Cannot find a reason for AOW certification

[JamesBon92007]

This history of NAUI, co-written by NAUI co-founder and Instructor #1 Al Tillman, describes the creation of the NAUI advanced program in the mid-60s. It tells how it was patterned after the Los Angeles program, which Tillman had led prior to forming NAUI, and was primarily designed to introduce divers to different kinds of diving in the hope something would pique their interest and keep them diving.

In that case I'm surprised nobody ever tried to sell me on it. They did suggest taking the instructor course. I wonder what the course covered since the basic course was so thorough. More of the same, only more in depth? Pun intended.

 

[arew+4]

What I find more onerous than requiring AOW, is that I'm seeing dive ops requiring nitrox cert for dives that can be safely done on air. Granted it's mostly on three tank trips, but everything creeps

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Perhaps there is a direct correlation with scuba training getting modularized down so that you can get an OW cert in 3 days (or even less some places)? This is just a guess, but perhaps that modularization of OW training was accompanied by a similar modularization of instructor training that made it "easier" to become an instructor as well. So, a lot of the people who might formerly have simply been good (or bad, I suppose) mentors became certified instructors and thus, the community/culture shifted from "come dive with me and I'll show you" to "come take a class from me and I'll show you"?

Somewhere along in there is probably also a factor related to civil liability. 40 years ago, a person who might consider mentoring someone did not have nearly the mountain that they do today, of legal precedent related to scuba diving, to suggest to them that mentoring someone could possibly result in them losing their home.

I went the other direction. After teaching for 12 years I retired and became a mentor. I'm currently mentoring a young man who became certified just a few weeks ago. We've so far done a half-dozen dives together. I am not trying to be a substitute for a class ... quite the opposite, in fact, I'll happily refer him to an instructor if his progress indicates that a class would be a good idea at a given point in time. I just take him diving, talk to him about what I see him doing and how he can improve his skill set, and primarily try to set a good example ... most divers, especially new ones, can learn a great deal by simply watching what experienced divers are doing.

I enjoy diving with newbies ... they have a way of keeping me from taking anything about this activity for granted ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think he was just being facetious. PADI doesn't have any say as far as I know in managing a charter that isn't owned by them. I doubt that PADI would even have any interest in the liability exposure in any kind of a charter service that wasn't directly under their supervision.

Agency depth limits are only recommendations, except for class dives. Dive charters are free to impose whatever limits they see fit ... and some do use the agency limitations as a matter of policy, but many do not.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What I find more onerous than requiring AOW, is that I'm seeing dive ops requiring nitrox cert for dives that can be safely done on air. Granted it's mostly on three tank trips, but everything creeps

If you're diving with a group it's because having one person on air while the rest of the group (or even a substantial part of it) is on nitrox limits the bottom time for the nitrox users ... and that negates the whole point of nitrox.

It's kind've like going out with a social group to a restaurant that serves dishes with a lot of garlic in them ... either everybody eats the garlic, or nobody should ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[arew+4]

I get what your saying, but if my buddy and I want to cut and run at 50 min for what ever reason, NDL, Low Gas, getting a little cold or bored, I'm not going to begrudge you your 10 or 20 minutes extra, it's just a longer SI for me and mine.

That's all I'm saying

 

[stuartv]

I went the other direction. After teaching for 12 years I retired and became a mentor. I'm currently mentoring a young man who became certified just a few weeks ago. We've so far done a half-dozen dives together. I am not trying to be a substitute for a class ... quite the opposite, in fact, I'll happily refer him to an instructor if his progress indicates that a class would be a good idea at a given point in time. I just take him diving, talk to him about what I see him doing and how he can improve his skill set, and primarily try to set a good example ... most divers, especially new ones, can learn a great deal by simply watching what experienced divers are doing.

I enjoy diving with newbies ... they have a way of keeping me from taking anything about this activity for granted ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Do you still carry professional liability insurance?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Do you still carry professional liability insurance?

No ... nor am I acting in any professional capacity. Like I said, I'm just doing what mentors have done since the beginning of diving.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Bob DBF]

... most divers, especially new ones, can learn a great deal by simply watching what experienced divers are doing.

One time I didn't know I was a mentor until I kept getting questioned on why I rigged my gear a certain way, or did something he hadn't seen before while diving. I got over the "this is weird" part when he told me he was just trying to improve his diving when diving with other divers. We did a lot of diving together until he moved, and we both learned a lot. The kicker is that I never would have expected that from a new DM.


Bob

 

[GlennL]

I get somewhat amused while I lurk around and read. So many people say they already have experience and whatnot so they don't want to pay for a piece of plastic.
I went through a few different programs and received a few different degrees while going through school. I took the classes, I gained the knowledge. But guess what when it came time to graduate I had to actually apply to graduate and pay a few hundred bucks to do so, to get that piece of paper hanging in my den. I had already received the training and knowledge. But would any employer recognize my credentials if I hadn't paid for that piece of paper???