new to the board and to diving

[Gonzo_G22]

hello people,
i am new to this board and im new to diving... sooo new that not even certiefied yet...
and i would like to apologize in advance to any and all who will be answering my questions becuase i have alot

i guess the first one is:

whats the differance between PAdi and nuai or something like that?? might have mispelled that..?

i have looked into two differant dive shops here in DFW Tx. and they are differant certifications...
why???
and whitch is better???
and theres a pretty distinct price diferance in the two almost a 80 - 100 bucks..
why??

also going to have alot of questions about gear... and going to be looking for some cheap used stuf too..

i'm just glad i found this place and hope to really get some good info...
thnks..
-Gonzo

 

[ReneeC]

Gonzo,
PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) and NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) are two of the largest of the training agencies. There are many more. All agencies teach to accepted standards within the industry. NAUI has a few extra safety skills in their curriculum but a PADI instructor may choose to add them to theirs as well.

It is up to you to compare what the shop and instructor you are considering does that will fit your schedule and your comfort. Ask about classroom hours, pool hours and open water hours. Also class size and ratio of student to instructor. Ask to meet the instructor to make sure you feel comfortable with her/him and that you also like the shop staff and the equipment they offer. You can also go to the websites for PADI and NAUI and read up about their history.

Course costs are set by the store. By asking some questions you might find that one class has more hours or smaller class sizes that would make the course cost more but might be a better bargain.

As far as gear... Don't cut too many corners by buying used stuff. Remember this is life support. Also, few dive shops make money on selling classes. They count on the students purchasing gear from them in order to stay in business. Plus they support and service their own equipment. You won't get that from used.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.