AOW vs OW

[Blackwood]

Jason -

As was mentioned, there are ops that require AOW certification for certain dives (many of the outfits that go to Farnsworth Bank off Catalina Island, for example).

Additionally, it may be required for further training. However, at the instructor's discretion, some agencies will accept experience in lieu of an actual certification (I've had AOW waved by both IANTD and NAUI).

 

[stevewirl]

sound like your havin fun . if i were you id go and do the rescue course its the most benifitial course that a diver can do . the aow is just another step on the way .

as an instructor i rearly show that card . i would show the highest card required for that dive . otherwise i usually end up divin with trainees etc .

 

[alchemist117]

Good stepping stone, also in my experience, when diving abroad, dive operators who've we're never dived with before want not only to see our dive logs, but also the highest certification we have, so they know which dives we're qualified for.

 

[jasondcrawford]

if i were you id go and do the rescue course its the most benifitial course that a diver can do

That's actually a really good idea -- I don't mind paying for useful certifications, and I think this would probably teach me a lot. It would also alleviate any future problems with having to show my highest card. Seems like a win/win.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Hasn't this been discussed like 100000000000000000000000000000000000+ times on Scubaboard already????????

 

[vondo]

That's actually a really good idea -- I don't mind paying for useful certifications, and I think this would probably teach me a lot. It would also alleviate any future problems with having to show my highest card. Seems like a win/win.

And as I recall SSI will let you do rescue without AOW. (Their AOW is different than PADI's).

 

[dkatchalov]

Do a search for god's sake before asking this question.

 

[b1gcountry]

All the things that you can learn in a classroom can also be learned independently. It sounds like you have gone the more independent route. The only benefit you get from a class over independent learning is validation from someone else.

If there is an area you feel you need help with, maybe look into a specialty for that. If you have a decent amount of questions in general, AOW might be a good way for some face to face with an instructor to sort things out, but if you get into an AOW class with a bunch of less experienced divers, you will probably need to push the instructor fairly hard to gain much from the class.

Tom

 

[Buoyant1]

Hasn't this been discussed like 100000000000000000000000000000000000+ times on Scubaboard already????????

Now 1000000000000000000000000000000000001.....

anyway...take the course, get the card..unfortunately a lot of dive ops require it..I was in the same boat. I've been there and done that, but in reality only certain places would let me do the dives I wanted. (I took it when I had 50+ dives)

I read the books, I learned a few tricks..but AOW doesn't make you the advanced diver, YOU make yourself the advanced diver (but at least you have the card!)

 

[Garrobo]

My LDS actually suggested that I NOT get the AOW card saying that it is a waste of money. They told me that I could dive just about anywhere in the world without it to the maximum allowable depths. Also said that I should just avoid the dive operators who demand it and concentrate on the ones who don't. I went ahead and got it last month anyway so as not to run into any problems.