Advanced Open Water - SSI vs. PADI

[Bibendum]

Thanks for all the (quick) answers. The shop is not talking about experience, but I'll have to check with them. I think that is just their "I don't have to think about it" answer, though it is surprising that they would allow someone with 10 dives, even if they have the AOW.

Ironically it is our SSI diver who is most experienced (20 dives + 2 specialties). The other divers have less experience, and hence are planning to take the AOW class before our trip. The SSI diver understandably didn't want to take the class.

Miskatonic - I haven't seen any info for SSI AOW classes, just the cert level.

I'm glad I understood this correctly.

SSI has an AOW class, you can take the class at any time, however, you will not get your AOW card until you have the required number of specialties and the required 24 dives.

Seems like your most advanced diver could still do the AOW class with no problem, he would get the other 4 needed dives through the course of the class, and he already has 2 specialties. I think you also get two more specialties as part of the SSI AOW class (not sure if those count toward the required 4 though).

More info. on the SSI AOW course is here:
http://www.ssiusa.com/coned.htm

 

[Spratman]

My understanding of the differences between SSI and PADI AOW's is:

SSI requires four specialties which you are awarded at 24 dives. PADI requires five dives, which is basically trial dives of five specialties. You then have to take the five specialties and and 20 dives.

The big difference is SSI will not certify you until you have your required specialty dives, and PADI will certify you with five dives, under the assumption that you will complete your specialties.

If this is incorrect, someone will learn me a thing or two...

Jack

 

[Rick Murchison]

they certainly should... if they don't (with logbook as proof), then i'd be
fairly pissed off at them

But, as you well know, it is the ticket that counts when it comes to liability issues...
The immediate problem of carlosn's group, however, is solved with the PADI AOW course and subsequent rating for those with too few dives for the SSI AOW rating.
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

My understanding of the differences between SSI and PADI AOW's is:

SSI requires four specialties which you are awarded at 24 dives. PADI requires five dives, which is basically trial dives of five specialties. You then have to take the five specialties and and 20 dives.

The big difference is SSI will not certify you until you have your required specialty dives, and PADI will certify you with five dives, under the assumption that you will complete your specialties.

If this is incorrect, someone will learn me a thing or two...

Jack

Whew! Even if I could follow this it'd still seem convoluted...
No, the PADI AOW rating is issued at the successful completion of the PADI AOW course. That is the only requirement for the PADI AOW card. You can end your diving career at that time and still be a PADI AOW diver...
SSI requires the completion of four specialty courses and a total of 24 logged Scuba dives for the SSI AOW card. Specialties are not "awarded at 24 dives." Specialties are acquired by successfully completing a specialty course. If you're a "card collector" you can get a separate card for each specialty, but most choose to just have the specialties listed on the AOW card.
As a practical matter, most SSI shops offer four specialties in an "AOW course." When specialties are combined this way the evaluation dives can be reduced from the normal two per specialty to six for the course by combining skills for all four specialties on some of the dives. But if a diver completes the "AOW course" before logging 24 dives, and wants a card right away, what he/she'll get is a "Specialty Diver" card with the four specialties listed until he/she has logged 24 dives, at which time the AOW card will be issued.
They are just different programs and the cards just simply mean different things.
Rick

 

[Otter]

My understanding of the differences between SSI and PADI AOW's is:

SSI requires four specialties which you are awarded at 24 dives. PADI requires five dives, which is basically trial dives of five specialties. You then have to take the five specialties and and 20 dives.

The big difference is SSI will not certify you until you have your required specialty dives, and PADI will certify you with five dives, under the assumption that you will complete your specialties.

If this is incorrect, someone will learn me a thing or two...

Jack

Not being familiar with the SSI class structure, it appears that the SSI Advanced is more closely parallels PADI Master Scuba Diver certification. PADI Advanced Open Water class is just that, its expands environment that the diver is exposed to under the supervision of an Instructor (e.g., deeper than 60', Night, plus other dives which can introduce some task loading or simply refining skills and/or getting more diving experience). The PADI Master Scuba Diver certification requires the Advanced Open Water Class, Rescue Class, and 5 Specialties.

As for experience. You didn't mention the type of dive (e.g. location, depth) so its hard to comment much more. I can think of instances where an Advanced Open Water certification (from any agency) might be insufficient. I can also think of instances where 200 dives might be insufficient.

edit: And what Rick said when I was typing this up......

 

[Rick Murchison]

Not being familiar with the SSI class structure, it appears that the SSI Advanced is more closely parallels PADI Master Scuba Diver certification. PADI Advanced Open Water class is just that, its expands environment that the diver is exposed to under the supervision of an Instructor (e.g., deeper than 60', Night, plus other dives which can introduce some task loading or simply refining skills and/or getting more diving experience). The PADI Master Scuba Diver certification requires the Advanced Open Water Class, Rescue Class, and 5 Specialties.

The SSI Master Diver card requires the successful completion of at least 5 specialties one of which must be Stress & Rescue, and 50 logged dives, so the PADI Master Diver and SSI Master Diver are actually pretty close, except that SSI requires the 50 logged dives.
Rick

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

But, as you well know, it is the ticket that counts when it comes to liability issues...

Rick

Bingo.......

 

[garyfotodiver]

I'm doing the SSI Advanced OW course this summer. When I am finished, I'll let you all know how it went.

 

[miskatonic]

Here are the requirements for SSI AOW. You need to have taken the course, on the 24th dive you get the certification.

http://www.ssiusa.com/coned.htm

Your friend with 20 dives does not qualify.

You don't need 24 dives to take the course. You just need to have a total of 24 to get the certification.

 

[MEL-DC Diver]

The SSI Master Diver card requires the successful completion of at least 5 specialties one of which must be Stress & Rescue, and 50 logged dives, so the PADI Master Diver and SSI Master Diver are actually pretty close, except that SSI requires the 50 logged dives.
Rick

Actually, PADI requires 50 logged dives for the Master Diver Cert also.

http://www.padi.com/english/common/courses/rec/continue/msd.asp