What certification course do I choose?

[alligator]

I'm looking for a course to get my certification, and I keep hearing things about these type of courses: BSAC, CMAS, IDEA, NASDS-SSI, NAUI, PADI and YMCA.

What does everyone recommend? I'm flooded with information and I'd like some non-biased practical advice from people with experience.

Do I pick the closest store that operates in one of these basic types or do I drive around for the "best" store (whatever that is...?)?

[Aquatic Noggin]

I'm just finishing up my PADI certification which went really well. The instructors and dive masters were all very good and the reading material was informative but very easy to absorb. Some say PADI is more expensive than others though.

[Acolin]

I was originally certified in Minneapolis through a chain of stores that had Argonauts diving lessons. That was okay while I was in the Twin Cities since all I needed was air. Once down here, since I had no proof of that old license and it was not recognized down here, I went with PADI - that is all anybody offers down here and it is recognized world wide. I would find out how many pool and how many open water dives they give you.

[Mad Scientist]

alligator,

You should not choose where you get certified based upon the agency (they are all close to the same) or the store. Instead choose based on the instructor. Choose an instructor who dives in the same envirnemnt you are training to dive in, ask him or her their experince (most have resume on hand). Do they teach more advacned courses? Are they up to date on new techniques? Where will the open water dives be held? What eqipment do they use?

Once you get certified look into taking a GUE/DIR course (do a web search).

It doesn't matter what type of diving you do, you want to the best training possible to maximize saftey and fun.

[zooqi]

I recommend PADI and not saying it because I'm a PADI instructor. I had SSI before but PADI is more known around the world. I grew up in the other side of the world and nobody knew BSAC, CMAS, IDEA, NASDS-SSI, NAUI, or YMCA. Everybody knew what PADI is and for those who go to school the class can be used as a college credit and not sure about other organizations.

[Mad Scientist]

I got my advanced and NITROX through PADI and it was a postive experince, there are a lot of PADI bashers out there, but, like I said before it's all about the instructor.


zooqi, since you are a PADI instructor, can I ask you what you think of PADI's TechRec course. My understanding is that it is a deep air course and does not involve TRIMIX. I know a number of DIR guys who are coming down pretty hard on PADI for teaching deep air diving, as DIR teaches that it's unsafe to use air much below 100' because or narcosis, O2 tox, and the fact that air gets very dense below 100' and can lead to more labored breathing in even very experineced divers (CO2 buildup), TRIMIX, on the other hand, is very easy to breath even at 200'. Your thoughts?

[zooqi]

TEC REC Deep course will teach you how to conduct switch gas between air and enriched air to a depth of 165 feet. Training Bulletin, First Quarter 2001 Page One In the Tec Deep Diver course, divers learn motorskills required for technical diving as
well as the associated hazards, risks and limits of their deep technical training. In addition, the course trains the diver to prepare for and respond to reasonably foreseeable emergencies
that may occur in this type of technical diving.. This course is provided by PADI in conjunction with Diving Science and Technology DSAT. DSAT thought that it will be a good idea to take those who want outside the traditional limits of recreational diving.

Apprentice Tec
The Apprentice Tec Diver course, a sub-course of the Tec Deep Diver course, is for divers who do not yet have the prerequisite experience and training needed to complete the Tec
Deep Diver course, but who want to begin developing the skills and knowledge involved in technical diving. Its goals are:
• To qualify the diver to make gas-switch, extended no-stop dives to 40 metres / 130 feet using air and enriched air with up to 60 percent oxygen, using technical diving equipment and procedures.
• To provide the foundational skills for completing the entire Tec Deep Diver course.
Tec Deep
The Tec Deep Diver course is for divers with the prerequisite experience and training needed to move beyond the traditional limits of recreational scuba diving.
The goals are:
• To qualify the diver to make gas-switch, extended no-stop dives; decompression stop dives and accelerated decompression dives using air, enriched air and oxygen, as deep as 50 metres /165 feet using technical diving equipment and the procedures required to manage the risks involved.
• To provide the foundational skills for further training in technical diving.

Discover Tec Prerequisites:
1. Certified as a PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent.
2. Minimum age: 18 years old.
3. A minimum of 10 logged dives.

