PADI has been sold to another investment group. Thoughts?

[Tyger]

Well how do you find an instructor that doesn't have 6 other students to worry about? I looked at a few other dive shops and they are all about the same. A ton of students and 2-3 instructors. They all teach the same group teaching concept that to me doesn't work with scuba.

Talk to the instructors, find one you like, then see if they will offer private lessons. The instructor I did certainly does. It'll cost you a hefty bit more though, as you're solely paying for their time, rather than the cost of their time amortized across a larger group. But if you can spare the money and feel that good 1:1 training will give you a better experience and grasp of safety and your capabilities (And I don't see why it wouldn't), then it could well be worth the expense.

 

[freeclimbmtb]

Very informative posts and I've read and learned a lot so far.

As a new student who has only completed 2 of the OW dives I would like to give my honest opinion of PADI so far. I went with PADI simply because of the few divers I knew all were PADI certified. Whenever I travel and see dive shops they all support PADI. I honestly wasn't even aware of other organizations until joining here. I do see a serious problem with the material and training. The books seem like they are written for high school kids and the question and answer portion are practically useless. The written test was a joke and most of the class just guessed and the instructor gave us the info because they shop was soo back logged they didn't want to slow down the PADI cert machine. I probably wouldn't have invested any money into PADI knowing what I do now and after completing the written training and my first 2 dives. For starters I picked up a cheap groupon from a shop and because hundreds also did I couldn't get into a class for 3 months after I purchased my Groupon. My class section was soo full we had standing room only and we went through all the material so fast I honestly can't remember any of it. The pool session was just as bad. A few other students were not very physically fit and took a LONG time to do the basic swimming test and tread water test. I then realized that everyone would get certified no matter what and that the training was just an informal way of introducing you to scuba. Out of the training everyone passed although a few classmates couldn't even stay in the deep end without panicking to the point they had to surface after a few minutes. I thought wow a person can't stay at the bottom for 3 minutes without panicking so why would they pass her and sign her off?


My first 2 dives where fun, but I honestly thought it would be a lot more controlled and didn't expect to get down to 65' and swim around my first dive ever. I'm good in the water, but I honestly will admit I was way over my head and got worried after I surfaced because if I did have any type of problem I was pretty deep.

I'm going to finish out my PADI only because I've already pre-paid and committed, but i'm also going to find a good organization and start from scratch with them so I will have the confidence and safety that I really need before I start doing OW dives on my own.

Sounds a little familiar. I think you got a little worse deal than me, but god does it sound familiar...

 

[LGHT]

Thanks for the tips, I think I'll start looking for a local instructor and find some good interview questions. I get my cert next week so I can do open water dives with him/her and get some training and OW dives in at the same time. I think I'm good enough on my own, but I rather be safe and over trained then sorry and under trained any day.

 

[Diver0001]

I'm going to finish out my PADI only because I've already pre-paid and committed, but i'm also going to find a good organization and start from scratch with them so I will have the confidence and safety that I really need before I start doing OW dives on my own.

What you're describing is not PADI's fault. Either the shop or the instructors you had (or both) have decided to completely ignore the standards set out by PADI and give a crap course under the PADI flag. The fact is that PADI would be upset to hear this story and you should probably write them with your observations so they can do something about it.

I'm sorry that your first experience with diving lessons was so negative. However, put the responsibility where it belongs. The instructors were doing all kinds of things they shouldn't be doing. PADI didn't force them to deliver crap. In fact PADI specifically prohibits their instructors from doing some of the things you describe. If I were you, I would get some help from a PADI instructor to make a list of standards violations and then take that list to the shop and demand your money back.

R..

 

[USdiver1]

The books seem like they are written for high school kids and the question and answer portion are practically useless.

Makes me yearn for a reprint of the Council for National Cooperation in Aquatics classic text: The New Science of Skin and Scuba Diving which was published in six editions from 1954 until 1986. I got certified using the 4th edition in 1977. Might be a nice text for the PE to benchmark.

 

[coldwatercanada]

IMO it doesnt matter what certification you go with your going to have good shops and bad shops, good instructors and bad instructors. A BIG class with out shop is 24 students with 5-7 staff members teaching. Are all PADI shops like that no but the good ones will be!

 

[fire_diver]

What you're describing is not PADI's fault. Either the shop or the instructors you had (or both) have decided to completely ignore the standards set out by PADI and give a crap course under the PADI flag. The fact is that PADI would be upset to hear this story and you should probably write them with your observations so they can do something about it.

..

Yes, by all means contact PADI and complain. The only thing that will happen is that they will demand you surrender your OW card (completely negating everything you spent your money for) and do nothing against the shop unless they see a lot of other people complaining. But you'll still be without your card and your cash.

 

[LGHT]

I don't blame PADI for the instructor I blame PADI for course material designed for 10 year olds, bad videos made in the 80's, laxed testing procedures and a plan that's clearly designed to certify anyone willing to pay for the training.

I would first need to know if PADI has any type of class size limit or limit of how many students a single instructor is allowed to teach at once first before I can even determine if a violation has occurred. I checked the website and couldn't find the teaching guidelines if they exist.

The impression I got from the class and pool training that PADI is all about numbers and as a result they have laxed their certification methods to accommodate the masses and putting students at risk as a result. I read in a post here that in order to be a safety diver you need to pass certain physical test, but those test don't include a "time limit"??? Who's best interest do you think they have in mind by making a test that anyone who's willing to pay can past? It's a matter of credibility and "I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member."

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There are student instructor ratios and standards they have to follow. What you need to do from now on is ask to see those standards in writing. A shop or instructor that has nothing to hide will be glad to show them to you. The ones that refuse or say they can't - walk away from.

 

[Diver0001]

I don't blame PADI for the instructor I blame PADI for course material designed for 10 year olds, bad videos made in the 80's, laxed testing procedures and a plan that's clearly designed to certify anyone willing to pay for the training.

yeah, well those things are, in fact, PADI's doing LOL

I would first need to know if PADI has any type of class size limit or limit of how many students a single instructor is allowed to teach at once first before I can even determine if a violation has occurred. I checked the website and couldn't find the teaching guidelines if they exist.

For the theory part I think the rule was whatever they can control. For the diving part there are stricter limits

The impression I got from the class and pool training that PADI is all about numbers and as a result they have laxed their certification methods to accommodate the masses and putting students at risk as a result. I read in a post here that in order to be a safety diver you need to pass certain physical test, but those test don't include a "time limit"??? Who's best interest do you think they have in mind by making a test that anyone who's willing to pay can past? It's a matter of credibility and "I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member."

Once again, I'm sorry you had such a negative experience. If you don't think you're getting safe training, then why on earth are you seeing it through? There are other shops and instructors.

R..