Best way to prepare for PADI AOW?

[MikeFerrara]

You're being TOO kind!

Deep is cool! I haven't done my AOW yet (but my buddies are begging me to just get it over with already) but I have been deep a lot.

From what I gather from my instructors....we drop to the 60ft platform, play with a lock and do some knots, play a little tic tac toe, and head to the "deep boat" in our local quarry...putz around there for a little while and make an ascent...I'm hoping to have that modified a tad, by having to do an ascent with an SMB, and possibly go a tad deeper since I've been to those places in our quarry...I also don't plan to KNEEL on the platform whilst doing the "look I'm not really narc'd" skills. (I don't touch bottom unless it's absolutely necessary..and there usually isn't a good reason) Now if my instructor wants me to, then I'll comply..but he's got the most WICKED buoyancy I've ever seen!

When I did my AOW deep dive we were instructed to plant ourselves on the bottom but, in any case, if you have an instructor who is going to teach you something in the class, I'd say, do it.

I'm only doing it because I want to Rescue..and PADI requires AOW for it...

No they don't. This is what PADI requires.

Rescue course prerequisites from the PADI standards...

Be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or have an equivalent rating. Equivalency" is defined as proof of certification beyond entry level (at least two certifications total), and proof of 20 or more logged dives documenting experience in deep diving and underwater navigation.

You could go take some neat class someplace and show your log book and get right into that rescue class.

It's tactile or visual reference.

I stand corrected.

 

[Buoyant1]

When I did my AOW deep dive we were instructed to plant ourselves on the bottom but, in any case, if you have an instructor who is going to teach you something in the class, I'd say, do it.

No they don't. This is what PADI requires.

Rescue course prerequisites from the PADI standards...


You could go take some neat class someplace and show your log book and get right into that rescue class.



I stand corrected.

I look at AOW as an extension of my knowledge and experience, but I also feel that some operators have that idea that if you have that card and only that card, you can't do the dives over 60 feet. (I could start another thread on a recent conversation I had with a friend that works for a shop in the Outer Banks regarding diving on the U-352) I know that some of the ops down in the Keys will take a look through your log and take you if they feel you have a good background. But I figure rather than be an *** about it, just do it and get it done. I want to have fun diving, not stress over the op is going to look at my book and say NOPE! (But let some kid with 9 dives..all training...do it)

I definately want to get through the NAV and Peak Buoyancy part (only because every tip I can get helps) but with the deep part of it, I think that since I have had deeper experience, I should see if they'll kick it up a notch because using an SMB is important (and I don't think it's something they readily teach) and I'm tending to agree that after basic you should try not to be planted on the platforms.

Rescue I think should be a madnatory course regardless! Too many things happen, and the more people that can identify a situation, and help the better (and maybe that extra knowledge will help to prevent some)

 

[Hemlon]

I didn't think AOW was much of a challenge.

Want to be ready for it? Read the chapters that you are assigned to read and DIVE!

Dive, dive, dive! (It's the answer on how to prepare for ANY dive class.)

 

[MikeFerrara]

I look at AOW as an extension of my knowledge and experience, but I also feel that some operators have that idea that if you have that card and only that card, you can't do the dives over 60 feet. (I could start another thread on a recent conversation I had with a friend that works for a shop in the Outer Banks regarding diving on the U-352) I know that some of the ops down in the Keys will take a look through your log and take you if they feel you have a good background. But I figure rather than be an *** about it, just do it and get it done. I want to have fun diving, not stress over the op is going to look at my book and say NOPE! (But let some kid with 9 dives..all training...do it)

I'm aware of how some dive ops use the AOW card but there are other course options that would probably get you the same access or greater.

I definately want to get through the NAV and Peak Buoyancy part (only because every tip I can get helps)

Who knows what your instructor has to offer but I don't think much of the PADI PPB. I do't know that I'd expect much help when it comes to navigation either but at least standards require you to hit the mark.

but with the deep part of it, I think that since I have had deeper experience, I should see if they'll kick it up a notch because using an SMB is important (and I don't think it's something they readily teach)

If by "using a SMB" you mean "shooting a bag", I would be surprised if many PADI instructors would add that skill to the class. That isn't just elaborating like adding a different kick or something, it's adding a skill that just isn't on the list. That isn't something that PADI encourages.

There are probably quit a few courses you could look at but one I am familiar with is the IANTD deep diver/advanced nitrox course. Taught correctly, it is skill intensive and you will certainly be shooting bags and much more.

I know that a really good instructor can do things with an AOW course to make it worthwhile but, as written by PADI, it's just such a lame-duck of a class.

Rescue I think should be a madnatory course regardless! Too many things happen, and the more people that can identify a situation, and help the better (and maybe that extra knowledge will help to prevent some)

I think the rescue course is a good introduction but it has many of the same flaws as other PADI courses in that it doesn't really require any degree of mastery of many of the skills that are introduced. What that means is that you could get a pretty lousy rescue class that still meets agency standards.

I don't really have an alternative to recommend. Walter seems fond of the YMCA SLAM. I don't know much about it but, if I were in your place, I'd look into it. I'll bet it wouldn't cost anything to get Walter to tell you about it.

