Is padi the best open water diver certification?
By the numbers, PADI has more globally certified divers than any other agency, but that just means they are the most popular. However, all internationally recognized certifications meet the requirements laid out by the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) in their Open Water Diver Standards.
How is PADI different from other scuba divers?
In fact, on most scuba diving adventures, you’ll be surrounded by other PADI Divers who made the same certification choice you did – to train with the world’s largest and most respected scuba diving training organization. How is PADI Different? Education - The PADI System of diver education is the most instructionally solid system in diving.
Who bought out Padi?
In 2017, Providence Equity Partners LLC sold PADI to Canadian investment firm Altas Partners and French private equity firm Florac for 700 million USD, through an entity called Mandarinfish Holding.
Who is the founder of Padi?
1966 - PADI was founded by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. 9 August 2012 - Lincolnshire Management and Providence Equity Partners jointly acquired PADI from Seidler Equity Partners. 2015 - Providence Equity Partners acquired majority stake of PADI from Lincolnshire Management.
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Is PADI International?
PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the world's largest ocean exploration and diver organization, operating in 186 countries and territories, with a global network of more than 6,600 dive centers and resorts and over 128,000 professional members worldwide.
Who is bigger SSI or PADI?
SSI stands for Scuba Schools International, and it is the world's largest store-based Scuba Diving training agency. Formed just 4 years after PADI in 1970 and incorporates training in both scuba diving and freediving. Today SSI has over 2,500 authorized dealers around the world and 35 regional dive centers.
Which diving certification is best?
The 5 Best Scuba Diving Certification Programs of 2022Best Overall: PADI. ... Runner-Up, Best Overall: SSI. ... Oldest Agency: NAUI. ... Best British Contingent: BSAC. ... Best for Future Tec Divers: SDI.
How many countries is PADI in?
186 countries and territoriesThere are more than 128,000 PADI professional members around the globe. There are 6,600 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts worldwide. PADI operates in 186 countries and territories.
Does PADI certification expire?
Your PADI certification does not expire. Participation in PADI ReActivate™ is not mandatory, but recommended as an easy way to refresh your foundational scuba safety knowledge and skills if you haven't been diving in a while.
Why is SSI cheaper than PADI?
SSI is usually cheaper, as they don't insist that the student buy a manual/app for the course. You can borrow one of the dive centers 'library' books or use the app for free! PADI, however, do insist on purchasing the materials – no matter if you are traveling around the world or learning at home.
What is the highest scuba certification?
Master Scuba Diver (sometimes referred to as “MSD”) is the highest level of recreational diving. Above all, to become a PADI Master Scuba Diver™ you must: Hold an Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver certification.
How deep can a PADI diver go?
18 meters/60 feetPADI Open Water Diver: Maximum Depth. – Open Water Divers can plan and execute dives with a certified buddy or dive professional to a maximum depth of 18 meters/60 feet. – Scuba Divers may only dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional (an Instructor) to a maximum depth of 12 meters/40 feet.
What are the 2 diving certifications?
There are two main scuba certification levels that most recreational scuba divers are interested in: the open water diver certification and the advanced open water diver certification. The open water diver certification allows you to dive down to depths of 60 feet.
Which is better SSI or PADI?
In conclusion, there is very little difference between PADI and SSI. As a recreational diver, the differences are so small that if you aren't completing a course, you probably won't notice. Both maintain high standards of training around the world. Both are globally acknowledged as diving qualifications.
Who owns PADI scuba?
Providence Equity PartnersIn 1966, PADI was founded by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. On 9 August 2012, Lincolnshire Management and Providence Equity Partners jointly acquired PADI from Seidler Equity Partners. In 2015, Providence Equity Partners acquired majority stake of PADI from Lincolnshire Management.
Who bought PADI?
Dow Jones journalist Matt Jarzemsky broke the story earlier this week that PADI, the Professional Associaton of Diving Instructors, has been sold to a private consortium for $700 million.
Can I move from SSI to PADI?
If you are an SSI divemaster you can enroll directly into the PADI instructor course and then there is a simple 2-3 day SSI course to give you SSI instructor certification. If, however you are a SSI instructor and want to become a PADI instructor you will have to take the entire PADI instructor course again.
Which organization certifies the largest number of scuba divers?
PADI- Professional Association of Diving InstructorsPADI- Professional Association of Diving Instructors Based in the United States, PADI is currently the biggest and most recognized dive certification agency in the world (it is estimated that PADI has certified between 60-75% of all recreational divers).
Is PADI or SDI better?
If you're looking to become professional as a scuba diving instructor you may want to opt for PADI since it is the more well-known of the two. If you want to pursue diving as a career (and not be a dive instructor) then SDI may work better for you, given their connection to TDI.
Is SSI diving internationally Recognised?
The Facts. There are many International Certifications around the worlds - PADI, SSI, SDI, NAUI, RAID,BSAC, CMAS just to name a few. All of these agency recongnised each others certifications as equivalent. All Internationally recognised Certification meet the WRSTC Open Water Diver Standard.
What is a PADI certification?
PADI courses range from entry level to relatively advanced recreational diver certification, several specialized diving skills courses, usually connected with specific equipment or conditions, some diving related informational courses and a range of recreational diving instructor certifications. They also offer various technical diving courses. As of January 2019, PADI is reported to have issued 27 million scuba certifications.
