Advanced Open Water?

[Bradyjr]

I just got my open water about a month ago... and i have logged about 30 dives.
I am wondering how long did you wait to do your advance open water course.
I want to take the class to learn a few more aspects of diving(deep,wreck,ect...)
and to become more comfortable in the water. I just wondering if im going to fast.Any input would be great.
Thanks...

 

[nolatom]

I did it at about 25 dives of varying conditions, night, etc.

So I'd say go ahead now. You'll need it for Rescue later on (say about 50 dives?), at least in PADI.

Best wishes.

 

[boulderjohn]

Do it whenever you want to. A lot of people do it immediately after OW certification. Don't let the word "Advanced" fool you. It is more advanced then the basic OW course, but that's it.

 

[luscioman]

I agree with after 25 OW dives would be a good time to do AOW.

 

[mikeycanuk]

We waited until 50 dives, mainly due because it made sense to me (at the time)and our son needed to turn 12 first. On the boat a lot of the other group were doing dive #5-8. I have to give them credit. It was a crowded boat, a few had gotten up around 5am and driven 3hrs and due to a fubar from the charter we started dive #1 around 4:30pm. It was overcast, the river was murky and 75f so 7mm suit and hoods. The vis was crap and current was the order of the day. Also we ate breakfast around 10:30am with a granola bar in between. Didn't get off the boat until 7ish. Second day was better.

My wife however had ear issues and decided local diving blows so that was that. She did hers later in Cayman Brac. Nothing beats wreck on a sunken Cuban missile frigate. She however did a lot more work. We however got to listen in on the lessons. Two different experiences.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Lorenzoid]

Sounds like right now is the perfect time for you to do it--after you have a few dives under your belt but before you get TOO comfortable. I think the best time to do AOW is while you're still a bit apprehensive about many aspects of diving. It's a good confidence builder. Have you done a night dive yet? I felt AOW was a good way to do a first night dive, which I had been apprehensive about doing without some guidance. Ditto for diving to over 60 feet or so. And now that you're getting a little comfortable being in the water, your mind will be able to focus on learning things that were touched on in OW but perhaps glossed over, like compass navigation. If you wait TOO long and get many more dives under your belt, AOW may start to seem lame to you.

 

[TMHeimer]

I did it after 2 post cert. dives because it was the only way to get out on a boat in winter on the FL panhandle. My thought is to do it anytime as long as your buoyancy is pretty good and you are reasonably smooth with the aspects of diving--ei. you don't hit the inflator button by mistake instead of the deflator button or try to add air to your snorkel.

 

[Keith.M]

25 seems to be pretty reasonable. Hopefully you have been working on your bouyancy durning the last 21 dives and have a decent handle on it.

I had waited 54 dives and ended up getting alot out of it because bouyancy was not something I had to focus on.

Unfortuantely, two in our class were very new and took up most of the instructors time because of their lack of bouyancy skills. The was a very good DM with him though that did his part with me.

You may want to try and get into a class with divers that have approximately the same number of dives you have.

I will never forget the image of decending and coming to a stop and hovering at about 45 fsw and looking back to see this one diver descending. I am thinking, "add air to your BC!" Nope, instead he just kept coming and crashed into the bottom. It was really pretty funny to see. Don't be that guy.

 

[Mudd]

Do it whenever you want to. A lot of people do it immediately after OW certification. Don't let the word "Advanced" fool you. It is more advanced then the basic OW course, but that's it.

I agree completely with this. My final AOW dive was my 67th dive. Many of the skills that you develop in these classes will immediately benefit your diving, but you will still have many more skills to develop.

 

[cocoajoe]

Doesn't matter because that card is meaningless as far as proof that you are indeed a 'advanced diver'. It can however, mean the difference in diving some spots here in Fla. though