -- It's like graduating from school, then being told you have to repeat all four years. A married couple in Austin found out the hard way.
Matthew and Amanda Young took scuba lessons from an instructor who they later found out was hiding something. The Youngs have the gear and they took hours worth of lessons, but they don't have the cards that prove they completed diver training.
"We're thinking going scuba diving this coming summer realizing we still don't have our permanent license and that's a problem," Amanda Young said.
Last year they were lucky. Upon completing lessons at Deep Blue Scuba in Austin, the Youngs used their temporary certification cards to dive in the Bahamas.
The Youngs said they had a good time in the Bahamas. But as time passed, they realized their permanent certifications were not coming. The Youngs had expected to be certified through PADI: The Professional Association of Diving Instructors.
Turns out, their instructor, Thomas Dutton, wasn't even certified to teach PADI lessons. PADI pulled Dutton's license one year before he taught the Youngs.
"First couple times he answered the phone and he said he'd look into it," Matthew Young said. "But then he just never got back to us."
Matthew and Amanda were not the only customers affected.
Lauri Wright's nephew took PADI lessons from Deep Blue Scuba around the same time Dutton lost his certification in 2005. Wright said her nephew finally got his card only after she contacted PADI.
"I believe he (Dutton) gave good service," Wright said. "I think it's just the card fiasco."
However, the Youngs will probably have to take a diver training course all over again.
"The time that you spend plus extra money to go through another course," Amanda said. "It'd be great if PADI would just give us certification."
7 On Your Side found Dutton at his shop, where he expressed an apology to his students.
Dutton claimed he had a dispute with PADI and thought it would be resolved so that his students would get their certifications. Dutton also said he's trying to get the Youngs certified with another diving association.
Dutton said if that's not possible, he would try to set the Youngs up with another teacher at no charge.
Before you sign up for diving lessons, one diving expert told us what you should expect from an instructor.
"They have to renew their certification every year with the organization, with the agency and they also have to renew their liability insurance every year," said Mack Machacek, owner of Oak Hill Scuba.
"When you go to any dive destination, the operation there is going to ask to see your certification card so that they know that you've been trained to scuba dive safely."
Which is exactly what the Youngs need. If things don't work out with Dutton's latest offer and they need to re-take scuba training, Machacek said his business could certify the Youngs at a discounted price.
Either way, the Youngs plan to dive again.
"Anywhere in the ocean, really," Matthew Young said. "The Bahamas would be great again. I love the Bahamas."
Remember, dive locations across the world are supposed to check your certifications before they allow you to dive.
There are several agencies who certify divers:
Professional Association of Diving Instructors
National Association of Underwater Instructors
Professional Diving Instructors Corporation
SCUBA Schools International
