I concur! Walter, if you want to continue this debate, you're welcome to PM me.
PADI vs SDI
- Thread starter Jacq:)
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Absolutely.There is no time line,its all objective based.
It all comes down to individual instructors on how well they convey information.I have taught with NASDS-SSI-PADI..PADI has the most complete training materials I have seen at this time.I have been exposed to SDI-TDI training methods as a couple of instrs. at the facility have that rating ,and to tell you the truth I do not prefer the way their "IE"s are graded(from what I had seen-no examiner from out of the area, just the " course director," same as NAUI,which I find to be a problem)) and their confined water prompt cards appear to be close clones to PADI's ..Those same 3 instr's are now starting an IDC thru PADI and are very concerned about how they will perform at the IDC/IE.The only reason I can think of why they went with SDI/TDI to begin with is that it is less expensive? Is it easier than PADI IDC/IE?.
Anyone here go through both systems and wish to comment on reasons why one may prefered over the other?
That's certainly a very big part of it. That's the individual instructor. Another very big part of it is exactly what information is to be taught. That's the agency standards, although a rare excellent instructor will make up for agency short comings.
I cannot discuss specifics, but apparently whatever systems SDI has in place to verify that instructor candidates have the required (I hope) prerequisites such as having a DM card are a bit lacking. I don't know about whether there is an independent evaluation at the IE, but somehow I'm not suprised if there isn't one.
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Post this in the GUE forum and wait for the flames.
There is a big difference between using software to plan dives and diving with a dive computer. The folks that use the deco software, as I understand it, cut TABLES that are used during the dive. Sure they use a bottom timer, but the plan they follow uses a table. Given, this is not the same as a simple recreational set of tables.
OTOH, there are those folks that simply follow what the computer says without any real understanding of what is truly happening. This is why I say there is a difference between using software and diving with computers.
Oookay! Thank you all so much for your input. I thought i would get a decent amount of feedback in regards to this question but i did not realize how much or how heated the feedback would be. I have finished my OW course, i will likely do my cert dive in May. I haven't taken the other course, but as i mentioned in the post, my parents took the SSI. We seemed to learn the same basics, mine was a little more intensive actually. After reading what everyone wrote i think it is clear that if i decide to climb up the ranks of certification that i will need to do intensive research before choosing an agency. I will say thay my gut feeling is to agree with everyone on here who said "its the intructor, not the agency." My LDS and my instructors were great. They were patient, safe, responsible, and kept things fun.
Lastly I'd like to point out that every thing people burned PADI about - dive tables, ascent rates, etc was brought up in my class, usually by a PADI recommends, but industry standards. I think its safe to say computers are the way to go, but fundamentals are important. No matter if i have the most sophisticated computer on the market its always good to know how to plan your dives "free hand" so for me, i like learning the dive table even though i will likely always have a computer.
Thank you all again for sharing your opinion and knowledge. I am pretty excited about starting my diving life!
Lastly I'd like to point out that every thing people burned PADI about - dive tables, ascent rates, etc was brought up in my class, usually by a PADI recommends, but industry standards. I think its safe to say computers are the way to go, but fundamentals are important. No matter if i have the most sophisticated computer on the market its always good to know how to plan your dives "free hand" so for me, i like learning the dive table even though i will likely always have a computer.
Thank you all again for sharing your opinion and knowledge. I am pretty excited about starting my diving life!
watercooled
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hope you have a good diving career. but no matter how well you may know another diver,,never bring up cert agencies, or you'll get what we had here. my instructor was great. that's what made the difference.
regardless of agency, it doesn't matter what alphabet soup is on the card. The important thing is to get out and dive, and be safe, continue to learn, and grow, and enjoy yourself. Beyond that it doesn't really matter.
As Don Wray said, there is nothing else like it.
Stay safe
As Don Wray said, there is nothing else like it.
Stay safe
I'm an instructor in both PADI and SDI. As said above, an open water certification is a learning permit. With PADI on can receive an " Advanced Diver" card with nine dives. With SDI the student will complete open water certification, take three specialties and have 25 dives to become an Advanced Diver. I became interested in SDI when on a trip to Fiji, I observed 9 first time divers certified by SDI. They really had it together. Their instructor explained to me that with SDI the time spent in open water sessions is devoted more to actually diving, and tuning skill performance, rather than performing a skill that has been mastered in the pool. JimSimilar threads
