AOW Dilemma. Need some input, please!

[Buc Chick]

Okay, you were OW (PADI) certified by a certain LDS. You liked your instructor just fine. But while you were taking the classroom part of the course, you hear the owner make comments like: "oh, I use to teach OW a long time ago, but I don't anymore. I don't agree with the way it is taught nowadays...." (somewhere along those lines.) This person was more than happy to take your money though! You like this LDS, but those comments really rubbed you the wrong way. Now after several months of diving, you feel you are ready to take your AOW. You want to use the same instructor, but you are hesitant about giving any more of your hard-earned money to this owner. A lot of people may agree with the owner's statement, and I do too, to a point. But those comments should not be made in front of an instructor trying to teach a class, and certainly not in front of students. So you do a bit of research and of all the PADI shops in your area, this shop seem to have the most convenient schedule. Would you:
1. go to a shop that teaches NAUI or SSI instead (found local shops that teach these, they seem fine. By the way, how would that work with having a PADI OW cert ?)
2. swallow your pride and just use the same LDS (you would be spending the time with the instructor and hopefully not the owner anyway. Plus doesn't your AOW fees mostly go to PADI anyway?)
3. drive to Key Largo and get AOW certified there (not the most convenient route, especially since the hubby is not interested in getting AOW certified)?
4. Other suggestions?
I'd appreciate any input.
Cheers,
Angie

 

[Badger Matt]

I'm considering doing my AOW with keylargobrent (Brent) of Bluewater Divers in Key Largo and staying in a condo rented by Speargirl (Becky) when I do so.

 

[trucker girl]

I'm not sure how the owners comments would require you to swallow your pride in order to pay for your AOW class there.

The instructor is the one who is going to be teaching you. The owner makes a comment he should have kept private- that was not a slam on YOU at all- but was his opinion of the current training protocol. It wasn't a slam on your teacher either.

IMO, a good teacher is harder to find than a quiet shop owner.

 

[The Mighty Thor]

I pick #3, but without the AOW course part.

The question for me is not so much which agency is certifying the course or which LDS, but which instructor will be teaching it. You won't be in the water with the owner or Mr. PADI, but the actual instructor. If you liked your OW instructor, I say go with him, wherever he is.

 

[Buc Chick]

IMO, a good teacher is harder to find than a quiet shop owner.

Thanks, guys. Trucker Girl, what I meant by swallowing my pride was that I told myself that I would never use the shop again. I know that it was not a personal slam on me by the owner, but I somehow took offense. I just bought something that she was selling, then she tells me that this item is indequate after I bought it. It just did not seem right to be hearing that while trying to learn about something that can potentially kill you. But you guys are right, it is the instructor that I will have to deal with. And everything did work out well after that comment was made. I guess I was just being a bit sensitive... Okay, I feel better now.

 

[scubapatton]

Actually it sounds like you really liked your instructor. I would get the AOW through that person AND mention (at the end maybe) that the owner made the comment and you found it a bit offensive. The instructor should pass that info on. It is not a bad thing to let them know.. we all say things inadvertantly.. ok fine, I DO (some others may not). If an employee came to me and noted your story AND also noted that they still took a class with that employee, I would know to shut up a little more. And if not, then you know to avoid the person. The OW and AOW are not money makers for shops usually - it is the sale on items. You are not really keeping him in business per se by going thru his shop, but you may be keeping that instructor in business - which is a good thing from your original post....

 

[Web Monkey]

But while you were taking the classroom part of the course, you hear the owner make comments like: "oh, I use to teach OW a long time ago, but I don't anymore. I don't agree with the way it is taught nowadays...." (somewhere along those lines.)

First, he's right. PADI holds the world record for covering the least amount possible, and still producing divers that generally don't kill themselves.

However once you get by that, as the owner, he should have the b**** to change agencies if he's unhappy with the current situation.

Now that you have your OW card, you should look for a shop or instructor that will teach you as much as possible (give you the biggest bang for your buck), and not just take your money and give you a card. This might be a PADI shop, it might be SSI or NAUI or any of the other several dozen popular cert agencies. It really doesn't matter if it's the same or different agency than the one that issued your OW card.

Terry

 

[somewhereinla]

1. go to a shop that teaches NAUI or SSI instead (found local shops that teach these, they seem fine. By the way, how would that work with having a PADI OW cert ?)

Go NAUI, YMCA or SSI... That is if you want to actually learn something.

 

[seductiveconcepts]

1. go to a shop that teaches NAUI or SSI instead (found local shops that teach these, they seem fine. By the way, how would that work with having a PADI OW cert ?)

Go NAUI, YMCA or SSI... That is if you want to actually learn something.

Most of your major certifying agencies will accept your ow certification no matter which agency you originally used. There are basic standards set by the RSTC that mandate a certain amount of minimum hours in the classroom and a certain number of minimum dives. For example ( I am only making these number up for an illustration, please don't correct me because I am not saying their fact or even close..lol) say the minimum hours of classroom is 30 hours, PADI does 30 hours, but SSI does 36 hours. This extra time is only optional by SSI and is part of their curriculum but it meets or exceeds the RSTC guidelines as does PADI. So in order to not drive away business most agencies accepts others as at least being adequate. From my experience if you went with an agency other than PADI I think you would still be happy, however PADI and SSI might teach things differently (for example budding breathing opposed to air shairing, or the techniques used for those procedures). Have fun, and keep lookin toward that master diver cert after you are done!

 

[SnakeRiverPirate]

I personally prefer to shop where my dollar is appreciated. If given a choice of dive shops, I would basis my decisions on customer service.

If the owner thinks that the training given is somehow deficient, why not change agencies? Or hold to a more rigorous standard? It seems to me that he may need to look at his attitude and maybe recognize a sign of burn out.