CMAS One, pls help

[fxdx99rider]

Hi Ed
CMAS good choice, I showed both my CMAS and my YMCA C-card in Mexico and they preferred the CMAS. CMAS by the way has an agreement with the Y, anyone with a YMCA Open water c-card may cross certify with CMAS.

Enjoy your diving keep taking classes, education is the key to safe diving.

-Mike

 

[CMAS One]

Mike - Your information on the YMCA CMAS relationship is now dated. YMCA Scuba is no more and the organization that took it's place does not have the priviledge to issue CMAS Cards. The only way you may receive a CMAS qualification in the US is to take a CMAS course and that is as it should be. "Equivalency" was a bad idea from it's inceptionbecause the individuals who were given the CMAS cards were never given an equivalent training program. It appeared so on paper but the reality was they were not "equivalent" and in fact never even learned the who, what and where of CMAS.

CMAS AMERICAS was formed at the request of CMAS to correct this situation in the US. We teach CMAS courses directly and do not issue equivalencies. If a certified diver from another organization wants a CMAS card they can have their academic knowledge and watermanship skills assessed and placed into the proper course to gain the appropriate qualification.

I hope this clears up the confusion and mis information out there.

Cheers,
Frank

 

[fxdx99rider]

Hi Frank
Thank you for the info and update. I took my scuba certification at the University of Vermont in 1975. The course certifcation was YMCA and was quite extensive. I was amazed to find resorts giving 3 day certification courses. I wonder what the accident rate is among the 3 day resort c-card holders? Hopefully the 3 day folks go on in their training.

With a review of the CMAS curriculum it's obvious that the course is comprehensive. I urge anyone planning to dive on vacation, get certified before you go. Look for the most complete program, if you find CMAS available take it. I've taken NAUI courses and feel they too meet the grade. Regardless, dive often, dive safe and never stop learning.

Mike

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Mike - Your information on the YMCA CMAS relationship is now dated. YMCA Scuba is no more and the organization that took it's place does not have the priviledge to issue CMAS Cards. The only way you may receive a CMAS qualification in the US is to take a CMAS course and that is as it should be. "Equivalency" was a bad idea from it's inceptionbecause the individuals who were given the CMAS cards were never given an equivalent training program. It appeared so on paper but the reality was they were not "equivalent" and in fact never even learned the who, what and where of CMAS.

CMAS AMERICAS was formed at the request of CMAS to correct this situation in the US. We teach CMAS courses directly and do not issue equivalencies. If a certified diver from another organization wants a CMAS card they can have their academic knowledge and watermanship skills assessed and placed into the proper course to gain the appropriate qualification.

I hope this clears up the confusion and mis information out there.

Cheers,
Frank

Hi Frank,

I'm not trying to start an arguement. But at the time I went through my YMCA certification, CMAS was discussed by my instructor. The standards of the Yscuba program were known to be of a higher standard than other agencies, this is what attracted me to the YMCA program.

I hope that the CMAS Americas program becomes moe available in different areas. I would love to find an instructor nearby. Higher standard training will always be in demand.

As for the YMCA equivalency. It was considered to be very much equivalent to CMAS for many years, I have never heard otherwise.

e⋅quiv⋅a⋅lent

  –adjective 1. equal in value, measure, force, effect, significance, etc.
You seem to infer that the YMCA "equivalency" is actually of a lower standard than CMAS.

The CMAS organization obviously disagreed, they issued cards for those that received YMCA instruction.

Obviously YMCA does not exist anymore, so it seems easy to come out and imply that their standards were inferior.

I know otherwise. I'm very happy to to have had YMCA instruction, I'm glad I have a CMAS card as well. I hope to be able to take another CMAS course in the future.

Thanks to you there will be opportunities to seek out CMAS classes (I wish you had an instructor in Guam). Please don't take it upon yourself to denigrate the quality of past YMCA instruction, or imply that it was of a lessor value.

My course was very involved, I was also made very aware of what CMAS was and the parallels between YMCA and CMAS at that time.

My CMAS card is just as valid as anyone elses.

Take care,

Mitch

 

[fxdx99rider]

Hi Mitch,
Thanks for stepping up to the plate for the YMCA certification. Apparently the CMAS management looked closely at the Y program and felt the standards of training were equally respectful.
Mike

 

[Omni Dive]

Gunrock0811 you stated "I now work on tugboats in the NY harbor and being a certified diver can earn me extra checking under boats and whatnot. "

When you get done with your CMAS certification, then we need to talk about 'checking under boats and whathot'.

phil

 

[Gilldiver]

As you can see, at this time, CMAS is not well know, if not almost unknown, in the US, neither is the British Sub Aqua Club cert (BSAC).

In the US it was YMCA, NAUI, PADI and now PADI is making inroads into the UK, Europe, and other areas. The Y is gone but the program was picked up - will it survive, time will tell. NAUI still has a web site but you don't hear of it much. These seem to be much more basic tourist training agencies.

There are Lesser known agencies that are much more "Tech" such as GUE, SSI, TDI, and the original NITROX agencies IANTD and ANDI

In France and some old French colonies, CMAS is the way to go. Why, because they are French.

But no matter what, the quality of the instructor is much more important then the agency. A poor instructor in a "good" agency is a poor class, a good instructor in a "poor" agency is a good class.

 

[oly5050user]

Gunrock0811 you stated "I now work on tugboats in the NY harbor and being a certified diver can earn me extra checking under boats and whatnot. "

When you get done with your CMAS certification, then we need to talk about 'checking under boats and whathot'.

phil

Have to agree with Omni on this..getting a c card in the philippines is great,but it most definitely will not enable you to dive in NY harbor..Its cold(need dry suit)polluted(need dry suit and preferably full face mask with positive pressure) and dark.DO NOT dive in the area until you get the local training and experience for it.

 

[CMAS One]

Mitch - Obviously, you did not understand the problem with the YMCA equivalency system. It was not applied as it was agreed to for many years. Thant is part of the reason CMAS AMERICAS exists. The collapse of the YMCA program was eminent for many years before it actually occurred. Standards were not always adhered to for the equivalency which did not just mean they could issue cards willy-nilly. You were suppose to receive an equivalent amount of training. This is part of the reason we do not replace cards issued by the YMCA if you look at our website and look at your YMCA issued CMAS card you will see a great difference. YMCA printed their own cards and paid a royalty to CMAS so were not as diligent about teaching the CMAS information as they should have. I was not denigrate the quality of past YMCA instruction ( I was also a YMCA Instructor) just pointing out that it was not CMAS training and therefore we do not recognize the YMCA cards as equivalent when it comes to placing people in true CMAS courses. They must meet the prerequisites for the course as does a student who has come up through the CMAS ranks. This particularly applies to the leadership level cards that seem to have had the most problems. Hope that clarifies everything for you.

 

[DCBC]

i'm still debating on which one to take just because i know PADI is common and CMAS is only about 2 weeks old to me.

You can't go wrong with the World Underwater Federation (CMAS). I was certified as a CMAS Instructor in 1972 along with ACUC (Canada). The program is well respected. Since then I've become a PADI Instructor, but after 17 years I gave it up. I much prefer the CMAS program.