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Paul,
I don't really know if PADI has relaxed its requirements over the years, but the information you were taught in your PADI OW class is FAR more than I received in mine. Whether that is due to course structure or the quality of the instructor, I am not sure. I have seen an awful lot of dive shops offer an accelerated PADI OW course where you get your certification in just one weekend (I personally do not agree with such fast-track training for one's first certification). I don't want to start bashing PADI but it seems to me that they are more interested in turning a good profit than turning out good divers.
I have had the exact same reaction as Mad Scientist. That is, until I got into the details and rigors of training for technical diving, I never knew just how ill prepared I was through my PADI OW and AOW classes.
Peter
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