How Much Consideration Goes Into Your Choice of PADI/NAUI/SSI etc. for New Divers?

[ScubaSteve1962]

Ok, being that I have been reading this site for some time in hopes my wife and I will find the time to go ahead and get into a certification class I am maybe now a little confused.

Is there any place that has done a side-by-side-by-side comparison of the PADI/SSI/NAUI (and others) certification programs? I have seen now more than once in different threads subtle comments that seemed to suggest that PADI was almost a quickie or shortcut version of dive certification. Or at least that was my interpretation.

Just curious...

I'll probably get beat up for saying this, but IMHO the agency really doesn't make that big of a difference, it's the instructor and you that determines how good of a diver that you will become. If the instructor's skimping on service and hasn't been reported, is that really the agency's fault, and if the student want's to be a vacation, everyone does every thing for me diver, is that the agency's fault? I know it's hard for a student to know if they are getting good service, but after diving a few years you know how good your training was. When I did my training I looked at what was offered in the area, did a self comparison and saw that the PADI shop around the corner had the same course outline as the NAUI and SSI only they did it in 3 1/2 days instead of 2hrs 1 day a week for six weeks. And my LDS stressed do not wait until a week before the class to come in get the training material, he wanted you to get in time enough to finish the training manual and ask any questions if you didn't understand! I had some trouble with my float/tread test, I could only do about 3 mins and he wouldn't pass me until I could do 15. But I was getting in some pool time where a NAUI instructor passed a student after 1 min float, and about a 20ft swim.

 

[BDSC]

When I was trying to decide on an agency I asked myself one question, "How does the world learn to dive?"

The answer was obvious............PADI.

 

[Paladin]

I'll probably get beat up for saying this, but IMHO the agency really doesn't make that big of a difference, it's the instructor and you that determines how good of a diver that you will become. If the instructor's skimping on service and hasn't been reported, is that really the agency's fault, and if the student want's to be a vacation, everyone does every thing for me diver, is that the agency's fault? I know it's hard for a student to know if they are getting good service, but after diving a few years you know how good your training was. When I did my training I looked at what was offered in the area, did a self comparison and saw that the PADI shop around the corner had the same course outline as the NAUI and SSI only they did it in 3 1/2 days instead of 2hrs 1 day a week for six weeks. And my LDS stressed do not wait until a week before the class to come in get the training material, he wanted you to get in time enough to finish the training manual and ask any questions if you didn't understand! I had some trouble with my float/tread test, I could only do about 3 mins and he wouldn't pass me until I could do 15. But I was getting in some pool time where a NAUI instructor passed a student after 1 min float, and about a 20ft swim.

I agree with this completely. The man who taught me to dive wasn't even certified himself, but he knew what he was doing and how to transfer his knowledge to me. The logo on your card is not important. It's what you learned from the instructor who signed off on it that matters.

 

[Laserjock]

Though I seem to be in eternal "going to get certified one day" mode it seems, reading everyone's opinions and experiences has been huge for me. Being a scientist by training I am very detail oriented...sometimes to a fault, so I expect my instructor(s) to be able to put up with possibly a lot of questions during certification and training. I will make sure when talking to potential LDS candidates that they get to know me in that sense because I will research and read about something exhaustively prior to purchasing or participating in it. Hence the reason I have been on the board as long as I have despite not having enrolled in a course yet.

This place has been a great resource in filling the information/education gap while I wait for us to get started.

 

[boulderjohn]

Now that this thread has generated a whole lot of very consistent responses, I can't help but wonder if the OP learned what he needed to learn from it. I am somewhat curious about what led him to post the question and what conclusions he drew from the responses.

 

[bbarnett51]

I am NAUI OW and SSI Master Diver. I could care less about the agency. I go with the instructor and the shop.

 

[FuzzyNutz]

When I first got certified, I didn't even know there were different agencies... at ALL. I just walked up to a counter and said, "SIGN ME UP!!".

 

[mainedvr]

My wife and I spent nearly three months (not everyday of course) calling the LDS's asking about certification. I called then she called and aske similar questions. We then went into the the shops, (a few instructors did not work out of a specific shop) that we could and looked around asked some more questions. Here is how our desicion was made

One shop told us well the price is $350 but you need to have all your own gear
A different shop it was $450 and we needed weights, snorkel, mask, fins the rest was part of the course.
One solo instructor was $500 and we needed all our own gear and if we hurry he had a agreat deal on the gear.

The shop we finally decided on was $800 bucks each all gear was provided and we could try different regs, bcs, tanks of various capacity and material. We got 30% off the mask and snorkle my wife did buy fins but I did not cause I wasnt sure which I liked. We also received extra dives after our certification with our instructor to see the different shore sites locally. As well, we felt (you know that feeling you get inside) very comfy with the folks there and we spent time talking to the instructor before finally deciding.

The agency we were certified under is SSI, dont care about that so much. Sure we paid a bit more for the course work but got every penny worth I think. So to us is a very important decision and I make it like that everytime.

Oh and we are going to be taking Cavern and intro to cave in November, it took me almost a year to make the desicion on which instructor I wanted to use, but feel we made a good choice.

 

[jmneill]

Hello Divers!

As a NAUI Instructor caught in the land of PADI dive shops, I am curious as to how much thought a new or prospective diver gives in considering what certifying agency you choose. Is your selection primarily based on what is near you (i.e. PADI only)? What led you or is leading you to choose one over another?

Thanks,
JMac

I was working seven days a week at the time and had done dives with instructors in the past. I didn't put any thought into it at all. None, to the best of my recollection. I just wanted a card and some gear and ended up walking into an SDI shop. I was already certified by the time I realized there were "choices" when it comes to certification agencies. No regrets with SDI other than I was never shown the tables. Straight computer, at least in my case. Private class, no recollection of the cost.

 

[faze]

I certified with PADI as both of my DSD experiences (one arranged through a hotel, one by a cruise ship) were with PADI schools.

When I decided to certify I had no appreciation of the size of the diving community/industry and PADI was the only organisation that I was aware of - genuinely I had no idea there was an alternative (let alone several) and my woeful lack of research certainly wasn't going to educate me any further.