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Scuba Forum / General / June 2004certification
I am guessing this must have been covered a million times before so my apologies to all of you, but I am a newbie. I want to learn to dive and need to get certified. Can anyone spell out the differences between PADI and NAUI certification and any advantages or disadvantages that may derive from each one? If it matters, I am located in Los Angeles and if anyone has any recommendations on a place to get some training and certification, I would be very grateful. Many thanks Dan > I am guessing this must have been covered a million times before so my > apologies to all of you, but I am a newbie. I want to learn to dive and need > to get certified. Can anyone spell out the differences between PADI and NAUI > certification and any advantages or disadvantages that may derive from each > one? There are none that matter. > [...] Can anyone spell out the differences between PADI and NAUI [...] It's quite simple really. PADI is P-A-D-I, while NAUI is N-A-U-I. Hope this helps. Cheers! > I am guessing this must have been covered a million times before so my > apologies to all of you, but I am a newbie. I want to learn to dive and need [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dan PADI's bigger, NAUI's older. There are good and bad instructors in both organizations, although being the largest and having the loosest standards, there are more bad PADI instructors than anywhere else. LA's a big city, so it's hard to recommend a small shop that's close to you without knowing where you live in the LA area. However, regardless of where you live, I'd avoid Sports Chalet. I've found they're too focused on selling you gear and accessories you don't need, and they don't tend to hire the best and the brightest. PADI allows you to become an instructor with a little as 100 dives, and Sports Chalet is the place most likely to hire these "100 dive wonders." There are a few LA area divers who hang out on rec.scuba. If you let us know where you live, they might be able to recommend a good shop. You could also post your question to diver.net or scubadivernet.com. These are two SoCal based diving discussion boards. hth Alan > I am guessing this must have been covered a million times before so my > apologies to all of you, but I am a newbie. I want to learn to dive and need [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > recommendations on a place to get some training and certification, I would > be very grateful. Ask around locally for the best instructor in yer area. Take whatever certification he gives you. Never look back. Enjoy. My thanks for those who answered helpfully. Since it seems that a good instructor and a good shop is what I should be looking for, can I ask for some reccommendations? I am in Santa Monica, i.e. directly west of Los Angeles. Also, is it worth buying used equipment or is this a sport where one should just stump up the money to buy everything new? Thanks again, Dan > My thanks for those who answered helpfully. Since it seems that a good > instructor and a good shop is what I should be looking for, can I ask for [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dan Try Reefseekers in Beverly Hills. Ken's a bit of a self promoter, but a better than average instructor and someone who will help you keep the excitement about the sport. Used equipment is fine. Just make sure your mask fits well. > Also, is it worth buying used equipment or is this a sport where one should > just stump up the money to buy everything new? Like Popeye said, rent or borrow for a while. You do need a good mask. There is no relationship between quality and price, the only thing that counts is fit. In case you missed that, the only thing that counts is fit. You'll need a snorkel. Buy the cheapest one you can find. At a garage sale. You'll need fins. Best to borrow both open (strap & booties) and closed fins, see what suits you best. Then buy a low priced pair. Rent/borrow the rest until you have some experience and know where you will be going with the sport. Good luck and have fun. > You do need a good mask. There is no relationship between quality and > price, the only thing that counts is fit. In case you missed that, the > only thing that counts is fit. Definitely get a good mask. > You'll need a snorkel. Buy the cheapest one you can find. At a garage sale. If you go on holiday to the beach a lot you might want to consider a better snorkel that that- something that has a regulator style silicon mouthpiece and maybe a valve at the bottom. Also snorkelling is a fun thing to do on your surface intervals. > You'll need fins. Best to borrow both open (strap & booties) and closed > fins, see what suits you best. Then buy a low priced pair. If you're doing open water diving then you really need open heel fins as these will allow you to wear wetsuit or drysuit boots and you'll be a lot warmer- they are generally better designed than closed heel fins as well. > Rent/borrow the rest until you have some experience and know where you > will be going with the sport. Sound advice. Mask, snorkel, fins and boots are going to be your initial purchases so get them when you can and look at the rest as you get experience. Have fun with it- resist the temptation to get hung up on what gear you dive with! Dan; It's the instructor that counts. Wayne www.springdivers.com > I am guessing this must have been covered a million times before so my > apologies to all of you, but I am a newbie. I want to learn to dive and need [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dan |
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