What is a PADI course?
PADI courses are performance-based diver training programs, and at the introductory level emphasize practical knowledge, safety and motor skills. The basics of diving physics and physiology are introduced during entry level programs. The details of these concepts are left for later courses when they are necessary for the required competences ...
What is a PADI diver?
PADI offers a speciality program called Public Safety Diver for divers who are either employed in or serve as volunteers in the public safety diving sector principally within the United States.
What is a Discover Rebreather?
Discover Rebreather – An introductory confined water experience using a recreational or technical rebreather under the direct supervision of a PADI Rebreather or Tec CCR Instructor.
Why was PADI criticized?
In 2006, PADI was severely criticized by a Coroner's court in the United Kingdom for providing what experts regarded as short and insufficient training. Although PADI training standards differ from those formerly prevalent in the United Kingdom under the BSAC system, PADI training standards are consistent with World Recreational Scuba Training Council standards.
How many members does PADI have?
Membership. In 2019, PADI reported it had a membership of over 137,000 professional members and 6,600 dive centers, and had awarded more than 27,000,000 diving certifications internationally. PADI operates in 186 countries and territories.
What is Discover Scuba Diving?
Discover Scuba Diving – An introductory diving experience under the direct supervision of an instructor in controlled conditions.
What are PADI, SSI, and NAUI?
These are the abbreviated names of three internationally recognized scuba diving certification agencies.
How Different are the Open Water Courses Offered by PADI, SSI, and NAUI?
Some agencies may offer slightly more skills than others, however each one will properly prepare you to be a capable open water diver. The biggest differences between the courses are perhaps their names and the certification you get at the end.
What is a good scuba instructor?
It is imperative that the scuba instructor is knowledgeable, professional, and willing to go the extra mile to make sure his dive students are taken care of. In other words, it doesn’t really matter which agency you get certified by so much as the quality of the dive instructor teaching you.
What are the three international diving agencies?
In this article, we will be discussing three internationally recognized training agencies in particular: PADI, SSI, and NAUI. These agencies have been around for decades, and they all offer high-quality instruction in accordance to the scuba diving standards. However, there are even more lesser known agencies like SDI, BSAC, and CMAS just to name a few. Which one should you go with? The goal of this article is to help you decide.
How much does it cost to get certified to dive in Thailand?
In other destinations, for example Thailand, you can get certified in one of the best diving destinations in the world, Koh Tao, for around $250-$300. This price even includes a complimentary “fun dive” for when you complete the certification. In Mexico, you may be able to get this kind of package for around $150.
How much does an open water diver course cost?
As you can see, their Open Water Diver course costs around $200. For this price, what you are getting is access to their online e-learning course. This is self-study material that you will have to commit approximately 8-15 hours to finish. On the other hand, SSI offers a free e-learning program.
How much does it cost to become an open water diver?
Expect to spend $300-$600 overall and a time commitment of 16-32 hours over the course of a few days to be Open Water Diver certified in the United States.
Overview
Contributions, accreditations, recognitions and affiliations
PADI courses are recognized, recommended and cited by a variety of institutions and organizations throughout the world for both recreational diving and vocational training.
PADI courses are recommended for college credit by ACE.
Since 2009, PADI and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) have maintained a mutual support partnership.
Ownership History
In 1966, PADI was founded by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson.
On 9 August 2012, Lincolnshire Management and Providence Equity Partners jointly acquired PADI from Seidler Equity Partners.
In 2015, Providence Equity Partners acquired majority stake of PADI from Lincolnshire Management.
Membership
In 2019, PADI reported it had a membership of over 137,000 professional members and 6,600 dive centers, and had awarded more than 27,000,000 diving certifications internationally. PADI operates in 186 countries and territories. Membership is heavily weighted toward males, but in 2016, the organization experienced a growth of 1.1% in female certifications. Women accounted for 37.2% of all certifications during 2016. The organization hosts Women's Dive Day events acr…
Training system
PADI courses are performance-based diver training programs, and at the introductory level emphasize practical knowledge, safety and motor skills. The basics of diving physics and physiology are introduced during entry level programs. The details of these concepts are left for later courses when they are necessary for the required competences of the specific training. These practices fall within current modern learning philosophies and receive regular updates vi…
PADI Travel
In 2018, PADI launched PADI Travel, an online dive travel resource and booking platform for dive resort and liveaboard packages.
Criticism
In 2006, PADI was severely criticized by a Coroner's court in the United Kingdom for providing what experts regarded as short and insufficient training. Although PADI training standards differ from those formerly prevalent in the United Kingdom under the BSAC system, PADI training standards are consistent with World Recreational Scuba Training Council standards.
In April 2022, a judge in Montana denied PADI's denial of responsibility and must face a jury to d…
Project AWARE
In 1989, PADI founded Project AWARE to help conserve underwater environments. In 1992, Project AWARE Foundation became a registered nonprofit organization with an environmental mission and purpose. PADI continues to partner with Project AWARE, supporting the organization with in-kind services, donations through its processes and connection to the PADI network of divers, dive professionals and dive centers. Project AWARE information has been integrated in most course…