Just finished my PADI Cert - you have GOT to be kidding me

[jbd]

I agree completely with Ricks post above.

For a little perspective on fee to learn something. Close to 10 years a go I learned to fly. Instructor, $25/hour plane rental to go with the instructor $59/hour which was a discounted price since I was an employee. Then had to move up to a bigger plane and the cost was in the $70/hour range. FAA has a minimum of 40 hours the average to get the certificate is around 63 hours of flight time. Not all of it is with an instructor. IIRC the checke ride was another $500 plus the rental of the plane which was another 3 hours.

Figure skating and ice dance lessons- $8 to $10 per hour to the facility for time on the ice. Depending on the level of the instructor and specifically what level the skating was at $25/hour to learn the basics of skating on up to $60 and $70 per hour for jumps and dance stuff. How many hours? Weeks and months of training and personal practice running around 8 to 14 hours per week. Low end ice skates to start with $200+. Get good and upgrade the skates and the prices are easily $1,000 or more.

Learning to ride and jump horses(not me but my daughter did) at the very lowest most basic level $35/hour plus a ton of associated costs that I shudder to think of.

So why should scuba lessons and the resulting OW certification be charged at rates that make the federal minimum wage look like Fortune 500 CEO's pay scale. After all isn't your instructor teaching you to go into an environment that you don't belong in? Do you want a professional or just someone that merits the pay of a 16 year old part time burger flipper/floor mopper?

 

[fishb0y]

Jeesh comrade... I can't believe PADI made you go to that shop that charged so much for poor equipment... Hopefully the Peoples' Army of Diving Instructors will look the other way and you can actually research a better shop for your Advanced class.

 

[rthensley]

It certainly sounds outrageous to me. $130 to $180 will get you Padi certified in Tennessee, and that's with quality rental gear.

Where in Tennessee can you get the class for $130 - $180?

I live in Virginia, but I live right on the Virginia/Tennesse state line.

 

[jviehe]

It was very informative. The instructors were very nice and made everyone feel comfy. The price was OUTRAGEOUS - $550.00. The gear that was given to us was old and less than FULLY functional. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure it would pass inspection! 8 people in the class and 5 of our BC's were leaking from various spots. The 1st class, I spoke up and said my bc was leaking. 4 other people followed suit. The instructor said it was nothing and it wouldn't effect me, but they would fix it. 2nd class, still leaking - I tolerated it. 3rd class, still leaking and I let them know I wasn't happy. Others followed suit but were shut down with "your bc's are fine." They swapped mine out for a new air2. 4th class I have my old air2 back on and guess what? Still leaking, but they "tagged it this time, so it will get fixed for sure".

Now were at a remote location for our open water dives....old bc, old air2 and same old leak. SO, they give me a different bc that looked like it was possibly the first bc ever invented....and it was too big. I decided to just deal with it because I knew I could manage.

Now before I even signed up for the class, I asked if I could use my own equipment. It was all literally brand new and I had EVERYTHING. I was quickly shut down with a "not unless you bought it here" comment. Fact is, I'll probably never buy anything there. All there gear is about twice the price of what mine cost from a reputable, AUTHORIZED retailer online. And they won't even consider budging on the price. They actually snicker and act as if your joking.

Of course I will have tanks filled there and possibly service, but you have got to be freakin kidding me. $550 for class and rental of faulty gear!! Equipment marked up 100%!!!! UNBELIEVABLE


------OH and not to mention, there were a few people in the class that shouldn't be allowed near an unattended glass of water that passed.

Be sure to mention this to PADI. If they are a PADI Dive Center, there are several standards violations here.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Second Kingpatzer's comment. PADI only knows when things like this happen when the offending shop/instructor are reported. All shops, just like your businesses, are on their best behavior when they are being inspected. It's the everyday things like this the inspectors don't see. In all fariness to PADI, this isn't a PADI certification course issue as the OP's subject suggests, it's an issue with a PADI affiliated shop and they need to be reported.

PADI shops are not "inspected" and there is no such thing as a "PADI inspector".

A PADI shop isn'r working for PADI and isn't a franchise or anything like that. They are simply PADI retail association members. There are some requirements but, in general, just about any full service dive shop with a retail location would meet those requirements. When first joining the PADI retail association the shop is required to provide photo or video documentation of the facilities and the surounding area but that's pretty much the end of anything that resembles an inspection. Just pay your $300/year (or whatever it is now) and you're in.

 

[Walter]

First, your title is misleading. "Just finished my PADI Cert - you have GOT to be kidding me," indicates a problem with PADI. None of your issues are problems with PADI, they are problems with the shop.

I also agree with Rick Murchison about the price. You were undercharged. Rick Inman makes excellent points about problems with the way insruction is currently priced.

I'm also wondering, if it was your BC that was leaking or your Air II that had a free flow problem.

 

[EastEndDiver]

jsado I asked you in a PM to tell me the name of the shop.I have dove in the NY area for over 30 years. I probably had contact or dealings with most shops in and around the NY area including westchester and Long Island.I have not seen or heard of any prices that come close to what you are stating.Was there more involved in the fee than just the classes? Did the fee also include boat dives for check out or hotel stay at Dutch Springs etc.? Was there something other than the class that you received for that amount of money?

 

[sid_1218]

It certainly sounds outrageous to me. $130 to $180 will get you Padi certified in Tennessee, and that's with quality rental gear.

You sure as ***** won't be getting certified for $130-$180 in the NY area...

I paid north of $500 for O/W 7 years ago in NYC (gear, pool time, classroom instruction, OW dives at Dutch Springs, etc. etc)

 

[engdiver]

It makes no sense to me to not allow people to dive their own gear for training if it is safe. It is best to train in what gear you will be diving in to get more comfortable and familiar with that gear.

 

[tom2004]

In Northest Florida, Im paying $290 for books, gear, and a weekend trip to a spring to do my dive test.