YMCA courses?

[lord1234]

The local YMCA has a certification course...has anyone ever taken one of these? Is it worth it?

--Lord1234

 

[diver_paula]

YMCA certifications have been around for years. My local club teaches YMCA and I have Open water, advanced open water and SLAM - SCUBA Lifesaving and Accident Management. What other agencies call now call Rescue. They are a very reputable certification agency, just haven't spent as much money on advertising as others.

Is it worth it? I truly believe the worth of a certification class is based on the instructor(s) and the person taking the class.

Here's a link to the YMCA SCUBA website in case you want to check it out.
www.ymcascuba.org

Have fun learning to dive!
Paula

 

[MikeC]

Wasn't the Y one of the first to offer formal SCUBA training?

 

[lord1234]

will people accept my C-card from YMCA? Is it equivalent to a PADI cert? Would you reccommend I go straight for the Open Water Diver II course right away(info at http://www.ymcascuba.org/ymcascub/scuba.html ) which seems closer to the PADI equivalent of OW?

 

[diver_paula]

Wasn't the Y one of the first to offer formal SCUBA training?

I believe so. Many of my buddies dove prior to the need for certification. Then a few had certification sans an agency (If I recall correctly). & then came the 'real' certs. The website says YMCA started certifications in 1959. I know my club started in the early 60's so the timing would be right.

 

[diver_paula]

will people accept my C-card from YMCA? Is it equivalent to a PADI cert? Would you reccommend I go straight for the Open Water Diver II course right away(info at http://www.ymcascuba.org/ymcascub/scuba.html ) which seems closer to the PADI equivalent of OW?

Yes, your card will be accepted. I've been to many places Worldwide and have never had a problem.

I can't answer your question regarding Open Water II. Never heard of it. And it seems to be only a couple more instructor led dives so I'm not sure what it would be worth. I doubt it's another certification given that.

For what it's worth, I have taken dual YMCA / PADI courses in Advanced and Wreck. My club now has instructors from both agencies. & for the cost of the extra card, not the full cost of a second class, what the hey. & if I then chose to go further with either agency I'd have the necessary prerequisites.

The instructors compared requirements and made sure both agencies were met - both in classroom and diving. There didn't seem to be a huge difference from what I could tell. There were times when we were told 'this is PADI's view/way' or 'this is the YMCA's view/way.' & there were times the cert dives were with just the YMCA instructors or the PADI instructors.

Also, just found this on the YMCA website. It supports that the YMCA certification is accepted worldwide....
"In 1980 YMCA SCUBA became a federation of the World Underwater Federation (C.M.A.S.), thus allowing our instructors and divers the distinct designation of this international certification. Due to our high standards, YMCA SCUBA remains the only SCUBA certification organization in the United States to offer the C.M.A.S. international certification card."

Paula

 

[ScubaSarus]

I undestand the YMCA course to be quite challenging and to the point with SCUBA. No sales pitch here just no nonsense training is what I have been to understand.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

will people accept my C-card from YMCA? Is it equivalent to a PADI cert? Would you reccommend I go straight for the Open Water Diver II course right away(info at http://www.ymcascuba.org/ymcascub/scuba.html ) which seems closer to the PADI equivalent of OW?

Yes, the YMCA program is recognized worldwide.

I started my scuba training with the YMCA. The program is longer and more intensive in some ways than courses offered through a dive shop. That is because one of the primary expenses incurred by dive shops is typically pool time ... and most YMCA's don't have to rent a pool. As a result, they can afford to offer a class that allows more pool time than you'll typically get elsewhere. That's important for learning skills.

The YMCA program also focuses a lot of time on skin diving skills ... just with mask, snorkel, and fins ... to get you more comfortable with some of the basics. Almost all the major agencies (PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc) have dropped that part of the program now.

Overall the quality of your education will depend more on the instructor than the program ... but the YSCUBA program does provide a solid foundation on which to build your skills.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

to get you more comfortable with some of the basics. Almost all the major agencies (PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc) have dropped that part of the program now.

Overall the quality of your education will depend more on the instructor than the program ... but the YSCUBA program does provide a solid foundation on which to build your skills.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

SSI still teaches skin diving and in fact pool session one are water evaluations and skin diving.

I agree that it's more about the instructor than alphabet soup.

I have only seen one person come into the shop with a story about their Y card not being accepted and believe it or not this was in Mexico. But the next boat over accepted it and laughed at the previous boat. They ended up wanting a SSI card because they were upset about it.

Again that's the only case I've ever heard. Oh I did hear a story about one dive boat that only accepts PADI divers but I'm not sure if that's an urban legend or not.

 

[DennisW]

YMCA is one of the best classes you can take. You will have to swim, you will have to skin dive, and you will learn bouyancy control. If you get a good instructor, you will be happy to have taken the course. Talk to the instructor before you take the course, as most people will tell you, the instructor makes the difference. I only have YMCA certs and have never had a problem with my card being accepted. And if I remember, the YMCA was one of the very first agencies to provide SCUBA certifications. Maybe the first after LA County.

The YMCA certification for Open Water is recognized as the same level as the PADI (or any other agencies) open water cert. IMHO an AOW is a waste of time at any agency. Frankly you will get the same training with the OW from YMCA that you get from some other agencies for the AOW. Even the AOW from YMCA isn't worth the price, however, Silver Advanced certification is a great advanced class.