#1600
lerpy - 8/30/2012 2:23 PM
Greg, I am currently working on my divemaster through a SDI instruction that I do my training with. It certaily appears that NAUI and SDI who I am familiar with give more flexibility in learning, ie if you find something from another agency that is a good instructing tool they are ok with it, however PADI does not allow for this at all, they are much more our way or the highway type approach.

Bouy15 it is really the instructor that you are comfortable with that is the best way to go. The instructor I use can qualify me under SDI, NAUI, or PADI. My open water was PADI as I was down south, my advanced and maintenance course are NAUI, and my Nitrox, Rescue and Divemaster are SDI. If I go on to instructor I may go PADI simply because of the recogniztion world wide and in southern climates where I would ultimately want to instruct, but at the end of the day its the instructor. I have found being able to use the same instructor all the time, and he is also someone I dive with on a regular basis is great. That relationship really helps my advancement and training, and training is made easier in that he dives with me every week so knows my competencies and abilities.