YMCA cert?

[jdaniels09]

This post is quite a relief for me as i am OW cert. by ymca. All you hear about is Padi and nothing else haha

 

[perdidochas]

what are the board's thoughts on YMCA certification?

is it widely recognized, etc?

Have the opportunity to learn one-on-one with a YMCA instructor, but I'll need to use the certification for an upcoming trip to Jamaica.

thanks for any input,

wm

YMCA is one of the oldest certificates available. I wouldn't hesitate a second getting it.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't know any dive shop, in the Americas, Britain or Egypt, that doesn't recognise YMCA as one of the better agencies. Carry your YMCA card with pride and confidence!

Oh ... I found one ...

A few years back when I was in Maui I tried booking a charter through a dive shop in Kihei. When asked for a card, I presented my YMCA SLAM card. He told me they didn't accept YMCA cards. So I pulled out my NAUI DM card (I wasn't an instructor yet at the time). He told me they didn't accept NAUI cards either.

So I asked him what cards he would accept ... he said only PADI ...

My buddy and I laughed all the way across the street ... where we booked a charter with his competitor, who was more than happy to accept our cards.

Back to the original question ... I received my initial training through the YMCA. I've subsequently taken training with NAUI, GUE, IANTD, and SDI/TDI. And when I was a DM I worked with several instructors from different agencies. So I have some familiarity with a number of different agencies and programs.

I liked that the YMCA was a very thorough curriculum ... much more so than some (most) of the others. My OW class was four weeks long, and spent 16 hours in the classroom and 16 hours in the pool ... which isn't what you'll typically get through a dive shop no matter what agency they're using (although some DO offer excellent programs).

The YMCA program places heavy emphasis on swimming and skin diving skills ... the logic being that comfort with basic water skills will result in a better diving experience. I think there's a lot of truth to that logic. I like that they don't just "checklist" you and move you on to the next "skill".

In some respects, I think the YMCA is old school ... for example, while they had us learning and practicing both a dolphin and scissors kick (which I almost never use), they completely ignored the frog kick (which I use more often than any other kick). In fact, the manual we used at the time even stated that frog kicks were of limited value to scuba divers. I later found that a rather odd thing to say.

However, if I had it to do over again ... knowing what I know today about agency standards and how their required skills fit into the real world of diving ... and especially if I didn't know much about the quality of the instructor ... I would choose the YMCA program. It's not just a great educational program, it's a great value. And since they're not in the business of pushing gear sales, I think they really emphasize the things that people sign up for in a scuba class.

Go for it ... and remember, above all, that the whole point of diving is to relax and have fun.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

PS - their Rescue (SLAM) and Silver Advanced classes are also excellent.

 

[freediver]

Did my OW, AOW and phase 1 leadership training thru YMCA twenty years ago. To my utter disappointment, accessibility to training became very limited so it stopped there. However, I would not hesitate to refer a person to training thru the YMCA as the quality of programs and instruction has remain unchanged and nothing less than superb over that twenty year period!

 

[fisherdvm]

Only disadvantage, which is also an advantage, is that the local Y program takes 5 weeks or 10 evenings to complete, then you add the weekend of ow.

The local dive shops do it in only 2 days, plus a weekend ow.

4 days vs. 12 days? Which do you want - quality or a fast C card?

Here is the website for the Dearborn, MI course, to begin Sept 8:
http://www.fordsealancers.com/FSLClass.htm

 

[shotthebreeze]

Thanks, Jim!

yep...46 years old and just getting started.

been wanting to do this for DECADES!

Nothing will make you feel like you're 15 years old again like scuba. Enjoy and let us know how your training goes!