Dumbing down of scuba certification courses (PADI) - what have we missed?

[Winterpeg]

Only because you're stuck in the PADI box, and have no experience with anything else. As long as you make the assumption that all courses run through all agencies are in that same box ... you're right. But that assumption is very wrong. There's a whole big world out there outside of the PADI box that you are clearly not familiar with.

I give up.:depressed: I enjoy Scubaboard and have learned a lot from what I have read on it in the past few months, but I am tired of the agency-bashing agenda (mainly towards PADI) of a few frequent posters. It's discouraging and not going to advance my learning any. I think it would be a more worthwhile use of posters' time to keep their comments constructive. In the meantime, I am going to skip reading threads that merely turn into PADI-bashind diatribes.

 

[nereas]

You are not going to find a love of PADI by anyone who has had a taste of PADI and has escaped alive.

 

[300bar]

300Bar, even with your devotion to students and small classes of 4 or less, in a world where PADI classes are more often 10 or 12, what makes you think 4 open water dives is enough to equip students with sufficient experience to dive on their own without a D/M or A/I with them?

What makes me think this,well nothing special,just the students that just do it.We go out as a Diveteam and let them dive in situations simular or better then they where trained in.And they do just fine.After this they go on to sites more difficult and are guided by experianced divers.

This is an agency problem. And that is why you need to encourage all PADI students to take their AOW as quickly as possible, so that they do get sufficient dives under the supervision of an A/I or D/M.

No it's not, I've seen CMAS, NAUI, SSI divers doing worse. NOTHING to do with the agency,just the way YOU/I or any other treat new divers.As long as we take them serious,they can and will learn.Don't force a new diver into situations they are not ready for.

And if you are not encouraging them to do so, then you are not "with" the PADI program. Because they really need to [-]Put Another Dollar In.[/-]

I don't give a rats a$$ what any agency thinks,I just look at what my STUDENTS need.

Now you and all others,stop bashing ANY agency,cause there is NO need for this,besides confusing "new divers"who just want and need to learn about DIVING.
Most posts in these kind of threads are NOT helping them.

And they are against some of our new forum rules.

 

[300bar]

You are not going to find a love of PADI by anyone who has had a taste of PADI and has escaped alive.

Just a BS post,

I started NAUI,went to CMAS and ended up with PADI on the rec.diving.
Just a very good place to be.
Guess YOU never been a PADI diver.

 

[300bar]

Only because you're stuck in the PADI box, and have no experience with anything else. As long as you make the assumption that all courses run through all agencies are in that same box ... you're right. But that assumption is very wrong. There's a whole big world out there outside of the PADI box that you are clearly not familiar with.

Well I'm NOT stuck in any box.But I do go for PADI at this moment.
Do I 100% agree,heck no.But I also did the NAUI and CMAS rec.training and just liked PADI best.

Why can't you non PADI guys,not just HELP new divers.

Like it or not,MOST divers do PADI training.

 

[Thalassamania]

In my opinion the best help that I can give a new diver (or would be diver) is to assist them in making an informed choice. If that is "bashing," so be it. I don't think that it is. I see it, rather, as product differentiation.

 

[300bar]

In my opinion the best help that I can give a new diver (or would be diver) is to assist them in making an informed choice. If that is "bashing," so be it. I don't think that it is. I see it, rather, as product differentiation.

Fair point,

But as soon as one has taken the path of xxxxx agency diver,IMO it's more constructive to answer their questions with reasonable answers then with agency bashing responces.

IMO WE the "experianced"divers could do a lot better, answering the questions,without the involvement of the agency.

Just my 2 cts.

BTW,I would like to see a special chatbox for the I2I.So we can talk about these things "face2face"

 

[Thalassamania]

Fair point,

But as soon as one has taken the path of xxxxx agency diver,IMO it's more constructive to answer their questions with reasonable answers then with agency bashing responces.

When it's a straight diving question I strive to supply a straight diving answer. When it is an agency question (e.g., this entire thead ... do check the topic) then I try must best to supply a reasonable and rational answer based on the strengths and weaknesses of the various agencies.

IMO WE the "experianced"divers could do a lot better, answering the questions,without the involvement of the agency.

Just my 2 cts.

It is generally a good idea to check the thread topic prior to lecturing.

 

[nereas]

PADI basic open water works fine when/if you immediately combine it with a PADI AOW course right away on its heels. Otherwise, it fails miserably. End of story.

 

[Thalassamania]

and Rescue, and Peak Performance Buoyancy!