Advanced Open Water?

[hroark2112]

I got my OW in 1985 and AOW in 2013.

About right...

 

[jezellw]

I had over 100 dives on drifts, reefs and wrecks in the Upper Keys and Cozumel before it became necessary for me to do the AOW thing. I decided to dive the Oriskany and the dive shop demanded a AOW cert to make the dive. I ran across it one other time on Key Largo when one of the shops wanted the cert to dive the Speigle Grove. Before this no one asked for it to make any of the dives down there. I had at least 40 dives on various ships and deep reefs before this with no problems. I guess that most of them down there want the cert now. It's a money maker for them, of course.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I had over 100 dives on drifts, reefs and wrecks in the Upper Keys and Cozumel before it became necessary for me to do the AOW thing. I decided to dive the Oriskany and the dive shop demanded a AOW cert to make the dive. I ran across it one other time on Key Largo when one of the shops wanted the cert to dive the Speigle Grove. Before this no one asked for it to make any of the dives down there. I had at least 40 dives on various ships and deep reefs before this with no problems. I guess that most of them down there want the cert now. It's a money maker for them, of course.

Actually not for the operators. It's a money saver. When some nitwit kills themself diving the Oriskany on an al80 the op can say they had the "necessary training and cert to do the dive". That way they don't pay thru the nose.
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[fjpatrum]

Rescue Diver Primary and Secondary Care Courses - PADI Scuba Diving Training Organization

technically I guess you are right. You need to be an "Adventure diver"...which I guess means you have competed a few less specialties than AOW. But the difference is so minor I wouldn't try to correct anyone who said AOW was a pre-req.

I bother to correct people because words have meaning.

There is no "technically right" about it. AOW is not a prerequisite. People who keep saying this are giving other divers bad information and I think Rescue is important enough for people to have the correct information about it.

An "Adventure Diver" isn't a cert; it just means you have 10 logged dives or something like that. At 30(ish) dives, the OP clearly meets the requirement to take a rescue course, from any agency that offers one, I believe.

 

[TMHeimer]

I bother to correct people because words have meaning.

There is no "technically right" about it. AOW is not a prerequisite. People who keep saying this are giving other divers bad information and I think Rescue is important enough for people to have the correct information about it.

An "Adventure Diver" isn't a cert; it just means you have 10 logged dives or something like that. At 30(ish) dives, the OP clearly meets the requirement to take a rescue course, from any agency that offers one, I believe.

Think you may be incorrect. While Adventure Diver doesn't "qualify" you to do anything (like go to 100'), it is described as the PADI Adventure diver course. When I was doing AOW my instructor said if I had no time to do the last 2 dives I could be an Adventure Diver and get that card instead. That would seem to be a certification. Could be wrong.

 

[jezellw]

We made both Oriskany dives with AL100's (their$). We went to 130 feet only. I was on the boat with 1200psi or better left after both dives. In my opinion unless you are an air hog you don't need a 100 for a 130 foot dive. An 80 would do for me. If we'd gone to the deck, like we wanted to do, but the operator refused to do, we might have needed the 100's.

 

[Rambo2]

I am missing something here. I got my OWC a few weeks ago and can't wait to go back to the DR and do AOW. More dives. Yippie! Yes, my buoyancy skills are those of a beginner. Maybe I could take a course that just specialized in buoyancy control and work on improving those skills? And then maybe I could take a class in navigation. My perception of AOW is as a continuation of my education as a diver. When or how could taking a class in buoyancy or navigation ever be a bad idea? How can I not be ready to be better? I would much rather build a solid foundation and learn good habits now than have someone try to break me of my bad habits later.

 

[TMHeimer]

Rambo2, Beginners' skills vary. How good or bad is your buoyancy? If it's fairly good, I would agree with you and doing AOW now is reasonable. If your beginner's buoyancy is bad, that relates to your OW course-- ei., was buoyancy not addressed?, were you not at least somewhat close to properly weighted?, or are you just feeling your way around the use of the LPI? IDEALLY, your buoyancy should be pretty decent after the OW course. This is a hot topic on SB. PADI will soon be changing some course stuff regarding buoyancy. If your buoyancy is lousy just do a few dives, weight check, etc. If you've been taught properly and paid attention you're not supposed to be into or getting into bad habits that an AOW course would have to fix.

 

[supergaijin]

As an instructor, just because someone demonstrates proficient buoyancy skills during the OW course, I am under no illusion that they will keep the same level even after a few weeks of inactivity. A 'typical' (insert recreational agency) OW course is run over approximately 4 days and include sessions for skills and then 4 Open Water dives where those skills are replicated in 'typical' conditions. How many hours are actually spent underwater? 5? 6? Maybe 10 hours at best?

Diving control comes through repetition but also timely repetition. If an AOW course gets you in the water sooner rather than later, then that in itself is a good thing. Most beginner divers benefit from an extended buoyancy class, however this can depend on the instructor who should evaluate and modify the course to suit... and not all instructors do that. Some operators choose a 'teach by numbers' approach to diving instruction, offering a cheap rate, attracting the greatest amount of students and lowering the bar for competency.

I believe I teach pretty well and focus on trim/buoyancy a fair bit. Recently I dived with someone I taught a couple of months back and saw a definite regression in balance and fluidity of buoyancy control. Training can only provide so much- timely practice of learned skills is incredibly important.

 

[Foxfish]

To the OP, I think the question to ask is Why? Why do I need to do the AOW.

For me, I became much more aware of the need to monitor no decompression limits as I started going deeper. It gave me an understanding of how Nitrox could be used to increase NDL's. It showed the equipment needed for night diving. It demonstrated the techniques of navigating underwater. It started building the skills and confidence needed to tackle new diving frontiers.

Also, some of the dive operators will require advance certification before they will let you do certain dives.

It makes sense to me to get a few dives under your belt before being introduced to a whole lot of new skills. You've already done that.

You can easily forget a lot of what you've learned after a few months if you are not using it regularly. Respect the different guidelines and limits. They are there for a reason. In some cases they are the result of divers being seriously injured or dying. When it comes to safety, divers can go to either extreme. Either they become paranoid about the risks or they become careless. In my experience, you make enough mistakes along the way and have enough near misses without intentionally breaking the rules.

Do the training needed to learn how to minimize the risks with more advanced diving. Learn it and relearn it and try to understand the reason for the various limits and guidelines. You tend not to get enough time on courses to really think through what its all about just because of the time and cost constraints.

All the best.