When to jump ship on agency?????

[Capnsnott]

Ok, here's my delimma.
I'm done with my AOW from PADI this weekend (finally finishing the last 2 dives). I'm taking the Rescue class in April (pre paid for it).

I want to do a EANx class (this summer) and possible an intro level Tech class. I know they offer the basic, but I have been doing a BUNCH of reaserch on other agencies. I have a NAUI instructor in the area and I think an IANTD as well. My deal is I don't want to get hooked up somewhere that is going to make me take a class just to pick my nose (like Put Another Dollar In) and teach me nothing. The other issue is I'm in Colorado. Not too many good placed to get wet here or in near states (Utah, NM), AND instructors. I think we have a 1 to 20 ratio of PADI instructors here :approve_2 . NO I'm not knocking PADI either, one of my dad's best friends is an instructor in FL. I might still take their class.

I'm still a newbie as far as dives go (20 logged), but have dilusions of grandure in wanting to do Tech diving some day. I'm looking at starting the more serious training at or after about 300 dives.

I spent a ton of time reading posts here and on the Deco Stop BBS, so I have some ideas. But it always helps to get it first hand.
Thanks
Greg

 

[Walter]

If you have a good instructor stick with him. If not, it's past time to look elsewhere.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Well, Id like to reiterate what Walter said. If you like your instructor, and he/she's good, stick with him.

 

[gj62]

I agree with Walter (as always ) - the instructor is *usually* much more important than the agency.

However, look at what your instructor can offer you, and if you want to go beyond what they can teach, then consider moving sooner, rather than later. The longer you can stay with someone you like, the better off you'll be...

You might have to look for instruction outside your local area...

 

[matt_unique]

Ok, here's my delimma.
I'm done with my AOW from PADI this weekend (finally finishing the last 2 dives). I'm taking the Rescue class in April (pre paid for it).

I want to do a EANx class (this summer) and possible an intro level Tech class. I know they offer the basic, but I have been doing a BUNCH of reaserch on other agencies. I have a NAUI instructor in the area and I think an IANTD as well. My deal is I don't want to get hooked up somewhere that is going to make me take a class just to pick my nose (like Put Another Dollar In) and teach me nothing. The other issue is I'm in Colorado. Not too many good placed to get wet here or in near states (Utah, NM), AND instructors. I think we have a 1 to 20 ratio of PADI instructors here :approve_2 . NO I'm not knocking PADI either, one of my dad's best friends is an instructor in FL. I might still take their class.

I'm still a newbie as far as dives go (20 logged), but have dilusions of grandure in wanting to do Tech diving some day. I'm looking at starting the more serious training at or after about 300 dives.

I spent a ton of time reading posts here and on the Deco Stop BBS, so I have some ideas. But it always helps to get it first hand.
Thanks
Greg

All the agencies have some good content and not so good content relative to the others. There is pretty much never a need to jump agencies unless you have a specific interest in unique content offered by another agency. If you want a change shoot for another instructor. It's actually beneficial from a learning standpoint to experience different instructors. Do your homework first and make sure they are good but each will have different experiences, styles, tips, etc.

--Matt

 

[SDAnderson]

With 20 dives, I think you should ease up on the training at the rescue level and spend some time diving and working on making sure that you have fully absorbed all of the lessons you've been through. Get your bouyancy and trim down pat, master the safety skills and drills and just have some fun - you need it and you've earned it.

Once you have a bunch of dives - say 100 or so - you will be in a better position to know what kind of diving interests you and that will help you answer your question. Mixed gases, decompression, penetration, all that technical stuff will still be there waiting for you.

That said, my friend Walter is correct - more important than any other factor, the quality of the instructor determines the quality of the results. The worst classes I have taken were run by nice people with good intentions - they were just bad teachers or trapped in a business model that forced them to grind out students. The best classes I have taken were taught by folks who didn't care what the curriculum was, they were going to teach me how to be a better diver, first, then worry about teaching Advanced Nitrox. Ask an instructor how many of his students fail, if he doesn't understand the question, fail the instructor.

