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