Can I take the NAUI course and do my OWD at a PADI center?

[bianalisa]

Another option would be to drop the NAUI course and do the Padi online training and complete the dives when on your honeymoon. However i would still recommend that you get certified before you go.

OP what city do you live in?

I'm in Brooklyn, NY. It's the only shop that is convenient for me. I already signed up and paid, not dropping it, but also don't feel comfortable learning this stuff online.

 

[shurite7]

Thank you - with regards to the part I quoted above - is there something that I in particular have to do to ensure that the PADI instructor will do the full NAUI requirements on my dives? I want to make sure everything is done the right way so I have no issues getting my certification.

You are welcome. RainPilot posted what you need to know - "On the referral form is the list of required skills, ensure the instructor is aware of this, also make sure that you keep track of the skill you have performed and point out emission." I have my PADI and NAUI students do this when they log their dives so that they know they have completed all of the skills.

I noticed a lot of posts seem to imply this is going to be a horrible and bad experience. Most likely this will not be the case. Simply contact the dive operator whom you want to conduct the four open water dives with and let them know you have the Universal Referral. If they don't want to do it they'll let you know. It is rare that a operator will turn it down - they really don't have any to lose other than not making any money. There is no reason for you to drop NAUI.

Also, there isn't a HUGE difference between agencies when it comes to the Basic Open Water certification. The most annoying thing that I see is people bashing one agency even though they lack the appropriate knowledge to compare. NAUI is the oldest certifying agency, PADI is the largest and does the most advertising and marketing. The vast majority of potential divers to be have no understanding of the various agencies and the reality is it doesn't really matter. Diving physics is physics, clearing a regulator via purge or blast is clearing a regulator, not a difference between agencies. Go out and enjoy your certification dives, have fun diving, be safe and ignore the bigotry and ignorant statements about agencies.

 

[diversteve]

I've found resort operators are often more flexible in this regard - esp. in more remote locations where one org. is dominant - or the only one.
Happened to my buddy on one of his classes (not O/W) he's SSI but a PADI instructor at our resort did the dives/signed the form. Our shop sent it in and he received an SSI card.

I understand your reasoning so good luck!

 

[Sevenrider860]

They did the pool and classroom work at Scuba Toys in Carrollton, TX which is a NAUI center. The instructor they had, Alan, set us up with Luis Cabanas in Cozumel who is a PADI instructor. Cozumel - Cozumel Diving / Cozumel Dive Shops / Adventure Discovery - Luis Cabañas (Luis has it listed right on his website that he takes referrals from other agencies) They took the classroom work in February and we went to Cozumel in March. It was really for the same reasons as you. Diving here in the Dallas area in a lake in February was just too cold and gross for my wife. They did work on rescue skills with Luis. We returned after the trip to Scuba Toys and they inspected their log books that Luis signed and they had their NAUI cards shortly after. It was totally hassle free. I would imagine the place your taking the lessons in NYC has many students do the dives in another destination, for the reasons you mentioned.

Looking at the Cozumel Web Site it looks like they accept what I consider a "standard" referral...not what is described as a "Universal Referral". They say a referral "Takes 2 days and includes: Private Dive Instructor, 4 open water dives, all equipment and the PADI certification card." It looks like they follow the "Referrals from Other Organizations" requirements that are documented in the PADI Standards and follow the PADI open water training dive curriculum. They then issue a PADI Certification. This is standard stuff and should not be a problem with any PADI shop.

A "Universal Referral Program" is different, it has some specific requirements.
1. The PADI Instructor must have registered on the website prior to it going offline. This is to receive a referral number.
2. The PADI Instructor does not follow the PADI OW training curriculum, but the required skills from the Universal Referral Program Manual and Skills Sheet.
3. The PADI Instructor must issue a Universal Referral Temporary Card. How is this done if the website is no longer online? Were there paper temporary cards that were purchased in bulk?

Luis must have registered when this program was active, as there seems no way to register as an instructor since the Website has not functioned in almost 10 years.

Since there are some specific registration requirements to be an instructor in the Universal Referral Program, it is important to call to see if the PADI instructor is registered for that program. Referring a NAUI student to a PADI instructor or shop to complete their OW dives should be no issue and is documented in the PADI Standards...the Universal Referral Program with it's own set of required skills is not.

Between IDEA, NASDS, NAUI, PDIC and SSI...which agency was supposed to keep the program active? Who was maintaining the website? I ask because I think it is an interesting idea, but it no longer seems to exist in the manner the documentation I see seems to describe. Without a website, how does a referring instructor verify that the PADI instructor is registered with the program? How does it attract new instructors? Who now maintains the registered instructor database?

To the OP...you should not be concerned about starting with NAUI and completing with PADI. It happens all the time. Do not be surprised if you are presented a quick quiz or test to assess your knowledge and a confined water session to asses your in water skills prior to your open water dives. You may or may not receive a PADI Certification card upon completion depending if the instructor handles this as what I will call a "normal" inter-agency referral or if they registered for the "Universal Referral" program.

 

[BoltSnap]

@bianalisa

Don't let this nonsense about changing stores or online training, etc. confuse or discourage you. Just get in contact with the center in your destination and make the arrangements ahead of time and agree on the procedure (who does what in terms of issuing certification card, etc.).

Training courses between agencies and between instructors and dive schools aren't all the same at all. Training standards, curriculum, diver qualifications, skills taught, etc. for each agency are different and are at different levels of proficiency and completeness.