PADI specialties and money

[Don Wray]

Yes I knew that the Dive Shop owner is a VP in SSI. I have no problems with SSI or the Dive shop or their making money. There are many threads already about using our local LDS's vs. internet sales. If they don't make money, they are out of business. I agree, they make their money from books and DVDs...OK, but they are there...the only other alternative is for the Government to regulate diving and certification, which I for one, am not for. They would probably charge double of what the other agencies charge and really dummy down the training to help the "masses"

 

[TheRedHead]

I agree, they make their money from books and DVDs...OK, but they are there...the only other alternative is for the Government to regulate diving and certification, which I for one, am not for. They would probably charge double of what the other agencies charge and really dummy down the training to help the "masses"

Then you should understand the speciousness of thinking about PADI or SSI other than anything but a money-making business that sells books and issues cards. Instructors certify divers and unfortunately, they're not on the gravy train.

I'm failing to see your point about government regulation, however. :huh:

 

[plot]

I'm landlocked, yet we dove off of a boat in a lake.. even for my open water. I have very few shore dives.

 

[Scububbs]

Seems like a good spot to throw this in....


Three instructors and their students are on board a dive boat in the middle of the ocean— there's a NAUI instructor, a PADI instructor, and an SSI instructor. Everything is going fine, until the boat springs a leak, and starts to sink. The SSI instructor says to his students, "Okay... we're in the middle of the ocean, so we might as well do our deep dive." The NAUI instructor says to his students, "Okay... we might as well do our navigation dive, so let's get our compasses out and swim towards shore." The PADI instructor says to his students, "Okay... for $25 extra you guys get to do a wreck dive!"

Well said, and probably not too far off the mark! I'm going to pass this one along, if you don't mind.

 

[RJP]

Seems like a good spot to throw this in....


Three instructors and their students are on board a dive boat in the middle of the ocean— there's a NAUI instructor, a PADI instructor, and an SSI instructor. Everything is going fine, until the boat springs a leak, and starts to sink. The SSI instructor says to his students, "Okay... we're in the middle of the ocean, so we might as well do our deep dive." The NAUI instructor says to his students, "Okay... we might as well do our navigation dive, so let's get our compasses out and swim towards shore." The PADI instructor says to his students, "Okay... for $25 extra you guys get to do a wreck dive!"

Wrong - for $25 you only get a "Discover Sinking" card.

 

[Don Wray]

My point in this thread was to clarify the common analogy that PADI, SSI, NAUI etc were the "demons" behind the selling of, IMO, specialties that some or none might want. If no one bought the "Boat Diver" specialty, it would no longer be offered. As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply. In my former life, if I did not receive a pay check, I doubt if I would go to work. The same with PADI, SSI, NAUI, IANTD, SDI, YMCA, (sorry for the others that I left out but my "fangers er gettin tired" Why the demonazation of the agencies because they offer what is ask. Kinda like Ford not offering to sell F150's when ask to and telling the customer "nah, we make too much money off those so buy something else."

 

[RJP]

But we digress, my point is the instructor or dive shop are the one's making the larger sums of monies regarding specialties....

I think you can't generalize on this topic. My LDS charges next to nothing for Boat Diver certification - about a nickle more than the charter itself perhaps - because they think it IS important if you are going to dive here in NJ to know the ins and outs of our specific type of boat diving.

Even if you've done a thousand boat dives on vacation, the first time you set fin on a "NJ Dive Boat" you're in a whole different world. Maybe not different than NC or Great Lakes or something, but for sure a whole lot different than Red Sail in the Cayman Islands or some such.

My LDS runs the Boat Diver cert around specifics of the boats actually running here off NJ - exactly what gear to bring and not, exactly where to put your stuff and not, exactly how to enter/exit and not, exactly how to config gear and not, exactly what to do on THIS boat vs THAT boat, right down to exactly what fish are tasty and not! etc, etc, etc.

Pooh-pooh the specialty overall if you want, but like everything else, the value is not in the card, it's about the instructor and the specifics of the course itself. I can assure you that if I had not done it with my LDS I would not have been adequately prepared for NJ boat diving, would have screwed stuff up, would have pissed people off on the boat, would have not been configured properly, would not have had a good time, would not have come back, and ultimately would not have become a NJ diver.

So it was good for me, and I suppose several thousands of dollars of gear later it was a good idea for the LDS.

 

[Don Wray]

I'm sorry RJP but that is my point...I'm not trying to Pooh-Pooh any specialties...I am addressing those that everytime an issue arises, the remarks about "be careful, PADI will make a specialty out of that one" or something similiar. I agree, as in my first post, there are many the would find "Boat Diving" specialty beneficial. There are those that grew up on boats that would not. My point was or is, PADI, only addresses issues regarding specialties, that has been presented, by an Instructor, who thought "an" issue might be addressed by a special course AND PADI makes a whole $15 off the cert plus any instructional materials that has been marked up by the dive shop and/or instructor. I guess, what I am saying is, we should stop making the certification agency the bad guys, when we, Instructors and consumers, are asking for the classes. If we took a class, and got nothing upon completion, we would be upset after spending our money and not receiving recognition for our endurance at least in attending the class. I am not defending anyone for making money, just wish I had been there first.

 

[RJP]

I am not defending anyone for making money, just wish I had been there first.

Ah - I see!

We are vehemently in agreement!

 

[RJP]

"Listen to the crew and do what they say."

There, that's my free boat dive course.

And worth EVERY penny!