A silly question about AOW

[Them]

I'm making plans to take an AOW course in October. I figure by that point I should have enough total-noob diving under my fins to appreciate the course, without letting anything get too entrenched.

So here's my silly question... how do these combined courses handle diversity of student desires for electives? They talk about how you have a meeting with the instructor and students to work out what the dives are going to be... what if one person is absolutely set on something nobody else wants to do?

Specifically...I was talking to one of the instructors at a local shop. He warned that the deep dive would be cold (50s). I asked about dry suits as one of the electives. He hesitated a bit at that point...first noting that they didn't rent dry suits but could order one, and when I didn't blink he fell back to a "maybe" and gently suggesting something else.

I'm not sure what his concern was, but I suspect it was that I would be the only person there with a drysuit. On that assumption... how is that handled? Or am I on the wrong track here?

As always, thanks!

 

[Insta-Gator]

As I understand it, certifying agencies have certain required specialties. As I remember, SSI required (or at least our instructor) Nitrox and Navigation. The other list of specialties can be found at SSI :: SSI Scuba Schools International :: take your dive @ diveSSI.com

We had five divers in our AOW class. Three were father, mother, and junior diver. The other diver and I had wanted Deep Dive, but since junior is not allowed to do Deep Dive the instructor offered to let the two of us participate in Perfect Buoyancy for free and we'd do Deep later. Since Perfect Buoyancy did not require a test of any kind and the practical work could be done in the pool, it was a no brainer.

As you can see, Dry Suit specialty is available with SSI but if you're the only one, special arrangements will be needed.

 

[boulderjohn]

You asked a good question. If you think you are gong to be diving in water like that in the future, then I think dry suit would be something you would want to consider. So why might an instructor be hesitant about it?

1. He may have genuine concern that you will need more practice with one before the dive in order to be safe. He might not want you struggling with something you are not familiar with on your first deep dive.

2. He himself might not be an experienced dry suit diver, and the shop might not have a good dry suit instructor on staff.

You can do a dive in the 50's in a 7 mm suit. I have done a lot of instructing of students in 7mm suits and a hood in just over 60° water, and it isn't bad at all. I will be doing that this weekend. They will all be in 7 mm suits. I will be in my dry suit. I will be warmer, but they will be warm enough.

---------- Post Merged at 04:20 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 04:17 PM ----------

Replying to the bigger question, it all depends upon the shop. When I do AOW, we have the two required dives (navigation and deep), and after that it is 100% student choice. Now, we usually talk about it, and there is usually a good deal of consensus. It is very possible to have different students doing different choices on the same dive. Thus, we usually get done in the same total of dives, even with people taking different choices. Sometimes I have to do an additional dive or two.

Other shops will not be so accommodating.

 

[fire_diver]

The adventure dives will have to be the same for everyone, so each person may not get everything they want to take in thier class. If you think you will be diving in cold waters regularly (which most lakes and reseviors have some very cold temps at depth) then having a drysuit and taking the DS class by itself may be a good option for you.

 

[boulderjohn]

The adventure dives will have to be the same for everyone, ...

As I said above, that is only if that is the way the shop/instructor demands it. That isn't how it is with me or the other instructors in the two shops with which I have worked.

---------- Post Merged at 04:44 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 04:31 PM ----------

Let's pretend we are doing a two tank dive in Cozumel, and we have 5 divers doing AOW. Before the dives, the instructor goes over everything on the boat to make aure they are clear on what they are gong to do.

Here are the dives the divers are dong on dive #1:

1--Boat
2--Drift
3--multilevel and computer
4--Underwater naturalist
5--Digital Photography

After the dive, they debrief and prepare for the second dive, on which the 5 divers will be doing the following dives:

1--Underwater videography
2--Peak Performance Buoyancy
3--Fish Identification
4--Enriched Air
5--National Geographic

That sounds extreme, but I could do it as an instructor. There are other dives, including altitude and dry suit, that could be done along with other dives. I can't understand the requirement that all students do the same dives.

 

[fisheater]

Look around. You may find an instructor who will offer you YOUR AOW course, without need to take it with other students.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Them]

My diving aspirations mainly involve colder water so dry suits are something I'd like to learn. Doesn't mean it needs to be part of AOW of course.

I'm not committed to anything at this point, more exploring options.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

When I did my AOW, the shop (now defunct) put together an AOW program that included 5 specialties for one fixed price. Other shops offered an a-la-carte approach - sign up for each specialty at its own price, and when you had the right number you received your AOW cert. That was through SSI. I understand folks can jump from PADI to SSI or vice-versa, so find what works best for you.

BTW - Nitrox was NOT included - it was a separate course, with no required dives.

 

[Them]

Nitrox was NOT included - it was a separate course, with no required dives...

That was offered as an option but a non-dive dive seems to miss the point.

 

[mheaster]

As an Independent Instructor, I will second the notion that you are ONLY limited in what Adventure Dives/Training Dives that you negotiate with the Instructor you HIRE to Instruct you in that Certification. Some Shops/Instructors have a somewhat Standard set of Courses that they normally like to steer their potential AOW Students towards based on a combination of local dive opportunities, Instructor certifications, and gear requirements. Like all training you commission, you VOTE with your Dollars!