GUE Fundies/Tech 1: Do Boat Operators Still Want AOW Card Too?

[rjack321]

Because neither DIRF nor Tech1 meets the requirements of AOW by any agency I'm aware of. AOW typically includes deep, night, navigation and something else like equipment or nitrox.

Just do a 2 weekend AOW and be done with it. If you want to take GUE classes take them - they aren't about the cards which may or may not be accepted by an operator anyway.

 

[bubbleblowindude]

I am a charter boat operator and if anyone shows up on my boat with a fundies card, I dont care if they have an advanced card, a super-advanced card, or anything else. They are given the credit they deserve as a result of passing the most robust recreational training in the industry. The only reason an operator wouldn't do the same is if they are not familiar with the GUE credential.
Dive Safe!

 

[rjack321]

I am a charter boat operator and if anyone shows up on my boat with a fundies card, I dont care if they have an advanced card, a super-advanced card, or anything else. They are given the credit they deserve as a result of passing the most robust recreational training in the industry. The only reason an operator wouldn't do the same is if they are not familiar with the GUE credential.
Dive Safe!

Hey, thanks. Where are you located in AK? I got in a couple of PWS dives this July. Also stood on a iceberg for the first and hopefully not last time. Overall I enjoyed South Central AK.

 

[OneBrightGator]

Because neither DIRF nor Tech1 meets the requirements of AOW by any agency I'm aware of. AOW typically includes deep, night, navigation and something else like equipment or nitrox.

Just do a 2 weekend AOW and be done with it. If you want to take GUE classes take them - they aren't about the cards which may or may not be accepted by an operator anyway.

But there's no reason you couldn't create a class that would cover all 3 of those classes. If you're headed down the DIR path, wouldn't there be a great benefit in taking AOW and Nitrox from a GUE instructor? I don't agree with wasting time to get the cards, if you're going to spend money and time on training, even if it really is just to get the cards, at least try to get something out of it.

 

[dsteding]

I am a charter boat operator and if anyone shows up on my boat with a fundies card, I dont care if they have an advanced card, a super-advanced card, or anything else. They are given the credit they deserve as a result of passing the most robust recreational training in the industry. The only reason an operator wouldn't do the same is if they are not familiar with the GUE credential.
Dive Safe!

And this is exactly the point. At this point, there is enough of a GUE community that one can travel to many plces and find GUE-trained divers. I've done it on all my warm-water trips.

Sounds like we need to put the scoots and tanks on one of the barges up to Anchorage and get our butts on a plane and come visit. Maybe a Gathering in Alaska in 2008?

 

[rjack321]

But there's no reason you couldn't create a class that would cover all 3 of those classes. If you're headed down the DIR path, wouldn't there be a great benefit in taking AOW and Nitrox from a GUE instructor? I don't agree with wasting time to get the cards, if you're going to spend money and time on training, even if it really is just to get the cards, at least try to get something out of it.

Yes, it would be a good idea to hook up with one or two like minded instructors and create a path. The vaporware GUE OW class is a partial response to this. But as far as I know GUE instructors are not bothering to teach classes with their original certifying agencies (PADI, NAUI, SSI whatever).

I did not find my SSI AOW particularly educational. I got mine after 150 dives or so because I wanted to take other classes for which it was a pre-requisite.

 

[pengwe]

I am pretty confident in assuming that every GUE instructor is an instructor for another agency also (some may not be current I suppose). Why don't you ask him/her to do an AOW/Nitrox/Fundies class? It shouldn't be a big issue and then you'd be covered.

My Fundies instructor did this for me, because you need AOW to dive Nitrox in Australia. They were more sequential than combined. Fundies is full enough as it is.

 

[Chris Brown Tech]

A DIRF card is accepted in my shop as a recreational cert rated higher than AOW that also includes Nitrox. Down here in the Keys that means you can do the Spiegel, Duane, Bibb & Eagle with recreational profiles.

Tech 1 & above are accepted to the levels set out in GUE standards

 

[Jasonmh]

A DIRF card is accepted in my shop as a recreational cert rated higher than AOW that also includes Nitrox. Down here in the Keys that means you can do the Spiegel, Duane, Bibb & Eagle with recreational profiles.
...

Hi Chris,

That is great to know. There are 5 of us coming to dive with your shop Oct18-20th, looking forward to meeting you.
One of my dive buddies and I were just discussing today if we thought you would accept DIR-F in place of a AOW card.

 

[CompuDude]

I think it clearly depends on the boat operator's level of industry dive knowledge. Anyone who really knows anything at all about what GUE is all about should be perfectly happy taking a GUE card. There are still lots of people who don't know a thing about GUE, however, and because of those people, it's probably still a good idea to bring your AOW card with you as well.

I was on a boat about a month ago, and the DiveMaster from the shop that had chartered the boat thought that DIR was a brand of gear. Had never heard of GUE, or even Halcyon, and had never laid eyes on a bp/w or a long hose setup. It was fun to educate her, but it was illuminating that a working dive professional with many hundreds of dives had holes that large in her knowledge of the dive industry. (I know, many other comments could be made, but that's enough for my point.)