PADI Bashing

[Scubaguy62]

PADI OW through Rescue and now during DM training. I intend to go with IANTD for advanced nitrox and basic deco, mainly because of location convenience.

 

[flw]

Bsac 1987, but since ended up with SAA, Scotsac and iantd certificates (somewhere, if I hunt them out) - been around long enough and dived with enough folk to know theres good and bad divers with all agencies, there's not any other courses around currently I'd be interested in, but if there were the agency would be irrelevant to me

 

[LACounty4806]

NAUI in '79 and L.A. County in '85.

The L.A. County course was quite impressive. This was a full semester class at Cal State University Northridge. In agreement with what others have said here, what made it impressive was the instructor. I think I remember that he was one of the original UDT divers for the Navy and that as a kid he actually started diving in the limestone caverns of the midwest using a Model A waterpump as a regulator.

A very interesting man. I remember that if you didn't take things very seriously, he had no problem failing you. I think that was a good thing. There is plenty of time for light hearted fun once the basics of safety are taken care of.

Christian

Your instructor was named Dick Stride and you are right,
he's a very interesting man. He's since retired to Arizona but he's the fittest late 60'ish guy you'll ever know and still can really dive. A really professional instructor.

 

[Bubble Blower 479]

I started with NASDS.

 

[glbirch]

Got started with ACUC. ACUC instructors can be hard to find, so I have since picked up qualifications through PADI, SSI, TDI and SDI (is there a difference any more?), and have spent time with instructors from NSS/CDS and NAUI as well.

 

[armyscuba]

It was started that way because i see a lot of PADI bashing and was just wondering where people started their dive careers. Not that the thread was going to bash any specific agency. Surprisingly enough there has been no bashing of any agency and it appears that we almost all agree that its all in the instructor.

I understand that..Don't worry about what peole tell You..Make Your own decisions about credability either Your training agency or instructors in general. There are good and bad..The only one who makes You a better diver..is the guy in the mirror. Take what You learn and take it to the next level..ultimately You will decide how good of a diver You will become. Education is the key and in the end will decide if You have what it takes to reach the next level. Nothing about diving is equal, be it breathing underwater or just basic skills. After OW Your on Your own..You can blast thru courses and learn nothing or take advantage of home study and practical excercise and become a very proficient diver. This applies to life as it does diving.

 

[Walter]

I always see PADI bashing

I rarely see any. PADI bashing is when someone says something along the lines of, "PADI is horrible." That is pure opinion with nothing to back it up and is PADI bashing. It's inflamatory and I rarely see it here. OTOH, it is not PADI bashing when someone says something like, "I don't like (something specific) about PADI because (listing of reasons)." No one and no agency is perfect. They all have their faults, including PADI. Anytime anyone points out a PADI fault, people start screaming "PADI bashing." IMHO, that's worser than actually bashing PADI (with which I also disagree).

 

[Turtleguy9]

I always see PADI bashing but i know everyone had to start somewhere. What agency did you first learn how to dive from(OW)?

NAUI, in 1970, but there were a lot less choices then.
Aloha Turtleguy

 

[diver-greg]

NAUI and PADI both in 1972. Later NAUI Divemaster, then just crossed over to IANTD Divemaster and now IANTD Instructor.

I agree the instructor is the key, but the philosphy of the agency is also important as it reflects in the support materials.

Greg

 

[Mako Mark]

The issue is that PADI does not participate in the Universal Referral Program

Wrong, wrong wrong. :11:


PADI accepts both global and universal referral programs, and until recently, PADI instructors were mandated to certify the students as PADI divers if tthey met the requirements.

In third quarter 2003 this changed and we ask the student. If they want the PADI card, or dont care, then we issue the PADI card. If they specifically DONT want the padi card, then we save ourselves $15 for the PIC, and send them back to their first instructor with the dives signed off on the form.

Global and universal referral was a cheap shot of a number of smaller agencies that were losing business to PADI to form a kind of coalition to gang up on the big brother.

It didnt really work and backfired a little as PADI standards state that the instructor that finishes the last dive is the certifying instructor, not theo one that signed the student up.