UTD coming to Colorado

[amascuba]

This is wonderful news! I'm always amazed by the number of divers in Colorado, given how far you guys are from what I would consider to be interesting diving. Now you'll have home-grown DIR instruction available. That's cool!

Actually CO has at least two DIR instructors. Rob Calkins, just north of Denver, teaches GUE Fundamentals and NAUI Tech. George apparently crossed over from TDI to UTD. I would take classes from either one of them. Depending on how the rest of the year goes, I just may.

I'm not familiar with the entire list of CO technical instructors, but isn't there another TDI instructor that teaches a DIRish class? I'm only familiar with three technical instructors in CO.

What does being a PADI rated facility have to do with not being able to teach UTD rec classes? Are they contracturally bound, and is that a valid contract? Seems a bit much to me.

I'd be interested in making the drive from Utah and taking rec classes. Sigh. Oh well..

Do keep us updated on the progress of the program, though. I remain interested.

To be a reconized "PADI Facility" you have to teach only PADI courses. It's gay, but that's one of the benefits of paying PADI to be listed as a facility.

 

[Waterskier1]

There are 10 TDI instructors listed for Colorado on the TDI website. I know that Tom in Salida is DIR-ish. I was going to take Advanced NITROX and Decompression Procedures from him this spring, but the local shop couldn't get the requisite 4 students. :depressed:

I haven't researched UTD, but do they offer something similiar? If so, I'd be interested.

 

[amascuba]

There are 10 TDI instructors listed for Colorado on the TDI website. I know that Tom in Salida is DIR-ish. I was going to take Advanced NITROX and Decompression Procedures from him this spring, but the local shop couldn't get the requisite 4 students. :depressed:

I haven't researched UTD, but do they offer something similiar? If so, I'd be interested.

Unified Team Diving

 

[Desert_Diver]

What does being a PADI rated facility have to do with not being able to teach UTD rec classes? Are they contracturally bound, and is that a valid contract? Seems a bit much to me.

I'd be interested in making the drive from Utah and taking rec classes. Sigh. Oh well..

Do keep us updated on the progress of the program, though. I remain interested.

Josh-

I'm not exactly sure what you meant in your post but Garth McMurdie teaches the GUE fundies class through Dive Utah in Ogden. If you are considering the instruction, that might be a shorter commute.

Art

 

[rollerboi]

Does he? Nobody can give me details about him, and emails either go ignored or bounce. I'll try again at some point, I guess. I'm not in a rush, anyhow. If you know him, drop me a PM or an email - I'd love to hear what people think of him, and I don't want to hijack the thread further.

 

[boulderjohn]

To be a reconized "PADI Facility" you have to teach only PADI courses. It's gay, but that's one of the benefits of paying PADI to be listed as a facility.

That is the limitation to be a 5 star facility, which we are. You can have other agencies, like UTD, for courses PADI does not offer, like Tech. There is definitely a gray area, and I am not qualified to offer an opinion on it.

 

[tbaldi]

That is the limitation to be a 5 star facility, which we are. You can have other agencies, like UTD, for courses PADI does not offer, like Tech. There is definitely a gray area, and I am not qualified to offer an opinion on it.

What is the benefit of being a PADI 5 star facility? Better pricing?

Why would you become or continue to be a PADI 5 star if they restrict everything you do? Seems like a high price to pay for a shiny sticker to put on the front door...

 

[rollerboi]

No, I understand. PADI is a powerful marketing tool, and every dive shop can use whatever edge they can get.

Kudos to the shop for offering UTD tech classes!

 

[rookers]

Hello all,

I have indeed crossed over to become a UTD instructor.

I will be offering numerous courses through Ocean First Divers in Boulder in the coming months. OFD is a great facility with an in house pool, excellent classrooms and a great staff that it has been my pleasure to work with in the last few years.
OFD carries a full line of technical gear at this point and offers both Nitrox and Trimix blending. Two full sets of rental technical gear are also available (doubles, deco bottles, lights, backplates, wings).

Course schedules are not set, I basically will start a course when a team (2 divers minimum, 3 maximum) approach for training.

The shop is a PADI 5 star instructor development center and as such is not allowed to offer courses for which there is overlap with PADI programs.
OFD will be offering Essentials of Recreational Diving and Recreational 3 (Helitrox) diving as there is no conceivable overlap with PADI programs.

Since I am an independent contractor, I can offer the other UTD recreational courses privately.

OFD will be offering the full range of UTD technical courses including Intro to tech, Technical and eventually Trimix along with gas blending. OFD will also offer UTD scooter/DPV training.

Anyone with questions is welcome to email me at watson@sierracmp.com or pick up the phone and call me at (720) 839-7765.

I am very happy to be part of UTD and look forward to many years of working with divers to help them reach their diving goals.

George K. Watson

 

[tbaldi]

The shop is a PADI 5 star instructor development center and as such is not allowed to offer courses for which there is overlap with PADI programs.

What is the benefit of being a PADI 5 star dive shop?

It seems like the only one who "benefits" from a shop being a PADI 5 star is PADI.