Rescue used to be a good point to switch from the recreational agencies to the technical agencies and probably still is. Walter and I may disagree about this, but I think that PADI has a demonstrably good program up through Rescue. Once you start into badge collecting stage (Multilevel Diver? Underwater Environment?) that is present in all of the recreational agencies, however, it's time to seek other training. Although I haven't taken it, I think that new divers intent on serious technical diving should give serious consideration to crossing over to GUE and taking DIR-F at as early a point as possible. Even if you don't proceed with the rest of their program, the skills honed in DIR-F will serve you well forever. That said, I've had advanced training from a couple of other agencies, both were decent programs but I spent more time selecting the teacher than I did the agency.

 

[IndigoBlue]

Ok, here's my delimma.
I'm done with my AOW from PADI this weekend (finally finishing the last 2 dives). I'm taking the Rescue class in April (pre paid for it).

I want to do a EANx class (this summer) and possible an intro level Tech class. I know they offer the basic, but I have been doing a BUNCH of reaserch on other agencies. I have a NAUI instructor in the area and I think an IANTD as well. My deal is I don't want to get hooked up somewhere that is going to make me take a class just to pick my nose (like Put Another Dollar In) and teach me nothing. The other issue is I'm in Colorado. Not too many good placed to get wet here or in near states (Utah, NM), AND instructors. I think we have a 1 to 20 ratio of PADI instructors here :approve_2 . NO I'm not knocking PADI either, one of my dad's best friends is an instructor in FL. I might still take their class.

I'm still a newbie as far as dives go (20 logged), but have dilusions of grandure in wanting to do Tech diving some day. I'm looking at starting the more serious training at or after about 300 dives.

I spent a ton of time reading posts here and on the Deco Stop BBS, so I have some ideas. But it always helps to get it first hand.
Thanks
Greg

PADI teaches a great rescue class, one of the best. It is standardized, and all of the PADI OWSIs must follow pretty much the same procedure.

I am assuming your already have CPR & 1st Aid. If not, get that before or soon after your rescue class and you will be better off. In the rescue class, you "pretend" to do rescue breathing in the water and CPR on the beach, but you do not actually learn how in the class.

Most tech courses would like you to have around 100 dives as a prerequisite. You may want to do some diving in the meantime, before you move onto tech. Then the tech instructor and your buddies on the tech boat will be less nervous around you.

 

[Walter]

May? LOL!

 

[grazie42]

Like everyone says: instructor, instructor, instructor...
I´ve gone pretty much the same way as you (AOW) and will propably do Rescue this summer...
Anyways about nitrox...I took miy nitrox course thru ANDI but with the same instructor and LDS. He was able to teach the padi nitrox but showed me the PADI material and recommended ANDI (witch lets me dive 50%<=). Switching agencies needn´t be a big thing (it´s not supposed to be a sect), just do the course with the best agency and the best instructor, PADI, NAUI, ANDI, who cares?

Just my 2 cents

 

[Capnsnott]

I'm a little hesitant in doing the Rescue class at this point myself, I am PCR trained. Walter, you kill me. Thanks for no more than the LOL. :54:

I really haven't found an instructor here in Denver. The last of my AOW classes are being done this weekend, I haven't met the instructor. I did my Deep, Naturalist and Peak Performance Bouyancey with a guy in Florida. He's the one I would do everything with if I could, but I only get down there once a year on vacation. I don't have time for many classes, this year was the special case (sister's wedding)

The idea behind the Rescue is two fold, one I want to be the best diver I can with what I have. If this makes me a safer then so be it. I have no intentions of lookin for a rescue.
Reason #2, I was going to get screwed by the LDS I'm using for the last AOW dives. I was going to do a couple "card collecting" dives with them and found out I was being over charged. I'll explain. Two dives, base price was $35 more than other LDS, plus a $28.00 each charge for the nifty cert card. The LDS I may go to for the EANx would have been $94.00 less on the two dives. SOO rather than loosing my down payments, I opted to do the Rescue in May. I was however going to take it by the end of summer, so this just moved it up a few months.

So, as you can see, I have no instructor or LDS to hang on to. Just a bunch of what iffs. I don't care about agency names, I'm interested in getting quality instruction.

OK Walter, you can stop laughing now. You're going to hurt yourself. :e18:
Yes, I have a very good sense of humor......

Soo, is the Nitrox OK at my stage? Like I said, I am not going to get into the Tech stuff for a few hundred more dives. I would however like to take some kind of intro class to get a feel for what is out there.