SDI vs. PADI ?

[Al Mialkovsky]

I teach 16-20 hrs....and I am PADI instructor....remember the key...its the instructor/shop not the agency.

It's all alphabet soup. As you've stated, it's the instructor/shop.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

What happens when your computer dies and you don't know the tables? Divings over for that trip, huh.

You mean people dive with just one computer?????

 

[Quad Cities Scuba]

I used to DM for a Padi five star dive center.
Every time they had a Padi Advanced Open Water Course the dive tables had to be taught again, because the students did not retain enough of the information from their open water course on how to use the tables correctly. :11:
Honestly, how many Recreational divers actually carry their dive tables, secondary timing device, & additional submersible pressure gauge with them in case of a computer failure?
When was the last time you saw a Padi diver doing a stop at 20 ft. to work out his dive tables, because their dive computer died? Or at any time for that matter. :1poke:
SDI has the U.S. Navy dive tables & sample problems in the back of their open water manual.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Honestly while I've never had a computer die during a dive I do carry a second computer with me.

 

[sweatfrog]

I used to DM for a Padi five star dive center.

Did you switch because it's easier by not having to teach the tables?

Every time they had a Padi Advanced Open Water Course the dive tables had to be taught again, because the students did not retain enough of the information from their open water course on how to use the tables correctly.

Repetition is the key to learning. There are lots of things people need to review to build upon those basics.

Honestly, how many Recreational divers actually carry their dive tables, secondary timing device, & additional submersible pressure gauge with them in case of a computer failure?

Thats a good question, why don't you poll it if you're so inclined.

When was the last time you saw a Padi diver doing a stop at 20 ft. to work out his dive tables, because their dive computer died? Or at any time for that matter.

Truk Lagoon, Cozumel, Bonaire and a myriad of other places where I've been with other divers close to or into deco. A better question is how many SDI divers have been bent because they don't know how to plan for contingencies?

SDI has the U.S. Navy dive tables & sample problems in the back of their open water manual.

So you assess your students with dive table problems? If so, good for you, if not you are shortchanging them.

 

[gle]

My husband and I checked out a LDS and when the SSI instructor said they only use the computer and don't teach tables

How can they not teach tables? In the 2003 edition of the SSI Open Water Diver Manual there is an entire chapter (4) dedicated to dive planning that heavily focuses on tables. Do they just skip the whole chapter (~20% of the book)? Well, maybe the read the 2 pages on using a computer. Still, a big part of the exam is running the numbers on several simulated dive profiles. I doubt any of the multiple guess answers will match something spit out by a computer.

I agree, the most important thing is the instructor. And when the instructor declares that he/she will not teach 20% of an agency's material it is time to do two things. First, and most important, run. Second, call the agency and report them.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

How can they not teach tables? In the 2003 edition of the SSI Open Water Diver Manual there is an entire chapter (4) dedicated to dive planning that heavily focuses on tables. Do they just skip the whole chapter (~20% of the book)?

Chapter 4 has a few pages on tables and as many pages on computers and most of that chapter deals with dive planning and excuting dives so if they omit tables they aren't omitting 20% of the book, perhaps 20% of the chapter.

Secondly a shop or instructor is allowed by SSI to change the course up to 20% so even if your exaggeration were true they'd be within standards based on percentages.

We teach tables at our ssi shop but the future is computers and eventually tables won't be taught. This has been discussed within the industry for years now.

Perhaps the SSI shop that doesn't teach tables provides each diver with a computer and only rents systems with computers. Our shop is considering that move and the only holdup for us is the expense. But it's coming.

I'll still give my students time on tables but honestly it doesn't take me 15 minutes to get everyone up to speed on tables so it isn't muchto deal with.

There are 5 questions on the final exam that are based on dive tables. I wonder how any shop would deal with their students getting those questions correct if they don't teach them?