Apprentice Tec Diver Prerequisites:
1. Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent.
2. Minimum age: 18 years.
3. Certified as a PADI Enriched Air Diver or equivalent.
4. Certified as a PADI Deep Diver or equivalent. For this course, equivalency is defined as proof of deep diver certification with a minimum of 4 training dives to a depth of 18-40 metres/60-130 feet.
5. Have a minimum of 50 logged dives, of which at least 10 dives made using enriched air nitrox, 12 dives deeper then 18 metres/60 feet and at least 6 dives deeper than 30 metres/100 feet.
Tec Deep Diver Prerequisites:
Tec Deep Diver students must meet the following prerequisites before starting the Tec
Deep Diver course:
1. Have met Apprentice Tec Diver prerequisites.
2. Certified as a PADI Rescue Diver or equivalent.
3. Have a minimum of 100 logged dives, of which at least 20 dives made using enriched
air nitrox, 25 dives deeper than 18 metres/60 feet and at least 15 dives deeper than
30 metres/100 feet.

Instructors make sure that candidates are prepared for participation in the Apprentice Tec or Tec Deep Diver courses. Regardless of certification, instructors should conduct a thorough waterskills and knowledge assessment.

It is a good course for those who are thinking to get involve in Technical Diving.
You can find more info about this course here
http://www.phangandivers.com/

[zooqi]

Mad Scientist: sorry for the long post but if you still have more questions please e-mail me and I will be more than happy to answer your questions.

I took two courses with SSI a couple of years ago
NITROX
DRY SUITE
I learned alot in that course and my instructor (Mike Craig) was a very nice guy and I still communicate with him and go diving once a while.

[Mad Scientist]

zooqi,

Thanks for the info, I apprecaite it. TechRec course sounds interesting and I'm glad PADI is no longer ingnoring the fact that alot of people have diving goals which require them to go below 130" and not just "cowboys" can be deep divers.

Thanks again, I'll have to talk to my instructor (a PADI guy) and see if he is going to be teaching it.

[zooqi]

Good luck and enjoy the course. .. Thanks:wave:

[alligator]

Well I did it. Signed myself and my wife up for a NAUI course close to our home. The shop was the most helpful and I think we will get a good course for our money.

I'll let you know how it goes. Should be a blast!

[zooqi]

good luck Alligator to you and your family and hope to see you someday underwater. I'm going to Key Largo on the 20th for underwater wedding. I got invited and I could not refuse the invitation.. :cool:

[RicksReefs]

good call on going naui,after 20 yrs. being padi cert. they lost all my info,(no cert. on record,etc.)went out next day got naui cert. and haven't had a problem since. :beer: here's to many safe & happy dives

[alligator]

It starts Monday (5/13) - I'm excited.

[gabe3eb]

I am certified as Advanced Openwater with PADI as well as open water with PADI. I also took the YMCA classes... The YMCA classes are a couple of weeks longer, but you don't learn any more practicle information. They get into the science and thoeretical aspects a little bit more. I would suggest Padi for a strong foundation, I know this might be late, but just my two cents. hth
gaber

[Reeffien]

I just went through this whole process. Just became certified two weeks ago. It was fabulous experience. I'm SSI certified. I didn't go SSI because of their reputation(which is great). I chose the dive shop and instructor that was most in tune with what I was looking for. The reality is that all the information is basically the same and most of the dive shops recognize each different card.

Glad you chose what you did, you'll be happy because it fits your preferences

[alligator]

We did it! My wife and I are now NAUI certified!

Now, the big question, what gear should I start to buy first?

I'll probably pick up the mask, fins, and snorkel (of course) but then what???

How many of you rob banks to pay for all of this stuff? Geez, reef keeping and SCUBA can really drain the bank account!

[billsreef]

Welcome to yet another expensive hobby :D

Let me be the first to buy you two a cyber ale :beer:

Well after the mask, fins and snorkel I would recomend investing in a good set of regulators. After all for something you stick in your in mouth, the rental idea does leave a bit to be desired ;) You might want to try some different BC's before buying one. In general buy what you can afford when you can :) If you take up bank robbery, just be sure not to get caught :D Otherwise credit cards can be very usefull ;)

[Hippity dippity]

I took a private SSI course and I had a blast. Bought my fins snorkel and mask before the course and then the shop let me buy any gear I wanted and pay $20 a week if I wanted. I added a BC and reg and now since I bought my gear from them anything else I need for rental (weights, hood, wetsuit and tank) is free. Can't beat that.

If you absolutely had to go buy something right away after you had the basics, I'd get a reg.