Since I have taken my 1st plunge a few years ago; I have heard this argument mainly about PADI vs NAUI but not excluding other agencies. I can only speak to PADI because I don`t have any 1st hand experience with any other agencies.

I look at diving and all of the various agencies!!! Are some better than others...I don`t think so because there are pro`s and con`s to all of the agencies.

They might stress some things and have a way of instructing that might differ from the others but the bottome line is they are hopefully promoting safe diving but they are going about it in various ways.

I Think what is more important in than the way something is taught is that the teacher is not only qualified to instruct but have an apptitude for instruction and is promoting diving in a light that knows no agency but is good for the sport of SCUBA diving.

We adapt our teaching in minor ways to suit the individual, the agencies are doing the same but doing it on a much larger scale.

Usually when there is a rap against an agency; it`s usually a person associated with the agency that is casting a bad light.

Are people perfect, NO. So why do we expect organizations that are made up of people to be perfect?

I am not suggesting that when an agency has an unsafe standard that it shouldn`t be talked about, but I don`t believe that if an agency is truely promoting unsafe teachings that that will last in the long haul.

Do organzations bring up good divers...well they do give them the tools and the knowledge to be good divers but it comes down to the free will of the diver if they are going dive safely; not the oranizations.

Happy and Safe Diving

Comments

DiveBuddyChgo - 3/29/2008 8:11 AM Its not the agency that makes a good diver. Its the diver and his willingness to learn and dedication to the sport. What makes the agencies different is how they run thier business. Learn your skills one step at a time and dive often.

NotAfraid - 8/08/2007 11:33 PM I have cards from 3 organizations. A 22 year old YMCA cert and both PADI and NAUI. I am an instructor (not scuba...yet) I truly believe that all the organizations contain within their curriculi, the same basics. There will be various differences, but the essentials are most likely all there with each agency. The instructor is probably more important than the organization. Most important of all is a student who wants to learn and is unafraid to ask questions. A good student can learn even from a bad instructor. i don`t mean that you know more as a `good student` I mean that you seek answers more.

Saturn5 - 6/12/2007 12:00 AM I`m SSI and my primary divebuddy is SSI but I dive with a lot of PADI divers as well. Sometimes we call things with a different venacular, but we are tuned in to the same things. So I don`t really see that much of a difference in the programs other than the name and some of the terminology. This difference in terminology is an important thing to cover in pre-dive discussions though. Otherwise you might find a misunderstanding underwater. I`ve dived with people from several organizations and find that the skills are more diver dependent than they are school name dependent. The major players are all promoting a safe sport method. So stay wet and have fun, but remember to iron out terminology with a new buddy before getting wet together.

DalelynnSims - 6/07/2007 12:00 AM Great comments. Irrespective of agency a teacher with knowledge is no good unless they can impart that knowledge to their students. A comprehensive understanding of fundamentals, passion to see people succeed, safely are a must. We adapt teaching techniques to ensure knowledge is passed. Knowing how to do something different from understanding why it’s necessary, mastering the skill, the latter that I hope all dive pros strive for. My agency stresses this allowing flexibility. While all have a ‘standard’ the substance that goes with the skill carries students far. I contend the foundation of knowledge reinforces safe more educated divers. This comes from their instructor & their example. Sometimes economics & marketing stand in the way. I can’t compete with dive shop nextdoor offering “$99 Special, get SCUBA certified in one weekend”. Fiction yes but it happens & inst that don’t meet students until the first class session are doing no one a service, especially the student.