Next time you post something like that let me know in advance...I almost spit out my drink all over my computer...
Poll: Is Scuba Diving a Sport ?
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Arnaud
Contributor
Well, as this thread is turning into a French bashing operation, I want to add my 2 cents, here. I am a French-Padi-certified-living-in-the-States diver.
First thing first: We sent you Lafayette against the Brits, you sent us Ike against the Nazis. I probably wouldn't be typing these words otherwise and am forever grateful. The Americans feel that the French are arrogant. The French feel that the Americans are arrogant. The Americans love traveling to France. The French love traveling to the States. It's a never ending love/hate relationship.
Second: CMAS is not French. It's an association of national agencies comprising France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, etc. and yes, even the USA. They subscribe to the same diving principles. 90 local agencies representing 90 countries are part of it.
Anyone can try and have fun on the board trying to stage a war between the US and France. I don't believe that it is the board's purpose. However, what we have here are 2 different opinions, 2 different philosophies about diving. And under the First Amendment, they're both equally protected.
CMAS does not make any major difference between rec diving and professional diving. It's all a matter of levels and furthering your education. CMAS was formed in 1958.
PADI is all about rec diving with no decompression and a maximum depth of 40 meters / 130 feet. The Padi no-deco table was created in 1988.
Everybody pretty much agrees that deco diving is statically more dangerous than no deco diving. By the same token, I don't know if the "limit" should be 40 meters, 45 or 35 meters, but everybody will agree that the deeper you go, the more hazardous it gets.
PADI's philosophy is that there's plenty to do and to see within the 40m/130ft limit and that the no deco limits allows for enough time under water. CMAS' members will say: "I want to know what's beyond 40 meters and I can spend more time at that depth if I'm trained for it and manage my air properly". Again, some people like to play tennis, others like to go rock climbing. One activity is clearly more dangerous than the others. Does that make one any better than the other?
One big difference between PADI and CMAS is that PADI is a for-profit publishing company where CMAS and the FFESSM are not-for profit, like most non-professional sport associations in Europe. I have friends who have left PADI because they wanted more. I have other friends who have left CMAS and went for PADI because they wanted a less aggressive/more relax agency.
Bottom line: we all dive together. We just don't train together. At the end of the day, I think, no matter what the agency, it all comes down to your training and experience and where you feel the most comfortable.
First thing first: We sent you Lafayette against the Brits, you sent us Ike against the Nazis. I probably wouldn't be typing these words otherwise and am forever grateful. The Americans feel that the French are arrogant. The French feel that the Americans are arrogant. The Americans love traveling to France. The French love traveling to the States. It's a never ending love/hate relationship.
Second: CMAS is not French. It's an association of national agencies comprising France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, etc. and yes, even the USA. They subscribe to the same diving principles. 90 local agencies representing 90 countries are part of it.
Anyone can try and have fun on the board trying to stage a war between the US and France. I don't believe that it is the board's purpose. However, what we have here are 2 different opinions, 2 different philosophies about diving. And under the First Amendment, they're both equally protected.
CMAS does not make any major difference between rec diving and professional diving. It's all a matter of levels and furthering your education. CMAS was formed in 1958.
PADI is all about rec diving with no decompression and a maximum depth of 40 meters / 130 feet. The Padi no-deco table was created in 1988.
Everybody pretty much agrees that deco diving is statically more dangerous than no deco diving. By the same token, I don't know if the "limit" should be 40 meters, 45 or 35 meters, but everybody will agree that the deeper you go, the more hazardous it gets.
PADI's philosophy is that there's plenty to do and to see within the 40m/130ft limit and that the no deco limits allows for enough time under water. CMAS' members will say: "I want to know what's beyond 40 meters and I can spend more time at that depth if I'm trained for it and manage my air properly". Again, some people like to play tennis, others like to go rock climbing. One activity is clearly more dangerous than the others. Does that make one any better than the other?
One big difference between PADI and CMAS is that PADI is a for-profit publishing company where CMAS and the FFESSM are not-for profit, like most non-professional sport associations in Europe. I have friends who have left PADI because they wanted more. I have other friends who have left CMAS and went for PADI because they wanted a less aggressive/more relax agency.
Bottom line: we all dive together. We just don't train together. At the end of the day, I think, no matter what the agency, it all comes down to your training and experience and where you feel the most comfortable.
Aquamaniac
Contributor
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Im going to have to agree with Amanda, not for any other reason than she is too cute to argue with
Cherry
Contributor
Heard a quote on a movie yesterday went something like this...
yes my girlfriend is French Canadian...today she is French I am hoping tomorrow she will be canadian again .....
Love that heheh
Diving is a more and obcession than anything else and somebody has as their tag line on this board that obcession is somewhat close to madness. Based on this thread I think he's right
yes my girlfriend is French Canadian...today she is French I am hoping tomorrow she will be canadian again .....
Love that heheh
Diving is a more and obcession than anything else and somebody has as their tag line on this board that obcession is somewhat close to madness. Based on this thread I think he's right
i dont understand why the french would not teach the BCD until last day of their certification class ??? I thought this is scuba diving and not sea survival ???
also
The french dont have open water dives for their student until the last class ???
do they have 100 ft deep pool to practice with ???????
I guess it applies to everything in general, the more popular you are (PADI) the more love or hate you will get.
also
The french dont have open water dives for their student until the last class ???
do they have 100 ft deep pool to practice with ???????
I guess it applies to everything in general, the more popular you are (PADI) the more love or hate you will get.
Arnaud
Contributor
The "brevet élémentaire" (first degree) is not an open water certification. I got mine when I was 13 in the Alps. All dives were in a pool. I did learn the basics: being comfortable breathing underwater, clearing the mask, swimming without a mask... No BC, hence no buyancy notion. It's much more limited in purpose. But it does not claim to be more than that. At the end of Padi's Open Water, you're supposed to be able to dive without an instructor. That's not the case for the first degree. The CMAS certification is just broken down in more steps than PADI's.
I can see an argument being made with some of these 2 day crash courses some Padi shops offer. I simply don't understand how you can become comfortable with diving in such a short period.
At end of the day, no matter what the agency, it all depends on the instructor.
I can see an argument being made with some of these 2 day crash courses some Padi shops offer. I simply don't understand how you can become comfortable with diving in such a short period.
At end of the day, no matter what the agency, it all depends on the instructor.
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