Basic Open Water Training Options - question not answered on other posts...

[nereas]

YMCA is well known and respected in the USA, but not heard of in many other places.

Currently PADI is #1, SSI is #2, and I have not heard who is in the #3 spot, maybe BSAC (British) or possibly still NAUI, as far as international affiliated resorts go.

If you decide to do your classroom work in Boston, and your dives away from the USA, which is a procedure that is called "referral," then you need to choose the resort you plan to go to. And it will depend what their instructors are certified with. You would need to call in advance. In that case, it is irrelevant who is #1 or #2 etc; what is relevant is the particular resort's affiliation.

If you want to avoid the stigma of a poorly trained diver, then you should avoid PADI. But if you don't care what other people think about your certification, then PADI is fine.

I think SSI is an overall good compromise. Everyone respects SSI divers, they are quite well trained, and there are lots of SSI affiliated resorts world wide. Not the most, and not the least, but lots. SSI and YMCA are very similar in their approaches, however of the two of them, SSI has a much greater international presence.

Since money is green, any C-card should be fine overseas, for renting gear or getting onto dive boats. Whoever told you "only PADI" was pulling your leg.

 

[Walter]

You may want to avoid YMCA if you are worried about overseas issues.

What a bunch of horse crap. I have YMCA certifications and have used them all over the world with absolutely no issues what so ever. YMCA certifications are as widely recogonized as PADI, SSI or any other. It also has standards that are higher than most other agencies.

 

[nereas]

With Walter as a living test case, it looks like even this agency is not a problem overseas, as far as renting gear and getting onto boats.

Regarding "referral" certifications, however, I have never heard of a YMCA affiliation, however, by a resort, for that.

 

[diver1995]

I think most places are satisfied by the fact that you are certified regardless of the agency.

Not true. A family at my LDS were SSI certified and they arranged a trip somewhere. They got a call from the shop down where they were going and the shop owner told them that his shop had never heard of SSI and they weren't going to let the family dive :no The family took a refresher course from PADI only to recieve another call from the dive shop that SSI was in fact a credible organization. Save yourself the trouble and go with PADI (but make sure you like the instructor)

 

[oreocookie]

Since money is green, any C-card should be fine overseas, for renting gear or getting onto dive boats. Whoever told you "only PADI" was pulling your leg.

I'm generally not one to nit-pick, but I'd watch that statement, since money isn't green everywhere, or at least not all of it. Ignoring exhange rates, somebody pulling out a wad a green bills in Canada could be more impressive (for lack of a better word) than an American pulling out a wad of green bills, since up here, we can't wrap a wad of 1's in a 20. *end rant*

That said, I agree with you that most likely any c-card, accompanied by a valid credit card or money of the appropriate colour(s) should be good enough to get you into the water.

 

[Damselfish]

You may come across someplace offering some fly by night certificate that isn't generally recognized, but any of those 4 you mention is fine, as well as some others. Any dive shop that doesn't recognize them I would consider somewhat suspect.

 

[Walter]

Regarding "referral" certifications, however, I have never heard of a YMCA affiliation, however, by a resort, for that.

Translation please.

 

[nereas]

Translation please.

Oh don't worry yourself Walter. Since you are YMCA trained and certified, it's nothing that you ever would need to worry about.

 

[Bob]

My NAUI card has been good all over the world, with never a question asked. almtree: Bob

 

[Ken abucs]

If however you are planning to do your course as a referral, that is the book and pool work in Boston and the dives at a resort, then you must stay within the same agency for both.

WRONG. I did my class and pool work with SSI, and did a referral to PADI.

Ken