Is AOW allowable in Doubles?

[rookers]

Popping open my instructor manual, I find nothing about doubles. I believe they are fine for AOW, student or instructor. Would I teach AOW to a student who showed up in doubles and had few dives on them? Not sure, it would depend a bit on the student. I might insist on a private class, me in doubles also, so I could model my own modest version of technique, trim, buoyancy control et et. I would definitely insist on some pool time.

 

[WallDiver77]

If you are already diving doubles why bother with AOW? Why not just do something useful such as Advanced Nitrox? AOW is not a requirement for that.

Man, I'd agree with that statement! My AOW consisted of my instructor reviewing my log book..
1. noting that I hadn't made a 60 foot dive in the past year (all deeper than 100')

2. visiting with me (talking with me about the diving I'd done and the experiences I'd had) for about an hour while consuming a couple of beers

3. taking my picture

4. me paying the fee

5. and him saying, "see ya!"

Many of these "courses", IMHO, our very unnecessary and, unfortunately poorly taught. To me, anyone with a little experience that THINKS about what he/she is doing, strives to hone their own skills, streamlines the own gear and procedures is probabably the better trained diver.

GRanted...... on the technical end of diving, I'd seek out some professional help! So SCREW the AOW (it sounds like you probably have already seen anything they're going to cover) and go for the Adv. Nitrox rating. Show that card to anyone and I'd serious doubt they'd keep you from making any dive.

Just another .02 !

 

[jim T.]

rookers, yes I agree. I would expect someone to want to see me in a pool lst. Anybody can "say" they know how to dive doubles.. I'd expect them to check me out lst.

I know a NAUI private instructor who teaches AOW in doubles but unfortunately he's too far away to be practical. So it sounds like NAUI does this but wasn't sure about SSI, PADI and others.
Naui appealed for AOW if I had to take it, to proceed with their Tech program later.

 

[Matt S.]

My AOW consisted of my instructor reviewing my log book..

You could DIE at ANY MOMENT! Here come the Scuba Police though, they'll save you.

 

[Sawllkwa]

My instructor for my AOW, Wreck, Nitrox, DM and Rescue used doubles. It actually helped in the wreck course. One student got narc'ed on the line tie-off inside the ship and used up his air. I now dive with doubles and DM'd with a couple shops with them.

 

[Izu]

My AOW consisted of my instructor reviewing my log book..
1. noting that I hadn't made a 60 foot dive in the past year (all deeper than 100')

2. visiting with me (talking with me about the diving I'd done and the experiences I'd had) for about an hour while consuming a couple of beers

3. taking my picture

4. me paying the fee

5. and him saying, "see ya!"

Many of these "courses", IMHO, our very unnecessary and, unfortunately poorly taught. To me, anyone with a little experience that THINKS about what he/she is doing, strives to hone their own skills, streamlines the own gear and procedures is probabably the better trained diver.

Same as above for me. Put Another Dollar In. I was living a perfectly happy life as a plain ol' OW diver but my favorite dive boat suddenly instituted an AOW only designation for many of the cool wreck dives. Even tho I had already dove all the sites, now they wanted to see the cert. A quick meeting with the instructor took care of everything. Eventually I want to upgrade my nitrox rating as a possible step towards CC but in the meantime simply want to get a few hundred more tanks of diving experience in. As winter sets in, my greatest fear is some dope insisting to see my drysuit diver card !

 

[ppo2_diver]

As others have stated, it is NOT a requirement by PADI that instuctors can only use single tanks. I teach classes in doubles and I let my students use doubles if they are comfortable with them. My first dive of my AOW class is a Nitrox dive where I get the chance to look over someone's skills in a somewhat shallow site (20-30 feet). If I see that they are not capable of diving doubles safely, I will recommend they switch to a single rig for the rest of the class.

When I worked for some dive shops in the area, I was told I can't wear doubles when teaching. It is really the shops preference to allow their employees to use doubles or not.

Duane

 

[pir8]

Never heard of such a thing as not bing able to teach in doubles. That is definitely a shop requirement.

 

[crosing]

Definitely a call on the instructor or shop. I'm a DM and recently assisted an AOW course wearing my doubles. Not a problem with the instructor or shop.

AOW is a great course for new divers to gain experience, knowledge and confidence diving in varied conditions and environments. For others, who have experienced dive buddies to mentor them and access to dive sites on a regular basis, it might be a waste of time.

 

[scarefaceDM]

it is to each his/her own. A shop around here does not allow instructors to use doubles when teaching in the pool for skills etc. But when it comes to open water certs.. When doing the check out dives...they use what they wish. Instructors will use twins. This way the shop can promote the variety of gear they have to sell....Market savy.