much difference in SSI or PADI

[mike jj]

I know this has been asked a thousand times. I just finished my pool and classroom part of my lessons with an SSI store in Omaha. I'm leaving for St Lucia in the morning and staying at a Sandals, were I plan on doing my 4 check out dives. All Sandals are PADI shops, and I'm courious as to the difference in skills test between SSI & PADI. One thing I noticed in the PADI was a navigation test, which we have not touched on at all in my classes. Should I seek out a SSI shop to take my open water dives.

PS: I'm 55 years old and should not be this nervous.


Thanks Mike

 

[parzdiver]

As far as I know, if you are taking the SSI class, you need an SSI instructor to do the check out dives. I do not believe you can switch agencies mid-class.

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

We are a PADI Shop and we briefly discuss Compass use in the Academic part of Class. The real work is conducted in the field during the "Open Water" part of the program. We conduct the Compass Skill on Dive 4 after we had briefed the skill and done a test run on land. I wouldn't sweat it, all that has to be performed is a simple out and back.

As far as I know, if you are taking the SSI class, you need an SSI instructor to do the check out dives. I do not believe you can switch agencies mid-class.

As far as I know, as a PADI Facility, I can do any recognized agencies "Open Water" Check Out Dives (referral). We require the Diver to present proper referral info, conduct a skill evaluation, to understand PADI Dive Tables and pass the PADI Final Exam. Upon completion of that and the Check Out Dives the student will then receive a PADI Certification Card.

 

[Teamcasa]

First, I would call the shop and talk to the instructor about his/her policy on inter agency referral protocol.

Second, if your first instructor did a through enough job you should do just fine. But again, call and ask what is expected.

 

[tkscuba]

I just got back from Roatan and had the same situation (class and pool with SSI and resort was PADI). No problem! The PADI instructor signed off on the checkout dives and that crossed over to SSI. I am getting my OW C card from SSI. We did the nav part with PADI and it was no big deal. The skill was well explained and in the water it was no sweat. The other difference was SSI has a snorkel as the first checkout which we did when our SSI instructor joined us in Roatan later in the week. Congrats on your upcoming cert!

 

[parzdiver]

I stand corrected. Live and learn, sorry for the error.

 

[--tom--]

I stand corrected. Live and learn, sorry for the error.

You're aren't really wrong. It is a case of how creative the instructor is on a work around.

Creativity is sometimes in short supply, so I would advise the OP to contact the instruction staff at the Sandals resort to smooth the way.

Good diving.

 

[bracko]

all the compass work is done on the OW component of the course (the 'checkout' dives you crazy americans seem to refer to). since the compass is on the regs, it's a bit of a waste of time to do the theory inside.

the "theory" if you want to call it that is very straight forward, it covers the basic bits of the compass how to take a simple bearing and come back (reciprocal)... that's about the extent of the technical parts.... you talk about some other ways to navigate, where it is and is not useful.... etc... then you walk around with a towel on your head for a bit, then get in the water and do the nav with some other skills probably after.

I'm sure you'll be fine....

correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure people will here) but isn't the SSI O/W course and the PADI O/W course are based on the same set of minimum standards?? while there are some differences it is really down to the instructor and how good they are.

also i understand why you're concerned... when i did my OW and AOW it was 'sign her, get this medical, sign that, do this, log onto that, submit your details here' it was all really confusing and frustrating to begin with! if i didn't already have the dive holiday booked i would have seriously considered canning the course!!!

 

[tkscuba]

Parzdiver, --Tom-- is probably right. My LDS said that they commonly make it work with PADI and SSI. They said as long as the logbook is signed by the PADI instructor with his instructor #, SSI will accept and issue the cert card.

 

[knfmn]

PS: I'm 55 years old and should not be this nervous.

Nerves are perfectly normal. Being a little older doesn't exclude you from them. Consider that what you're going to be doing is essentially an unnatural act, I.E. breathing underwater. Nerves are completely normal. Also consider the fact that what you're about to do is FREAKING AWESOME!!! You're going to have a great time and you WILL be fine. Enjoy your cert!

Kristopher