PADI vs NAUI certifications, and onto AOW

[taylode]

I understand the basic premise of your statement and feel that it is valid to a point. I too like the idea of instructors teaching the required materials. Where our viewpoints diverge is that I like the idea of being able to receive extra information or skills if I and my instructor feel I am ready for a little more.
Your statement seems to say that bad instructors may give bad information if allowed extra freedom to teach and yet you seem to miss the point that bad instructors are just as likely to miss the boat on the required information and skills as well. I understand the spirit of what you are trying to say but it is pretty much a moot point if we are referring to well trained, experienced and honest instructors. I really feel that all instructors, bad or good will all teach up to or as the case may be, down to their own individual standards. I guess that brings us back to "it’s all about the instructor". BTW congrats on getting back into scuba.
Just my $.02 on your $.02
Jeffrey

No argument from me on it's all up to the instructor. A truly bad instructor isn't likely to get the basics right either. My concern is more for the instructor that thinks they're good but aren't and pass on their bad habits. I don't think our views are really that dissimilar.

 

[dinky_diver]

I agree about the instructor being the most important part of the puzzle. Back in the days when I was certified by YMCA 1984. The course was like 8 weeks meeting two nights a week. One night classroom and one night pool work. Then one snorkel dive, and 4 scuba dives. We swam laps every pool session. Equipment bailouts. Aluminum foil in your mask to practice blind equipment changeouts and swims outs. Throwing all your gear in the deep end and jump ins to put it all on. Cranking off your air to do buddy breathing at random times. We were grateful to do the checkout dives. But ever since then I've never been uncomfortable diving, thanks to my teacher and mentor. Since my teacher also was NAUI/PADI instructor, I paid the extra few bucks and got all three. I don't know if YMCA still runs scuba classes, but it went beyond NAUI/PADI certs back then. I'm PADI AOW and PADI Nitrox now. Hoping to take PADI rescue soon.

I've seen the threads to this on-going conversation and several people have mentioned the most important fact, it's the instructor. But I have not seen any comments on which organization does a better job training the instructor. It would make sense to look at the differences at the instructor level as well. Especially for newly certified instructors.

Just my thoughts on this proverbial question

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I agree about the instructor being the most important part of the puzzle. Back in the days when I was certified by YMCA 1984. The course was like 8 weeks meeting two nights a week. One night classroom and one night pool work. Then one snorkel dive, and 4 scuba dives. We swam laps every pool session. Equipment bailouts. Aluminum foil in your mask to practice blind equipment changeouts and swims outs. Throwing all your gear in the deep end and jump ins to put it all on. Cranking off your air to do buddy breathing at random times. We were grateful to do the checkout dives. But ever since then I've never been uncomfortable diving, thanks to my teacher and mentor. Since my teacher also was NAUI/PADI instructor, I paid the extra few bucks and got all three. I don't know if YMCA still runs scuba classes, but it went beyond NAUI/PADI certs back then. I'm PADI AOW and PADI Nitrox now. Hoping to take PADI rescue soon.

Yep, the YMCA still provides an excellent OW class ... although they have (thankfully) dropped some of the exercises you describe. They put more emphasis on skin diving skills and in-water comfort than most of the major training agencies, and therefore their classes tend to run longer. I was OW certified by the YMCA in 2001, and my class ran four weeks ... 16 hours of class and 16 hours of pool.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Walter]

I don't know if YMCA still runs scuba classes, but it went beyond NAUI/PADI certs back then. I'm PADI AOW and PADI Nitrox now. Hoping to take PADI rescue soon.

It still does. Go with YMCA SLAM instead, you'll be happier with it.

 

[SteveDiver]

WOW!
What about experience? :doctor:
One of my best friends is an SSI Instructor with the minimum # of dives to qualify for Instructor, another is NAUI, and also has around 100 dives.
Javier, from BXTS in Coz is PADI with over 9,000 dives. I learned more diving with him for a few days than with anyone else.
Once you are certified, you gain more knowledge, wisdom, experience, through actual diving, diving with people more experienced than you, and continuing education. As long as the certifying agency is competent, who cares if the word "die" is used or not. I would hope that we all know what the consequences are. :voskl1:

I agree! Education is what one makes of it. Experience diving is essential. All of this PADI vs NAUI is a bunch of crock! Yes, it does depend on the Instructor however, once you have the basics it is up to you to expand on them. You learn by doing. Those that say that PADI is better then NAUI or vice versa are attempting to appear that they are great and have the better certification (superiority complex or insecurity) Who cares? People that have to compare themselves to others have much larger issues then this board can discuss.

 

[Manta Matt]

I've seen the threads to this on-going conversation and several people have mentioned the most important fact, it's the instructor. But I have not seen any comments on which organization does a better job training the instructor. It would make sense to look at the differences at the instructor level as well. Especially for newly certified instructors.

Just my thoughts on this proverbial question

I agree Fully...

 

[dinky_diver]

Alas. the local YMCA instructor retired a few years back so they dropped their scuba program. The local LDS is PADI only. They've been friendly and run good programs so I'll just stick with them. Again its the instructor that makes things enjoyable.

It still does. Go with YMCA SLAM instead, you'll be happier with it.

 

[Kayak Diver]

I agree with everyone re: the instructor comments. As for which agency to go with, I would look to the future...i.e. how far beyond AOW you intend to go. Consider which agency you would want to work for if you're going for DM, AI, etc. There may be a crossover (i.e. NAUI DM to PADI DM), but it is probably easier to get your DM with whomever you want to work for.

 

[Krusty]

I asked this very Q to a few Dm's and it seems that padi is more strick in the way that the class is laid out where as naui is more relaxed in the way it can be taught. SO padi has strickter guidelines than naui. But if you also look there is ssi dive classes also as well as ymca cert. I think what it falls down to is that you talk to the Dm who is teaching the class and if you feel comfortable with him/her then go for it, if you arent find a difrent place for cert. Im also finding that it depends where you are when you go to the class as i seeing a lot the naui classes are at resorts in carribean and hawaii and padi is on west coast. But this is just waht i see from my travels.

 

[TeddyDiver]

I asked this very Q to a few Dm's and it seems that padi is more strick in the way that the class is laid out where as naui is more relaxed in the way it can be taught. SO padi has strickter guidelines than naui. But if you also look there is ssi dive classes also as well as ymca cert. I think what it falls down to is that you talk to the Dm who is teaching the class and if you feel comfortable with him/her then go for it, if you arent find a difrent place for cert. Im also finding that it depends where you are when you go to the class as i seeing a lot the naui classes are at resorts in carribean and hawaii and padi is on west coast. But this is just waht i see from my travels.

Actually ymca cert is CMAS cert! It's just the only organisation in States meeting CMAS standards (although they might call it differently) . Classification CMAS*=OW, CMAS** =AOW, CMAS***=DM.
There are some exceptions with the naming. In Finland we have P1, P2, P3 and they meet the standards of CMAS and NAUI.