SDI vs PADI

[BDSC]

The average recreational diver makes around 6x fewer dives in their lifetime than you make in a year.

Then I guess I'm not average after all!

Maybe I'm more of a diver who takes the average dive trips.

 

[iztok]

The average recreational diver makes around 6x fewer dives in their lifetime than you make in a year.

Math is a bit rusty here

It doesn't work as well with "less then" type

You can say one made 6x more then average diver but not the other way around

 

[Blackwood]

Consider this as an illustration: The average consumer walks into a furniture store to buy a new desk for his den. At the store there are only two available and both must be ordered in. Both desks are the same exact color and the same exact design; however one is mass produced with acceptable materials and workmanship while the other is handcrafted to exacting standards by master-craftsmen out of the best possible materials. Desk "A" is available for $199 and will take one week to be delivered. Desk "B" costs $1999 and will require a wait of three to four months to be available. Most consumers will choose the first option because they want it now and they don't really want to pay all that much for it. This desk fits their needs and so they buy it. However, a smaller portion of the consumer base knows that they will eventually get more value out of desk "B" and so they are willing to go to the extra initial expense in terms of both time and money because they realize that this purchase will ultimately save them an additional expense down the road. This desk fits their needs and so they buy it.

What you didn't mention is that without spending more refurbishing Desk A, it likely won't get used.

Many (most?) BOW certified divers don't feel safe in the water with what is taught in "the average" BOW class, and they either a) jump into more training so they can continue diving with an instructor or b) quit.

 

[Kingpatzer]

Many (most?) BOW certified divers don't feel safe in the water with what is taught in "the average" BOW class, and they either a) jump into more training so they can continue diving with an instructor or b) quit.

Absolutely true.

But, consider this from the perspective of the dive certification industry -- if they expand their classes, they have fewer additional classes to sell to those who keep diving. And they have no interest one way or another in anything but certification sales. Equipment sales and service, air fills, and all the rest are not the business concern of the certification agencies.

Why do you think PADI went to on-line classes? They get more money that way. It's not about the quality of the training. It's about maximizing profit.

Now, maybe they haven't considered long-term profit potential, but then, most businesses don't. The bottom line this quarter is far more important than the bottom line 10 years from now.

Without any real interest in if someone stays or goes, the certification agencies are acting rationally with respect to their own interests.

 

[Blackwood]

But, consider this from the perspective of the dive certification industry -- if they expand their classes, they have fewer additional classes to sell to those who keep diving..

Of course. I'm convinced that's why they broke "old OW" into "new OW" and AOW: so they can charge more for the same thing.

 

[simmonsjr]

What you didn't mention is that without spending more refurbishing Desk A, it likely won't get used.

Many (most?) BOW certified divers don't feel safe in the water with what is taught in "the average" BOW class, and they either a) jump into more training so they can continue diving with an instructor or b) quit.

I happen to agree with you, but you can only take a basic illustration so far. Desk "A" would be used until the materials and workmanship broke down past the point that repair would be feasible and which point consumer "A" would have to go out and buy a replacement desk. Diver "A" often, but not always, immediately goes on to follow-on training to gain confidence in their skills or quits.

Looking back I wish that I would have gone with a more rigorous training program, but PADI was what was available where I was stationed at the time.

Jason

 

[BDSC]

Many (most?) BOW certified divers don't feel safe in the water with what is taught in "the average" BOW class,

Any particular thing you base this own? Most new divers that I have had any contact with or talked with never has expressed this to me. Do many or most feel somewhat nervous at first or a little apprehensive.......you betcha. But not necessarily unsafe.

 

[Kingpatzer]

Any particular thing you base this own? Most new divers that I have had any contact with or talked with never has expressed this to me. Do many or most feel somewhat nervous at first or a little apprehensive.......you betcha. But not necessarily unsafe.

I'll raise my hand, and feel confident enough to raise my wife's as well.

 

[CompuDude]

Any particular thing you base this own? Most new divers that I have had any contact with or talked with never has expressed this to me. Do many or most feel somewhat nervous at first or a little apprehensive.......you betcha. But not necessarily unsafe.

I can confirm (as an occasionally working divemaster) that MANY new divers do not feel safe going out on their own after satisfactorily completing a modern OW course from a regular (not outstanding) instructor. The instructors may be quite decent, but the amount of time given to training is not sufficient for many.

This is the situation here in SoCal, at least... I can't speak for world-wide phenomena.

The fact is, our diving is a little more challenging (low vis, surf and surge, cold water) than the easy reef diving you see pictures of in magazines and movies. Those same people who aren't comfortable doing a local shore dive without a more experienced mentor (which many don't have access to) would probably be just fine going out on a boat in Hawaii or the Caribbean, however.

It's a great way to produce more one-trip-per-year vacation divers (vacation divers doing 60-70 dives per year are NOT the norm), but not a great way to gain more local divers who are truly comfortable diving in more challenging local conditions, which would deliver divers that are a lot more dedicated to the sport and do a lot more dives per year, since local divers are so much more accessible than dives requiring airline flights and/or passports.

 

[Blackwood]

Any particular thing you base this own?

Heresay (scubaboard, etc.)