PADI or NAUI

[japan-diver]

Your experience as a Course Director adds much to this thread. My point still standing that an actual IE which entails an independent PADI examiner will be necessary for all instructor crossovers including NAUI. This is not the case with other agencies. Does NAUI require independent evaluators or can a Course Director working with an instructor or its equivalent complete the cross over for PADI instructors?

To compare we have to look at a few things

A NAUI Instructor Trainer in PADI would be a Course Director- able to run the academics portion IDC (Instructor Development Course) PADI or ITP (Instructor Training Program) in NAUI. At the end of this course in PADI you can be certified as and Assistant Instructor in NAUI its called a Associate Instructor.

A NAUI Course Director is equivalent to a PADI Instructor Examiner (IE) they can conduct the examination portion of a Instructor Program (PADI its called an IE- Instructor Exam in NAUI its called a IQP- Instructor Qualification Program)

In the PADI program the candidate is evaluated by the Course Director at the IDC and the IE during the IE. In the NAUI program during the IQP there must be NAUI Course Director and one other trained evaluator present this can be another CD or IT or a NAUI instructor who has been through a STW (Staff Training Workshop to evaluate Instructor Candidates- PADI equivalent would be IDCS).

Therefore in both programs the candidate is evaluated by a minimum of two people - in PADI the CD and IE. In the NAUI program its the IT and CD or other trained evaluator. The process is similar in both instances with the main difference if you have a local NAUI CD he can run both parts of the Crossover but still must have one other evaluator present during the testing phase.

So to answer your question can a CD by himself do a crossover - No he can not he must have at least one other trained evaluator present.

 

[Bronson]

I am a PADI OW Instructor and like their system. I agree that it doesn not matter much which PADI or NAUI, they are pretty much the same as to instruction for open water skills. Like you, i have travelled alot and have lived in 8 countries and dived in over 20 countries. I do find PADI is more internationally recognized in the countries that i travel (Europe. Middle East and Asia). But best to find a local dive shop that has an instructor that you will feel comfortable with and go with their system be it PADI or NAUI.

 

[Walter]

I agree that it doesn not matter much which PADI or NAUI, they are pretty much the same as to instruction for open water skills.

Better reread both sets of standards. There are major differences.

I do find PADI is more internationally recognized in the countries that i travel (Europe. Middle East and Asia).

I find it hard to believe you are finding operators who accept a PADI certification, but not one from NAUI or a host of other smaller agencies. I've dived in many different countries around the world as well. I've never encountered anyone who accepts PADI but not NAUI.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I find it hard to believe you are finding operators who accept a PADI certification, but not one from NAUI or a host of other smaller agencies. I've dived in many different countries around the world as well. I've never encountered anyone who accepts PADI but not NAUI.

I encountered a dive op in Maui who refused me service when I handed him my NAUI DM card. This was in 2003. He also refused my YMCA SLAM card. Told us he only recognized PADI certs. My buddy and I laughed all the way across the street ... where we signed up for a charter with his competitor.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Walter]

Yes Bob, I'm familiar with this one incident. I'm sure there are also other isolated incidents where some moron has refused to accept a PADI certification. That misses the point. Certifications from both these agencies and many others are accepted all over the world and none of them can be considered to be "more internationally recognized" than the others. The point is Bronson is misleading people with such a statement. This is probably because he believed a myth he heard and is merely repeating it here. I'm sure he is sincere, merely misinformed.

 

[Water Monkey]

Am looking into obtaining OWSI certification and am trying to figure out which way to go. Can someone please educate me?? Thank you in advance.

I have been an instructor and an instructor trainer for several agencies PADI and NAUI included and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that the subtleties between the different agencies really don’t matter. What matters is finding an instructor and a dive shop that you feel comfortable with.

An open water scuba certification is nothing more than a licenses to learn. There is so much more to it than a few dives in an open water class.

Learning to Scuba changed my life for the better and looking back at it I wouldn’t change a thing.

The bottom line is, GO GET CERTIFIED, and enjoy the wonders that await you.

 

[BDSC]

I find it hard to believe you are finding operators who accept a PADI certification, but not one from NAUI or a host of other smaller agencies.

I didn't read it as he was saying the operators didn't accept the other certs, but just that PADI was the more recognized of the bunch. But that's just how I read it.

 

[BDSC]

An open water scuba certification is nothing more than a licenses to learn.

To me, an open water certification means that you should have already learned how to safely plan and execute a dive in like conditions that you were certified. But I get your point.

 

[Water Monkey]

To me, an open water certification means that you should have already learned how to safely plan and execute a dive in like conditions that you were certified. But I get your point.

Your right, an open water certification means that you are able to perform basic planning and underwater skills. But with most new divers it takes more like 20 to 30 dives before things really start to jell, and they become more aware of what is going on around them.

 

[Walter]

I didn't read it as he was saying the operators didn't accept the other certs, but just that PADI was the more recognized of the bunch. But that's just how I read it.

There's no difference. Recognition in this context is the acknowledgment of something as valid or as entitled to consideration. If the certification is accepted, it is recognized.