other than being certafied by the local shop, do new divers care about which agency their shop afiliates itself with?
How do new divers pick which agency to go through?
- Thread starter Jorbar1551
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Nope, that's usually it. And good enough for a start really. What did you learn in OW? You learned how to learn safely, I hope... 
Jorbar you might care at some point in the future if you want to take more course with them. I'd suggest you have a look at what kind of diving you would like to be doing later and see whether this agency is right for you. Good luck!
dive_lover88
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i think it would...for me that is. It would be good to have some choices of courses to choose from. For my case, i would like to go into tech diving after getting more exp and my LDS offers both Padi and TDI course, which helps me in that i would be able to get services from the same lds without having to go through the hassle of getting to know the instructor and the instructor getting to know me and my standard. One other good thing is that the instructors at my LDS know my standard and they can go into the course without much orientation.
I suggest reading this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=153194 and this thread
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=174739
Agency does matter. They don't all teach the same things and some reqauire a much higher level of proficiency prior to certification.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=174739
Agency does matter. They don't all teach the same things and some reqauire a much higher level of proficiency prior to certification.
While agencies might matter to some extent, new divers largely don't know and don't care about it. They go for what's offered at the shop they make their first decision to dive.
They don't think "I want to finish the SSI course and start diving" they just say "I want to dive". Whatever's there to provide them that option, they'll go for it. Hence the success of PADI - a fast food chain of dive shops.
They don't think "I want to finish the SSI course and start diving" they just say "I want to dive". Whatever's there to provide them that option, they'll go for it. Hence the success of PADI - a fast food chain of dive shops.
doghouse
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As someone who just went through this decision process, I think most of what has been said is correct.
For the most part people find the local person doing it then go to them good or bad. The network of divers is not something easy to find except for at the dive shop. Now mind you I called each local shop on the phone and talked to them about servicing equipment that I just moved into the areas with. The stronger the sales pitch the less I became interested in the shop. Then I posted questions to some of the boards (prior to finding this one) and asked if anyone would recommend a dive shop for instruction and why.
The important step was the last one. In 4 different places I received the same recommendation from many people. To no surprise a couple of people even said don't go to the same shops that had hard sales pitches.
JMHO
For the most part people find the local person doing it then go to them good or bad. The network of divers is not something easy to find except for at the dive shop. Now mind you I called each local shop on the phone and talked to them about servicing equipment that I just moved into the areas with. The stronger the sales pitch the less I became interested in the shop. Then I posted questions to some of the boards (prior to finding this one) and asked if anyone would recommend a dive shop for instruction and why.
The important step was the last one. In 4 different places I received the same recommendation from many people. To no surprise a couple of people even said don't go to the same shops that had hard sales pitches.
JMHO
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Most new dive students aren't even aware that there's more than one certifying agency ... and so the one they "pick" is more a matter of happenstance than deliberate choice.Jorbar1551:
I certainly didn't. When I signed up for lessons one of my co-workers asked me if I was taking the class with PADI. I replied, "No, I'm taking it with Lauren" (my instructor's first name). It was only after the class started that I learned that PADI was a dive instruction agency.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
fire_diver
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Jorbar1551:
NO, I think the vast majority of "new divers" are swayed by who offers the cheapest course. Unless they research diving on the internet beforehand, they won't even know what agencies exist.
Comrade Stroke - FD
I suspect most new divers dont know enough about different agencies to know or even care and just go to the nearest or cheapest in the real world.
The dont know enough to even realise there are different agencies or there maybe different structure or syllabus.
I came across a load of people this summer who "did my padi" and on talking to them thought padi was the only agency and somehow in charge of world scuba diving for example.
The dont know enough to even realise there are different agencies or there maybe different structure or syllabus.
I came across a load of people this summer who "did my padi" and on talking to them thought padi was the only agency and somehow in charge of world scuba diving for example.
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