Hi everyone :D

[FN57]

I am new to diving (haven't done it yet) and plan to start classes in a couple weeks. Hopefully I can get some advice

I've been reading these forums and haven't found much talk of IDEA certification. I know they are a part of the umbrella organization RSTC, along with PADI, SSI and some others, so I'm not worried about inadequate training. I'm mainly interested in the availability of use of an IDEA card on diving trips.

I've been reading that most places will allow you to demonstrate your proficiency to the DM and then you could dive. While I could do this, it would be easier for me to get a NAUI card and be accepted easier. Which leads me to my question, NAUI or IDEA? I have access to both, but no others.

Lastly, I read that you could crossover after a certain amount of training to a different organization. Would it be easier to cross into PADI with a NAUI or IDEA cert? I assume IDEA would be easier since they are both RSTC, but I'm just guessing.

My apologies for what is most likely the most hated of all questions here, "A" Cert or "B" Cert. The names don't matter to me. I just want to be able to have the least amount of hassle as possible. For that reason, I would do PADI (they are the largest worldwide?) but all I have is NAUI and IDEA nearby. I am leaning toward NAUI because of the feedback on them from this forum, conversely, I am leaning away from IDEA because of the lack of comments on them, as well as NAUI seeming to be #2 in terms of worldwide availability.

Any advice is appreciated and I look forward to hearing from everyone

 

[Aquanaut4ata]

Hi- Welcome!
I'll try to address as many of your questions as I can.
First:RSTC isn't so much an organization as such, and the individual agencies aren't really "under RSTC". most of the agencies are voluntary members. In a nutshell, RSTC is a cooperative governing body, and was created as a means of keeping government OUT of diving regulation. It allows the industry to "self regulate" in a manner of speaking.
As far as your questions about which agency is best, IDEA and NAUI are both recognized agencies, and you should have no problems with either when it comes to whether your card is recognized. The main concern IMHO is to find a good instructor. Every agency has good ones and bad ones. Do a thread search, and you should find all kinds of great advice on what questions to ask when finding one. I've even seen one guy say to ask if their students swim with their hands. (Sounds silly, I know, but it actually is a good question).
Lastly, "Crossing over" is a fairly big deal for instructors (and expensive), but not for divers. It's not at all uncommon for someone to be brand X open water, then take their advanced open water with brand Y, Nitrox with brand Z, and so on. It's no big deal. They all pretty much interchange, with few exceptions. (one exception would be that SSI requires 24 dives to be rated as advanced open water, and PADI just requires an advanced open water course (and some elective specialties I think).
Hope this has been of some help to you.
Rich Hanner
SSI AOWI 8491

 

[BrianS]

Welcome

 

[FN57]

Hello again

Thanks for the warm welcome and replies That cleared it up , although I feel I should clarify myself on my certification question.

I've been lurking in these forums for around a month I would say. I've wanted to dive since I was a young teenager, but it's not one of the cheaper sports After reading so many people post about their great dives (plus I'm almost 30 and not-so-broke anymore ), well I decided it was about time to do it :07:

A few of the posts here have mentioned that certain certs were more widely accepted around the world, such as SSI, PADI or NAUI. I'm not as worried about diving in the US, as I am trying to dive in Belize, Korea or Croatia. I love to travel and I won't always be in the most touristy locations like Jamacia or Cancun.

I read on these forums that one could "prove themselves" and be allowed to dive no matter which card you had, which is exactly what I want to avoid. I realize that I will never be able to completely avoid it, espicially if I travel in odd places, but I just wish to minimize it as much as possible, even if it meant having 2 c-cards.

Lasty I have another question or two, if no one minds. I noticed that the RSTC lists themselves as the WRSTC, W=World. Are they the only world body for scuba or are they any others? Also, if I were to get my first c-card from IDEA, then continued to take the more advanced classes with NAUI, do I have a NAUI card or an IDEA card? Or is it a IDEA card with NAUI stamps? Or how does that work exactly?

Thanks again for the help.

PS. I love the emoticons!

 

[Jasonmh]

Hi and welcome to diving, it is awesome!
The way the card thing works is that you have a seperate card for each cert.
So if you took your OW with IDEA and your AOW with NAUI then you would have 1 IDEA OW card and one AOW Naui card. So you would actually have 2 cards.

I don't know much about which cert agency would be "more accepted" where you are planning to dive. I know that the places I have been usually ask for a PADI, SSI, or NAUI card. This does not mean though that they would reject an IDEA card.

Good luck!

Hello again

Thanks for the warm welcome and replies That cleared it up , although I feel I should clarify myself on my certification question.

I've been lurking in these forums for around a month I would say. I've wanted to dive since I was a young teenager, but it's not one of the cheaper sports After reading so many people post about their great dives (plus I'm almost 30 and not-so-broke anymore ), well I decided it was about time to do it :07:

A few of the posts here have mentioned that certain certs were more widely accepted around the world, such as SSI, PADI or NAUI. I'm not as worried about diving in the US, as I am trying to dive in Belize, Korea or Croatia. I love to travel and I won't always be in the most touristy locations like Jamacia or Cancun.

I read on these forums that one could "prove themselves" and be allowed to dive no matter which card you had, which is exactly what I want to avoid. I realize that I will never be able to completely avoid it, espicially if I travel in odd places, but I just wish to minimize it as much as possible, even if it meant having 2 c-cards.

Lasty I have another question or two, if no one minds. I noticed that the RSTC lists themselves as the WRSTC, W=World. Are they the only world body for scuba or are they any others? Also, if I were to get my first c-card from IDEA, then continued to take the more advanced classes with NAUI, do I have a NAUI card or an IDEA card? Or is it a IDEA card with NAUI stamps? Or how does that work exactly?

Thanks again for the help.

PS. I love the emoticons!

 

[Spoon]

welcome and good luck. youl be soo hooked