 

[nagel]

I think your inital question was how to prepare for the deep dive? I'm assuming you dive often and have dove since the 80's. (little confusing on what you initially posted) If you haven't dove since the 80's, take a refresher course and get some dives under your belt before going into AOW.

If you do dive often, relax. Don't work yourself up about the deep dive. The AOW course (for me) wasn't a huge thing - really just 5 more dives with an instructor. I was a little nervous too about the deep dive, but once I got in it wasn't that big of a deal. I simply put my trust in my skills and the fact that there were 3 dive instructors along with our group of 5 students. The instructors watched us like a hawk. In the end, I think they were more nervous than us. In fact, the deep dive was the most relaxing dive for me of the course. Of all the dives, it was the most structured and planned dive. The instructors carried extra pony bottles and at all times there was a instructor hovering above you to catch anybody that wanted to bolt to the surface; which, did not happen, but they were prepared for this.

Again, relax and enjoy the dive.

S. Nagel

 

[Buoyant1]

I'm aware of how some dive ops use the AOW card but there are other course options that would probably get you the same access or greater.

Who knows what your instructor has to offer but I don't think much of the PADI PPB. I do't know that I'd expect much help when it comes to navigation either but at least standards require you to hit the mark.

If by "using a SMB" you mean "shooting a bag", I would be surprised if many PADI instructors would add that skill to the class. That isn't just elaborating like adding a different kick or something, it's adding a skill that just isn't on the list. That isn't something that PADI encourages.

There are probably quit a few courses you could look at but one I am familiar with is the IANTD deep diver/advanced nitrox course. Taught correctly, it is skill intensive and you will certainly be shooting bags and much more.

I know that a really good instructor can do things with an AOW course to make it worthwhile but, as written by PADI, it's just such a lame-duck of a class.

I think the rescue course is a good introduction but it has many of the same flaws as other PADI courses in that it doesn't really require any degree of mastery of many of the skills that are introduced. What that means is that you could get a pretty lousy rescue class that still meets agency standards.

I don't really have an alternative to recommend. Walter seems fond of the YMCA SLAM. I don't know much about it but, if I were in your place, I'd look into it. I'll bet it wouldn't cost anything to get Walter to tell you about it.

I think a lot of it will be determined by how many other people are in the course. I'm not demeaning it (the course), or saying that I'm an expert deep diver, (far from it) but I'm at a point where deeper dives aren't an unknown frontier, and if I'm going to take the course, maybe I can get a little more than the normal items. Yes, using an SMB is shooting a bag, I know that it's something that may come in handy in a deeper situation (mostly ocean diving) and I'm sure that the "tour" during my deep dive will probably bring me up the hill to the shallower depths... I'd like to try ascending with a bag. (if not during the course at some point)

I'm aware of the IANTD courses, but I'd like to get through a few more things before jumping into any of the severe tech things. The LDS has a great TECH instructor, and I'm sure that I'll want to go to the next level after my current string of courses.

My LDS has all great instructors and I like diving with them because they offer good suggestions outside of classes, and when you dive with them, you see what it's like to be in that "zone"! And by asking questions, I get closer to being there with them! Like the one guy that I dove with last week, he tries to get into a ZEN state when he's diving, and it all falls into place.

 

[Dannybot]

I didn't think AOW was much of a challenge.

Want to be ready for it? Read the chapters that you are assigned to read and DIVE!

Dive, dive, dive! (It's the answer on how to prepare for ANY dive class.)

I agree, I took AOW with my wife and kids after OW, no other dives, since we live where there really isn't any diving. We did this in preparation for a SCUBA trip with the whole fam damily. Just read and be ready to learn, the class is mostly an extension of OW, we got more comfortable, and it was a good experience, and answered a lot of questions that weren't covered in OW adn some I came up with later.

 

[Buoyant1]

I agree, I took AOW with my wife and kids after OW, no other dives, since we live where there really isn't any diving. We did this in preparation for a SCUBA trip with the whole fam damily. Just read and be ready to learn, the class is mostly an extension of OW, we got more comfortable, and it was a good experience, and answered a lot of questions that weren't covered in OW adn some I came up with later.

I wouldn't look at it as if it were a challenge, just more knowledge. With the way it's "marketed" anymore you'd think they'd just make it OW part 2 and make it madnatory.

 

[RoyN]

Learn the hand signals, listen to instructions on top, and dive more.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'm surprised a little that you do the skills on a platform at 60 ft. I know it meets standards but we do ours at 90. And it makes thing a little different as most of the time it's very dark and if us DM's don't go down first and dust the platform off then when the students hit it's usually zero vis. Of course that's also because the majority of them have no concept of a horizontal descent which can virtually eliminate the silting issue. But again it's really not their fault since they are taught to do vertical ones and land on their knees most times. Had I done that in Fla I'd have come right down on top of a stonefish that I only saw because my descent was horizontal. IMO standards need to be changed to encourage or even require more horizontal attitudes on descent, during the dive, and on ascent. You can get vertical on your last stop to look for boats or do the five point thingie.