confused about advanced open water (PADI)

[sjmueller61990]

ok so I signed up to advanced open water thinking it was a useful certification. I knew the 3 other specialties were just kind of a look into what you can do and not a certification in them. But since were REQUIRED to take deep diving and navigation are we atleast certified in those? I guess im confused about what advanced open water is. What exactly are people getting from this class?

 

[Walter]

are we atleast certified in those?

No.

What exactly are people getting from this class?

You get to make 5 dives.

Some operators require AOW or better before allowing you to dive deeper than X ft (a depth that varies from one operator to another a few set it at 60, others at 80, others to let you reach 100 ft). AOW doesn't actually qualify you to dive deeper than 60 ft, although many think it does.

That's about it.

 

[muddiver]

It is a mix of skills that you get to choose. Deep, Navigation are required, and then you can tailer the class to your liking from the adventure dives listed, like underwater digital photography or peak performance buoyancy.

What it gets you is enough training to go on dives with boat operators that consider the dive for advanced divers. And it will get you some more dives under the watch of a scuba instructor. That's about it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There are more comprehensive AOW classes that give you more skills and knowledge. Just have to look a little harder for them.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I think of PADI OW as "Beginner" and thus PADI AOW as "Advanced beginner." It's a sampler plate. If you are staying with PADI, then to be certified in any of the specialties that you touch on in AOW (with one dive), you take more dives and a full class in it.

For example, let's say you choose to do one wreck dive in AOW. Then (in PADI), if you want actual wreck certification, you need to take the Wreck specialty class (toward which your one wreck dive from AOW can/may count).

Likewise, even though one deep dive is required in AOW, the full specialty would still require the full specialty class (toward which your deep dive from AOW can/may count).

I hope that helps to clarify it.

 

[sjmueller61990]

sounds about what I was told, i thank everyone for the information. Im definitely still looking forward to my AOW im hoping it will open "pandoras box" to something new an exciting. im taking wreck diving, photography, and peak performance bouyancy. so looking forward to the skills im giong to learn and always wanted to do underwater photography so should still be awesome.

 

[sjmueller61990]

also does anyone know where I can find the price of these courses? are they different for each LDS, or does is strictly depend on what class your taking?

 

[fisheater]

also does anyone know where I can find the price of these courses? are they different for each LDS, or does is strictly depend on what class your taking?

The cost varies by instructor or dive shop.

But so does the value.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Walter]

Prices are not set by agencies. They are set by instructors and/or shops. They will vary considerably as will the quality of the class.

 

[sjmueller61990]

ok thats what I figured, Guess ill have to sit down and figure out costs for everything I would be interested in doing after this weekend, thanks for the help everyone.