The PADI organization recommends that when you are introducing nondivers to scuba diving, you use the program designed for this purpose, the PADI Discover Scuba® Diving program, with its standards and related materials. The program is flexible and can be used both with experiences resulting in an open water dive, and those offered only in confined water, without an open water dive. Now, more than ever, using the Discover Scuba Diving program is beneficial to both participants and PADI Members alike, based on the release of the new Discover Scuba Diving Participant Guide and related ties to the Open Water Diver Online Preview, ScubaEarth™, Discover Scuba Diving eCards, etc., as you’ve read in the Training Bulletin and The Undersea Journal.
Discover Scuba Diving
However, the PADI organization understands that some PADI Members offer their own pool-only scuba experiences to nondivers, commonly referred to as “try dives,” that are not intended to be the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program. The PADI Retail and Resort Association Standards address this. Effective immediately, these standards have changed to reflect who may conduct these programs (PADI and non-PADI Divemasters, Assistant Instructors and Instructors), and that such programs must be conducted in pools, in water shallow enough in which to stand. The standards also require that if you offer such programs, you must clearly separate them from PADI, and PADI Discover Scuba Diving.
Change to Retail/Resort standards:
7. Ensure PADI and non-PADI certification courses are conducted by a certified dive instructor in current teaching status. PADI Instructors, Assistant Instructors and Divemasters, as well as non-PADI dive professionals (current instructors, assistant instructors or dive masters from other training organizations) may conduct pool-only try dive experiences in swimming pools in water shallow enough in which to stand. As these are not PADI Discover Scuba Diving programs, PADI Discover Scuba Diving standards and materials are not to be used and the experiences are not to be advertised as “PADI” experiences or identified as “Discover Scuba Diving” or “DSD”.
Change to Retail/Resort Five Star standards:
3. Exclusively issue and advertise only PADI certifications for recreational diver courses and introductory programs. Exceptions may include specialty certifications issued for training activities outside the PADI System of diver education, such as technical diving (PADI Tec Rec Courses are within the PADI system). Members must receive prior written approval from their PADI Office to offer these courses or programs.
Only the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program or a PADI Member’s self-authored pool demonstrations, also known as ‘try dive’ experiences, in swimming pools in depths shallow enough in which to stand, may be conducted at a PADI 5 Star facility. As these are not PADI Discover Scuba Diving programs, PADI Discover Scuba Diving standards and materials are not to be used and the experiences are not to be advertised as “PADI” experiences or identified as “Discover Scuba Diving” or “DSD”.
As most professional liability insurance policies require the use of a liability release and medical statement as a condition of coverage, the Try Diving Pool Event release (see PADI Pros’ Site, Forms and Applications, Statement of Risks – Liability Releases) may be used for that purpose. While this document is sufficient for PADI-endorsed professional liability policies (of course, all other policy terms and conditions will apply), if you carry professional liability insurance from other sources, it’s important to confirm with your insurance underwriter that this document will meet the underwriter’s requirements. Additionally, you may choose to use your store logo when creating administrative documents or promoting “try dive” programs, but not PADI trademarks or logos, as these are not PADI programs and should not be presented as such.
