PADI cert info please!

Question

I want to do a PADI certificate, but have been googling info, and it seems there are tons of different PADIs!

Can anybody tell me, what is the basic PADI, is it called something specific? Any idea of how much it costs? And how many days it takes?

I would really appreciate this info, thanks!

Answer 1

It depends where you are from to what info i can give you. But My step dad dives a lot and he has a PADI certificate, as far as i know it's roughly a 2 week course. This enabled him to dive anywhere in the world. the cost is a couple hundred british pounds, so basically double it if you are in the USA. hope this gives you an idea.

Answer 2

The basic PADI cert is:

Basic Open Water

From there you can go on to Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Master Scuba Diver, Dive Master, Open Water Instructor, Master Scuba Diver Trainer.  

There's also a bunch of other "Specialties" that are building blocks into the Master Scuba Diver level.  

The cost is going to vary from area to area.  Usually $150 to $300.  Class length is anywhere from a month or more of one night a week, down too a couple of weekends.  Your instructor sets the schedule.  

Oh, there is also a level below the Basic Open Water, which is the Discover Scuba class.  That gives you a taste of diving, without the time commitment of a full class.  

Answer 3

Heretic almost has it.

The PADI Open Water Course is a certification that allows you to dive with a buddy in conditions similar to (or better than) those in which you were taught.

Below that is PADI Scuba Diver, which certifies you to dive only with a dive pro to a maximum depth of 12metres (40ft).

The Discover Scuba Diving course is a one day experience and does not result in certification.

The prices vary around the world and in some places you would be required to own some of your own equipment (mask, snorkel, fins and sometimes wetsuit).

You sound like you want the Open Water Course. You can do the classroom portion at your leisure by completing the study online. This means that you can then complete the water work when you go on holiday.

Try www.padi.com and click on the eLearning link for more info.

Answer 4

The basic qualification is PADI Open Water which you can get once you are eleven and if you are over fifteen it will qualify you dive to a depth of eighteen metres if you are under fifteen you will only be allowed to dive to a depth of twelve metres. It is a four day course, two days in a classroom two days at a proper dive site. The first two days you would be in the classroom in the morning learning from the manual and videos and in the afternoon you will practice the skills that you have been learning about in either a pool or  just off the shore. The first two days you wouldn't go deeper than three metres. You have to take a test to show the basic understanding on the second day. On the third and fourth day you have to do certain skills in the ocean. I don't know the cost but scuba diving is not a cheap hobby in the long term! If you enjoy it you can go on to do an advanced course and then a lifesaving course both of which are shorter than the open water course. The open water course is enough to get a good diving experience at most dive sites.Make sure that you take the course with a PADI certified instructor. good luck..i hope you enjoy diving.i love it and as you get more experience it becomes even more exciting..