PADI vs NAUI

[Walter]

SEI is no more "non-profit" than NAUI is.

Puff, I'd like to know your source.

 

[jridg]

Bottom line is that no agency is going to be significantly better or worse. They are all different to some degree. I have worked with PADI and NAUI and found NAUI to be slightly more comprehensive in the early stages while PADI pushes LOTS of courses to get some of that info. Sure, PADI has always been 'for profit', but again, I started with PADI and now, many years later, would take a class from whomever without real concern for which agency.

When you get to the level of technical diving - well that's another story and isn't appropriate for this thread.

Don't worry - you weren't short-changed.

Learn more and keep learning - PADI, NAUI, SSI, whatever - just keep diving and learning

 

[Puffer Fish]

Puff, I'd like to know your source.

Here is a good place to start:

NAUI Worldwide Organization

And, as pointed out, we vote for management...

NAUI Board of Directors? Election Results...

Or don't vote, if you don't know the people...

But I do not believe that makes NAUI better or worse..

 

[Walter]

Check out NAUI Services Group, Inc.

 

[Doc]

- watch the date of the posts. This one ended in 2003 (though if you track PADI vs fill in the blank in the search function) you will see that it is very much alive today

1,987 days. In Dog years, it's dead.

 

[Walter]

Nathan - watch the date of the posts. This one ended in 2003 (though if you track PADI vs fill in the blank in the search function) you will see that it is very much alive today

You'd rather have a new PADI vs NAUI thread?

Is this some kind of record?

Not even close.

 

[Rhenry]

I totally agree it is the class and instructor that make the program. I started out with PADI, changed to NAUI. I did this for a number of reasons first the LDS I was going through lost there PADI instructor, second the training material for NAUI is much more inclusive compared to PADI. In my case, the PSDI cd was loaned to me for use, with NAUI they were included and mine to keep.
The Course on the water was very similar, both groups were out at the same time and my friend who took the PADI curse first did almost the exact same things is did. We had to do a skin dive; in his group it was optional if they had time. The only other difference was the t-shirt the instructors had on, one said NAUI the other PADI. Personally I liked the NAUI inclusion of first aid the PADI course left out. If I had not seen both sides, you would not see a difference diving other then the dive tables.

I never understood the dive table difference, if they are safe why the difference?

 

[Puffer Fish]

Check out NAUI Services Group, Inc.

Walter, that organization helps people run a dive shop or dive related business...things like taxes, advertising, accountng, and personel management. As it is does not fall under the charter of NAUI worldwide, it has to be a for profit organization. It is a small, very small service group, and has nothing to do with the certification of divers. I believe they represent a handful of people.

Having those things be outside the non-profit parent was the right legal thing to do, and does not mean anything with regard to the parent.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I totally agree it is the class and instructor that make the program. I started out with PADI, changed to NAUI. I did this for a number of reasons first the LDS I was going through lost there PADI instructor, second the training material for NAUI is much more inclusive compared to PADI. In my case, the PSDI cd was loaned to me for use, with NAUI they were included and mine to keep.
The Course on the water was very similar, both groups were out at the same time and my friend who took the PADI curse first did almost the exact same things is did. We had to do a skin dive; in his group it was optional if they had time. The only other difference was the t-shirt the instructors had on, one said NAUI the other PADI. Personally I liked the NAUI inclusion of first aid the PADI course left out. If I had not seen both sides, you would not see a difference diving other then the dive tables.

I never understood the dive table difference, if they are safe why the difference?

There are two differences.. first the look, which is a choice by each agency... and second some small differences in the numbers. When you get down to that small of a difference, it is almost impossible to tell when good is actually good. Most people do not dive exactly to the limits, with gear that is exactly accurate..you will find the same issue with dive computers.. everyone made by a different mfg, will calculate a bit differently...with no way to tell if one is actually safer.

 

[offthewall1]

Here is some simple math to settle the agency debate

PADI = NAUI = SSI = PDIC = YMCA = _____ Fill in the blank. They all follow RSTC standards and generally speaking the academics and skills you learn will be the same. Breath in - Breath out, go up and down, clear regs and mask, inflate and remove/replace BCD's and weights... etc...

Here is the math you need to consider

Does Instructor A = B = C = D?

The answer is not always the same. The agency does not matter nearly as much as the Instructor... and to some degree the dive shop they teach for. The dive shop can be a factor because they may or may not hold Instructors to high teaching standards, gear used for classes may not be in good repair etc...

Yes this topic gets debated over and over in threads. Why doesn't someone on SB put a permanent thread at the top of the page to thwart the need for constant reiteration.