Close-Out Sale & Pre-Order Opportunity

2009 Summer Sales Promotion
going on now through Wed 5 August

MIX AND MATCH CREWPAKS, GET A FREE LAPTOP BACKPACK

Buy 10 crewpaks (mix and match) and receive a free PADI laptop backpack.








NEW PRODUCTS

Pre-order the new How to Use and Choose Dive Computers booklet for your professional library. The item will ship when it arrives in our warehouse (we expect it in September).

Students may order this item as part of a new Open Water crewpak debuting in early fall.

Member price for the booklet only: $24.70



Order the new Enriched Air Diver Specialty Instructor Guide for use with the new, no-tables version of the Enriched Air course.* Read more about the new Enriched Air program.

Product no. 70244
Member price: $13.75

* Currently only available online.

CLOSE OUT ITEMS
Buy $250 worth of close out items and save an additional 5%

(email subscribers, please click through to the website to view the images below)

New Product for Teaching the Dive Computer Option in Open Water

How to Use and Choose Dive Computers

How to Use and Choose Dive Computers is part of the new, table-less version of PADI's Open Water course. In lieu of the RDP or eRDP, the student will learn computer-assisted diving guidelines. This item is available as part of a new Open Water crewpak available in September 2009.

(click the thumbnail page images for a larger view)

Topics covered include:

• Dive computer basics
• Choosing a dive computer
• Computer use before, during and after a dive
• The need for dive computer functions
• Computer advantages over tables
• Basic computer settings
• What to do if a computer fails

The PADI Open Water manual is still required for computer students; however, computer students will use a modified version of knowledge reviews 4 and 5. The special knowledge reviews are included in the How to Use and Choose... booklet.

New student materials - September 2009
Computer students will purchase a new version of our Open Water crewpak that includes the dive computer booklet. Basically what we did is take a regular OW kit and swap out the dive computer booklet for the RDP table/eRDP. We expect the new computer-based course materials will start shipping September 2009.

Instructors can pre-order the booklet ala carte (limit one per instructor). Give us a call at: 800 729 7234.

The PADI Dive Computer Simulator (not shown) is another tool that's part of our computer-based Open Water course. The simulator allows the student to watch how a generic dive computer behaves as they run it through virtual dives with various depths and bottom times.

The Dive Simulator will...

• Run example dive profiles while providing instruction about specific aspects of computer diving.

• Show divers what to expect from a predive NDL scroll, square and multilevel dives - both single and repetitive - and the effects of surface intervals on repetitive dive times.

• Review what to do during conditions such as failed computers or emergency decompression.

How to Use and Choose Dive Computers includes directions on how to access the Dive Simulator online.

Please read the 3rd Quarter Training Bulletin for more information on this new teaching option for Open Water.

Note: the sample pages included in the above article are not from the final booklet. The actual content in our final, printed version may differ. Email subscribers, please click through to the website to view any missing images.

All About EVE

Free EVE Webinar next Tuesday 4 August
2:00 - 3:00 PM

Next Tuesday (August 4th), PADI is offering a free EVE webinar from 2-3pm (PDT) for PADI IRRA Members and staff.

EVE is both a versatile point of purchase system and a powerful e-marketing tool . By integrating customer purchase information, contact information, and PADI certification date, you can create targeted emails to your customer base.

The webinar will cover:

• How to load EVE onto your computer
• Requesting your student database from PADI
• Navigating customer data (rental profile, purchase history, etc)
• and how to send a targeted email in 5 minutes or less

Here's what I mean by "targeted email"....

Let's say ABC Manufacturer sponsors a $100 rebate on an underwater camera and strobe package. You wouldn't want to email everyone in your database because you'll pester customers who've already purchased a camera from you. EVE allows you to generate a targeted list of customers who are most likely buy a camera. With EVE, you can pull the email addresses of customers who've:

• rented a camera (but never purchased one)
  
• taken an underwater photo course
  
• gone on a dive trip
• and/or are members of your dive club

With EVE, you can send a targeted email in a matter of minutes - and we'll review how to do this during next Tuesday's webinar. You can also generate automatic emails such as Happy Birthday greetings.

There's one other thing I just learned about EVE - you can batch upload PIC online.

Let's say you just finished an Advanced class. In EVE, you simply select the students who've completed AOW and upload to PADI. There's no need to type in each student's information or attach photos one at time. If the customer already has a photo on file, EVE will send it automatically.

Pasted below is the webinar registration info. It's a free program. All attendees will receive an invitation to try EVE risk-free for three months plus a download of their complete PADI student data.

EVE Webinar (PADI IRRA Members and Staff only)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM PDT

Reserve your space by clicking the link below.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/363831824

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

Third-Quarter Undersea Journal Mailing Now

Undersea Journal Cover Art
Available As A Poster

(email subscribers: if you can't view the image above click through to the website)
The third quarter Undersea Journal has started mailing. Look for your copy in the mail soon. This issue includes the third-quarter training bulletin and (IMHO) one of the most interesting covers we've ever had.

(from the creative folks in DSAT who produced this image)

The performers in the poster are both PADI Divers and actors/models. Jonathan Goodwin is the star and creator of One Way Out on the Discovery Channel. The show explores the science of escape. Jonathan performs actual escapes - as opposed to the illusions performed by stage magicians.

