The cost of Padi

[boulderjohn]

Well, Warren and MIke, what percentage of people "don't pass"? I am sure somebody has the numbers on this.

I don't see how that could happen.

In the past few months, I have seen three different people decide during their CW classes that they were not made for scuba. In saying this, I assure you that we were very nurturing and supportive of them--and each one stressed that and thanked us for that--but they realized that their sense of discomfort was such that they chose not to go on.

There is no recording of those failed attempts anywhere outside of our LDS.

 

[Cacia]

I was just raising the possibility that you can help people too much and devalue the monetary value of the product.

 

[Obsessed?]

If you are a scuba instructor from any agency and have certified "students that couldn't dive in a bathtub", you need to have your Instructor certification revoked.
I can only hope that your analogy was referring to students who didn't pass the course.
If I remember the wording from PADI correctly, "students must demonstrate mastery of the skills". That doesn't mean that they accomplished it once under direct supervision.

Funny, where anywhere in any of my post did it say any of these students were passed? I would never pass a student that couldn't clear their mask, or satisfy all of the requirements. I'll work with them as much as they like to help them learn but in the end, who is going to jeopardize their life (and the lives of others, buddies, instructors, DMs, etc.) by giving someone a card that didn't qualify for it? This board is funny!!!!!

 

[Warren_L]

As far as I know, there isn't a way to track people who do not complete their certification. Sometimes it's a judgement call, and I'd rather give back course fees than to certify someone who is not ready or capable. However, the problem can still persist if there is someone else willing to take their money no matter what happens.

 

[SharkRider]

I don't much care what PADI or anyone else charges... if you're dumb enough to pay it, then you got what you deserved.

Getting what you deserve and getting what you pay for are two different things. My problem is that with PADI, you never get what you pay for. You do indeed get constantly ripped off and bombarded almost from day one with someone trying to sell you soemthing else. Another class, another book, another level of certification.... Holy Cow... can't you just get certified and go diving anymore?

 

[SharkRider]

Face it... you don't need certification to go diving. You don't even need certification to get airfills... so lets put all this nonsense to rest.

What you need is certification to satisfy the insurance company (liability factor) of the operator you're going diving with. If our legal system would just honor a simple binding agreement (waiver) that you sign, you wouldn't need certification at all. It's all the grieving widows and family members that have fueled this certification crap. You know the ones that sue because their spouse or significant other screwed up. The ones that go before congress crying foul.

The benefactors have been the agencies. Everone now thinks they need a C-Card to go diving. Listen - up! THERE IS NO LAW REQUIRING SCUBA CERTIFICATION!

Now that that is settled, get your basic open water cert to cover the rear-ends of the insurance companies and stop allowing the agencies to pat you down and take your money for all the other BS.

 

[Web Monkey]

I'm certain that PADI knows the ratio of C-Cards sent/OW book sales, although I suspect there's no power on earth that could extract that information from them.

Terry

As far as I know, there isn't a way to track people who do not complete their certification. Sometimes it's a judgement call, and I'd rather give back course fees than to certify someone who is not ready or capable. However, the problem can still persist if there is someone else willing to take their money no matter what happens.

 

[wreckchick]

Yeah, way more certs than books. That's how this thread got started to begin with.

R

 

[Debraw]

They (two dues paying PADI Instr/DM's) have removed the logo even though they still offer the services of said agency.They say PADI requires "another set of dues" if you have a website selling PADI instruction unless the name is "Sally Jones Diving", even if there is no "facility".

Ok so they do not own a dive shop. Yes PADI must have the dues for a dive center if they are going to refer ot themselves as a dive center. It protects the customers as well as other dive centers out there who do pay the dues. I get a listing on PADI's website along with additional discount for materials that more than makes up for my member fees. I used to be a NAUI center also just so I could sell the training materials for the local college program. I paid $150 a year for the fee and then NAUI came back this year and said I had to pay $350 just to sell their books. I passed.

 

[storm1fishing]

I am sorry if that is what you paid for the adventures in diving manual, but here stateside we sell the AOW crew pack for 37.99 and that includes a new log book (because we know you need another ) So that puts the manual at $25 (12.99 for the log book), that is not too bad for a book.
Padi does not set the prices on their products, so it is all up to the dive shop, it is not PADI's fault if someone wants to mark a manual up 300%+.
Just out of curiousity how much does a NAUI manual cost? Is PADI really that far off from what other training agencies are charging?
As far as keeping knoledge reviews in this day and age where everyone wants to sue an instructor has to have proof. If an instructor has KR then the stundent cannot claim he/she was never told to not hold their breath, or how deep thay could safely dive ect.....

I phoned around a few more dive shops yesterday and the cheapest AOW manual that I could get was 2400thai baht. Although this is a lot cheaper than the 3075 thai baht the dive supply were charging , it is still a 30% increase from late last year.

I would also like to say that if Padi have not increased the price by what would be a normal 5 or so % percent , since deciding that everyone has to buy the book ( the pink form that goes back is included in the pack ) , then I humbly apologies to Padi and everyone that took offence by my posting.
It was honestly not my intention to do any padi bashing , and I am and will remain a padi member.
I agree with having to have the manual and think that padi provide a valuable service to the diving community , But also think that padi should keep in mind that they started out as an organization to provide good training and make diving safe for us all , and not to make as much money as possible