What is happening with PSAI?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I ask because they had one of the best text materials. They also had a course breakdown that was very far more logical than most other agencies. They were the only agency teaching Narcosis Management courses. Furthermore they had their Advanced Buoyancy Control and Trim (ABC Trim) course that was the equivalent of GUE-Fundamentals or UTD-Essentials. Looking at their materials, it seemed that they were ideally positioned to secure the market that existed between DIR agencies and the mainstream ones.

What the hell happened?

There are not that many instructors around. In fact they seem to have less instructor now then they did a few years ago. Edd Sorenson still teaches PSAI and so do folks in Protec Mexico but other than a few, is PSAI still around?

 

[rjack321]

Define "ideally positioned"? Hal Watt's and the rest of his executive board aren't exactly a spring chickens with loads of capital or even capable (age or medically-wise) of doing lots of IDCs or other expansion efforts. PSAI exists, like most agencies founded and run by a very small group of people they aren't really in a position to expand. Their entire board is pushing 70+yrs.

And those "narcosis management" courses are definitely not based on science. That you'd consider PSAI in the same breath as "DIR agencies" is kind of funny though. Hal Watts was definitely a deep air guy and that legacy and anti-helium obstinance held back the agency in the 1990s and early 2000s when it was clear that deep air was killing people.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Well as I mentioned, PSAI has ABC and Trim course designed by Trace Malinowski which is the same as GUE Fundies or UTD Essentials. Most other WRSTC agencies do not have anything that will train you in Basic 5, Back kicks and precision buoyancy, long hose deployment, S-drills and valve drills etc. PSAI also does not have an "Advanced Open Water" sampler with 5 dives. Instead they offered full specialties that offered a far more loaded training experience. Looking at their books, they were not trying to "teach the world how to dive." Instead their texts were written towards a more committed diver. Their Narc' management courses are better termed Narc recognition courses. When I contacted them, they informed me that Narcosis varies greatly from person to person and you can not train someone to dive deeper than what their tolerance level is.

I think that means that they do not have the "right mindset?"

 

[rjack321]

Sure they have plenty of courses on paper. Many of those were written by Trace but he hasn't been with the agency in quite some time. He's no longer on SB either so we can't get the story on why he left, but I suspect it might have something to do with the growth potential at PSAI. As with dive shops, there are quite a few small agencies that fail to grow or expand due to owner/staff politics and their opinions more than their market acumen.