The mermaid is Linden Wolbert - a trained free diver who acts/models as a mermaid by breath hold diving. Her “tail” is a custom made outfit she designed herself that employs a true monofin for underwater swimming (most mermaid costumes have the look, but are not really intended for any swimming performance). Linden has been featured in a few music videos - visit mermaidsinmotion.com for more info.

The original artwork is available as a 12" x 18" print for $10.00 USD, which includes a donation to Project AWARE. To order, call us at: 800 729 7234 ext. 2440.

This Car Runs on Compressed Air - Go Scuba Car! Go!

We first reported on the compressed air car in June 2007. Looks like the concept is gaining steam!

....I mean... gaining pressure.

(email subscribers: click through to the website to view the video above)

The manufacturer projects the compressed air car can go 200 miles on one fill-up. To refuel the entire tank takes about three minutes. Now that's a quick fill!

In our previous post, one of the reporters sited a "lack of infrastructure" as a barrier to this vehicle's future. Clearly that reporter was not a diver. I can see this car doing fairly well along the California Coast and in Hawaii and Florida!

Not sure how much dive gear it could haul...

Dive Dive Dive swimsuit

The main purpose of this website is to provide information to PADI Instructors, but every so often we get a random hit from Google. A Google search that sends a lot of people here is "best swimsuit for scuba diving." (I also get a lot of hits from "Divemaster exam answers." D'oh!)

While I can't say if one swimsuit is better than another for diving, I think there are a lot of fun suits out there that can't be found at your average sporting goods store. Here's a new one I came across on swimoutlet:

(email subscribers, click through to the website if you can't see the image above)

I also really like Splish.com for fun, interesting, and durable suits. I personally own the X-Ray one and it's lasted forever - three years including ten dive trips and an IDC.

Here's a link to the original Best Swimsuits for Scuba Diving post.

PADI Enriched Air Course EANx Online

PADI's Most Popular PADI Specialty Course Goes Online

PADI's most popular specialty course - Enriched Air Diver - will be available online Monday, 20 July 2009.

Enriched Air eLearning provides a dive-computer only option: simplifying the teaching process (no tables) and enabling students to get back in the water sooner.

Student cost $195 US.

As with our other eLearning programs, students complete their knowledge development at home whenever it's most convenient. After online training, the student must complete a quick quiz (similar to the Open Water eLearning program) with an instructor. Additionally, the student must complete the Enriched Air practical application. The dives are optional.


Check the PADI Pros site later this month for a .pdf download of the EANx quick quiz, or email me for a copy (megand at padi dot com). Please include your instructor number in the email.

There is a new Enriched Air instructor guide for this program, product no 70244. This item is available now.

PADI Instructors Wanted - Santa Cruz, CA

Aqua Safaris, a PADI Dive Center in Santa Cruz, is now hiring PADI Instructors. To apply, contact Dede at 831-479-4FUN (4386).

New Enriched Air Instructor Guide Now Shipping

PADI EANx Instructor Guide 2009 revision
(for use with PADI's eLearning Enriched Air program)

The new EANx instructor guides are now shipping (product no 70244). This new guide is for use with the computer-based EANx program only.

The computer-only course will be available as an eLearning program later this summer. I have not heard when a paper version of this program will be available. As soon as I know something I'll post an update to this website / webpage.

UPDATE 15 July 2009: The Enriched Air online course is now live.

In addition to the new instructor guide, the instructor will need an EANx quick quiz (similar to Open Water) for the student. Check the PADI Pros site later this month for a .pdf download, or email me for a copy (megand at padi dot com). Please include your instructor number in the email.

For teaching the traditional EANx class with tables, you can still use product 70225.

If you ordered the 2009 Specialty Instructor Manual or 2009 update disc, this guide is not on your CD-ROM. We're just printing the new EANx guides now (July) and the discs were manufactured in March.

New PADI Public Safety Diver Program

Public Safety Diver Specialty Course - COMING SOON

PADI Americas, in conjunction with PADI Members active and experienced in the public safety diving field, are putting the finishing touches on a new Public Safety Diving Specialty program.

The program uses proven field techniques and both meets and addresses important National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines found in NFPA 1006 and 1670.

Pre-requisites for Instructors and Student Divers
The PADI Public Safety Diver program is for PADI Members with a need to train local personnel for rescue, recovery and evidence collection. Only individuals employed in fields such as law enforcement, fire suppression and emergency services are qualified to take or conduct the program. Read the complete list of instructor requirements.

The minimum prerequisite certification for student divers is PADI Rescue Diver. The PADI Search and Recovery Diver course is strongly recommended due to the techniques used extensively in public safety diver training and in the field.

Products
In addition to an Instructor Guide, the program will have CD-ROM Lesson Guides and a series of support forms for PADI Instructors and key checklists for divers in the course and in the field after training.

For more information, read the Surface Interval article announcing Public Safety Diver.

As soon as new products arrive in our warehouse I will post to this website. For now, the Public Safety Diver materials are only available for pre-order - $45 for the complete set.

If you are not already a subscriber to this website, please sign up for updates via email or RSS feed.

Don't Try This At Home

Phoenix Man escapes burning house using SCUBA gear

A Phoenix-area diver used his SCUBA gear to escape his burning home - from the second floor. Now that's a distinctive specialty...

Read the complete story at AZFamily.com.