Is PADI popular because it's cute?

[Nemrod]

PADI just gets bashed because it is the biggest. If it went bankrupt tomorrow, these criticisms would switch seamlessly to SSI.

No, I would still hate PadI. Eight years the Clinton administration the right wing talking heads still manage to blame Clinton for everything, if PadI went bankrupt this afternoon, trust me, with their legacy of non instruction and fish ID merit badges, there are decades yet of bashing to be done with the material we already have.

How many PadI divers does it take to screw in a regulator, three, one to read the book, one to ask over and over if they are OK and a third to get the instructor.

How do you know if an instructor is PadI, they have to get a YMCA or NAUI student diver to install their regulator.

Jay Leno cold have a field day with them.

N

 

[Bismark]

No, I would still hate PadI. Eight years the Clinton administration the right wing talking heads still manage to blame Clinton for everything, if PadI went bankrupt this afternoon, trust me, with their legacy of non instruction and fish ID merit badges, there are decades yet of bashing to be done with the material we already have.

How many PadI divers does it take to screw in a regulator, three, one to read the book, one to ask over and over if they are OK and a third to get the instructor.

How do you know if an instructor is PadI, they have to get a YMCA or NAUI student diver to install their regulator.

Jay Leno cold have a field day with them.

N

The first things to make me chuckle this morning.....thanks

 

[jamaicancowboy]

So all agency bashing aside...why do people feel PADI is worse than other agencies?? can you provide specifics?? What in your opinion is the best agency and why??

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

I was PADI certified in '78 because it was the only organization in town. I feel like I went thru pretty thorough and intense cert quals. My instructor was a retired Marine Master Gunny and his assistants were Marines from Parris Island and the Marine Corps Air Station...a few of them were drill instructors (hats)...pretty intense to say the least - we also did some serious open water dives, dove clear water (springs) and black water and even a 30 ft ditch, free ascent to the surface and free-dive back down to our partner who was holding our gear...my partner was so freaked out he was offering my reg to everyone who swam by. I was pretty comfortable and confident and felt reasonably competent when I finished the class, 30 years one month and MANY dives later, I have never regretted or felt I was short-changed.

 

[Guba]

Another one...
How many SSI or NAUI instructors does it take to teach a class?

Ans: I don't know because there isn't apparently isn't one within a HUNDRED MILES of my home.

My point? Why did I go with PADI? Because they were the only game in town, and that "town" is about ten thousand square miles. However, do I feel cheated because these other agencies were nowhere to be found? Nope. I took three certifications (OW, AOW, and Rescue) from three different instructors from three different dive shops. I felt I received very good training from all of them, and I say that in retrospect, after having dived with many very skilled divers who have certs from many dive agencies, and in a variety of environments. I simply have no point of reference when someone says it's so hard to find good instructors within PADI. I must be exceptionally fortunate, because I'm batting 100% in finding them with very little effort. These people were able to prepare me for a variety of diving situations, some of which demanded a lot from me, yet the training they provided served me very well.
I'm so sorry that others have had poor experiences with PADI instructors/instruction. But I can only speak for myself and my dealings with the organization. As far as all the flames I hear when the discusstion turns to training agencies, I simply don't know what you're talking about. It's a foreign language to me.

 

[Walter]

why do people feel PADI is worse than other agencies??

It used to be worse than all other agencies, but many of them have now lowered their standards to match. There are still a couple with high standards.

can you provide specifics??

Sure, off the top of my head... They've made swimming optional. They have almost no required skin diving skills. They have almost no rescue skills. They have no confidence building skills. They don't require learning more than one kick.

What in your opinion is the best agency and why??

YMCA/YDI because it has much higher standards, including passing a swim test prior to the start of any in water instruction, skin diving, rescue a simulated panicked diver, requires multiple kicking techniques, requires proper trim, confidence building skills...

I was PADI certified in '78 because it was the only organization in town. I feel like I went thru pretty thorough and intense cert quals.

In '78, their standards were high. It was shortly after that that they started lowering their standards.

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

In '78, their standards were high. It was shortly after that that they started lowering their standards.

oh....

 

[jeter]

Another one...
How many SSI or NAUI instructors does it take to teach a class?

Ans: I don't know because there isn't apparently isn't one within a HUNDRED MILES of my home.

My point? Why did I go with PADI? Because they were the only game in town, and that "town" is about ten thousand square miles. However, do I feel cheated because these other agencies were nowhere to be found? Nope. I took three certifications (OW, AOW, and Rescue) from three different instructors from three different dive shops. I felt I received very good training from all of them, and I say that in retrospect, after having dived with many very skilled divers who have certs from many dive agencies, and in a variety of environments. I simply have no point of reference when someone says it's so hard to find good instructors within PADI. I must be exceptionally fortunate, because I'm batting 100% in finding them with very little effort. These people were able to prepare me for a variety of diving situations, some of which demanded a lot from me, yet the training they provided served me very well.
I'm so sorry that others have had poor experiences with PADI instructors/instruction. But I can only speak for myself and my dealings with the organization. As far as all the flames I hear when the discusstion turns to training agencies, I simply don't know what you're talking about. It's a foreign language to me.

Very Well stated! I have never had a bad PADI instructor either. All have been 1st rate. So much so, I became one myself.

Most people on this board simply judge the training PADI requires for open water to not be sufficient. This may be true. PADI believes in continuing your training with Advance OW, specialty courses and Rescue so in a way PADI believes that open water only is not sufficient as well. Otherwise, why offer so many follow up courses.

What they do believe is that OW training is sufficient to go out and start diving in reasonably good conditions and so you can gain more experience and training. Personally, Criticism aside, I like this philosophy because there is no substitute for time in the water.

 

[jeter]

Sure, off the top of my head... They've made swimming optional. They have almost no required skin diving skills. They have almost no rescue skills. They have no confidence building skills. They don't require learning more than one kick.

Just for accuracy, PADIrequires open water stucents to complete 200 yard swim that must be signed off by the instructor. PADI requries skin diving skills in the pool and they must be signed off by the instructor Open water skin diving skills are optional. PADI teaches a whole course on rescue skills.

 

[Walter]

Just for accuracy, PADIrequires open water stucents to complete 200 yard swim that must be signed off by the instructor. PADI requries skin diving skills in the pool and they must be signed off by the instructor Open water skin diving skills are optional. PADI teaches a whole course on rescue skills.

Just for accuracy, PADI has an optional 200 yd swim. A 300 yd snorkel may be substituted.

PADI does have required skin diving skills, they just don't have many of them. As I stated earlier, they have almost no required skin diving skills.

Yes, PADI has an entire Rescue course. Since I was discussing the OW class, I don't see how that's relevant.