Just finished OW training looking at advanced OW

[Bob DBF]

In the PADI online AOW course that you do prior to the course there are 10 possible areas of interest that can be included in the course plus 2 mandatory items. The shop I took it from did the mandatory Navigation and Deep along with Night, Peak Buoyancy and Wreck which are optional. There are 10 possible optional components that you will only do three of.

I would like to add that some areas of interest may not be available in AOW depending on where OP takes the class, drift dive won't be available in a lake for instance. My instructor had Peak Performance Buoyance required in his class, so one less choice.

However there is nothing stopping you from reading up on all of the 10 optional components, taking the online quizzes and giving yourself a broad introduction to diving. That's what I did and found it very helpful.

I would encourage the OP to do all the components, even though they are not needed at the time, it may come in handy later. In addition, off the top of my head, Boat and Altitude have all the information you need and the dives don't need an instructor, always make the most of underwater instruction.

 

[Centrals]

I remember the "old" PADI AOW standard required more dives. And there were THREE core dives : deep, navigation and night.
I did the AOW+ which covered more areas/dives and cost a bit more.

 

[EFX]

I just got my open water cert, looking at taking the advanced OW class. If I do not have a lot of experience diving, should i still take the advanced OW class? After completing the Advanced OW class do you wet a new card saying my level is Advanced OW instead of Open Water?

Yes, I would take it. One practical aspect of having the AOW cert is that some operators taking divers out to a deep dive site (generally deeper than 60 ft) by boat may require the cert. I would also suggest you work on reducing your lead weight and fix your trim if necessary. Clicking on this link will take you to a post offering suggestions on how to do this.

 

[boulderjohn]

Nitrox and multi-level.

Are you recommending that these dives be selected?

If so, ...

1. the nitrox dive has no skills and does not certify the diver to use nitrox after the class
2. the multi-level dive no longer exists

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

How the OP's OW course was conducted (on the knees or neutrally buoyant). If on the knees, I'd get that rectified with an instructor that understand proper weighting, proper weight distribution, finning techniques.

If there was only a class that taught such Fundamentals.....

 

[Belzelbub]

the nitrox dive has no skills and does not certify the diver to use nitrox after the class

Question. Can Nitrox be selected as one of the options for the PADI AOW cert? If so, that seems rather pointless.

 

[Diverlady13]

Question. Can Nitrox be selected as one of the options for the PADI AOW cert? If so, that seems rather pointless.

No. Nitrox cannot be selected as an AOW dive. The EA certification doesn't require a dive. That said, someone doing OW or AOW can choose to do the enriched air course alongside either of those two certifications. Sometimes shops won't charge for that certification if done at the same time as OW or AOW (but of course divers still have to pay for the PADI coursework portion).

 

[DogDiver]

Prerequisite for my AOL class: 25-50 dives in various conditions.

My AOW classes I taught up north via NAUI consisted of two weekends. The first weekend was at Gilboa Quarry doing deep, low ( 0 visibility) navigation, lift bag & SMB, beginner reel work and dive computer calculations.
The second weekend we dove out of Port Sanilac and went to 2 Lake Huron wreck dives. My choice, with captain’s approval would be The Regina and another close by tugboat wreck. Both in less than 70 feet.
My students finished as true advanced divers.

 

[boulderjohn]

Question. Can Nitrox be selected as one of the options for the PADI AOW cert? If so, that seems rather pointless.

I just checked and stand corrected on this topic. Enriched Air is one of the dives, but as I read it, it is possible to make it part of the specialty certification process. Here are the AOW nitrox adventure dive standards:

Enriched Air Adventure Dive
Considerations
1. Use the Enriched Air Diver Specialty Instructor Guide.
2. Have student divers complete the Knowledge
Review in the PADI Enriched Air Diver Manual or
Enriched Air Diver Online.
3. If, prior to the dive, student divers have not
completed the Enriched Air Diver Knowledge Review,
present the Enriched Air Dive Today briefing.
4. Have divers complete the Enriched Air Diver course
Practical Application 1 prior to the dive. This may be
part of the predive briefing and preparation.
5. Limit the dive to a maximum depth of 30 metres/100
feet or PO2 of 1.4 ata for the blend – whichever is
shallowest.
6. Limit the maximum allowable enriched air oxygen
content to 40 percent.
7. If divers will dive using air-only computers, the
maximum allowable oxygen content is 32 percent,
the maximum depth is 30 metres/100 feet (or
shallower if a shallower limit applies) and the total
dive time for the day is 160 minutes.
8. Watch student divers as they set their enriched
air dive computer and confirm correct settings.
You may then indirectly supervise the dive. You
may also indirectly supervise divers who have
successfully completed both Enriched Air Diver
course Knowledge Development Sections and the
final exam.

 

[Diverlady13]

I just checked and stand corrected on this topic. Enriched Air is one of the dives, but as I read it, it is possible to make it part of the specialty certification process. Here are the AOW nitrox adventure dive standards:

Enriched Air Adventure Dive
Considerations
1. Use the Enriched Air Diver Specialty Instructor Guide.
2. Have student divers complete the Knowledge
Review in the PADI Enriched Air Diver Manual or
Enriched Air Diver Online.
3. If, prior to the dive, student divers have not
completed the Enriched Air Diver Knowledge Review,
present the Enriched Air Dive Today briefing.
4. Have divers complete the Enriched Air Diver course
Practical Application 1 prior to the dive. This may be
part of the predive briefing and preparation.
5. Limit the dive to a maximum depth of 30 metres/100
feet or PO2 of 1.4 ata for the blend – whichever is
shallowest.
6. Limit the maximum allowable enriched air oxygen
content to 40 percent.
7. If divers will dive using air-only computers, the
maximum allowable oxygen content is 32 percent,
the maximum depth is 30 metres/100 feet (or
shallower if a shallower limit applies) and the total
dive time for the day is 160 minutes.
8. Watch student divers as they set their enriched
air dive computer and confirm correct settings.
You may then indirectly supervise the dive. You
may also indirectly supervise divers who have
successfully completed both Enriched Air Diver
course Knowledge Development Sections and the
final exam.

That's interesting. I didn't think that was an option. At least, I was told it wasn't an option because it doesn't require a dive. Checking my PADI account shows that EA is not an option as one of the adventure dives. I wonder if they let you do it after purchasing the course separately. To me, that seems like a waste of a training dive since there really aren't any UW skills involved.