Newbie taking planning to take AOW in February

[MikeFerrara]

Hello everyone. I am somewhat new to diving. I received my BOW in May and hope to take my AOW in February.
1. I have not been diving very much in the past year and until I get ramped up, am planning only a few dives a year. Should I get my reg, bc, computer, wetsuit, etc prior to the my AOW? The concern is huge upfront investment given not much involvement yet. Is there any recommended LDS in the Metro Detroit/Northern Oakland County Michigan area. I prefer not to ask the LDS given an obvious bias. US Scuba is close and perhaps one of the largest.

2. I will be going to Maui early in February and staying in the Kanaapali beach area. I am hoping to take an AOW class while I am there. Is there a recommended PADI training provider there? I'm not sure if I should go with the cheapest, the largest, the closest, . . . etc.

If you search the thousands of posts I've made on this board you'll see that as a rule I don't recommend instructors. That's because I know so few that I'd recommend. I see a lot of them and few are worth the price of a phone call. They may be nice people and you might even have fun but you'll never know how poorly you were trained unless you luck into seeing some one who's really good.

In your area there is an instructor that I am comfortable recommending. I've watched them teach and I've watched them dive. Contact the Scuba Guys at www.scubaguys.com. Brandon is also BCS on this board. Since you're in the area I would at least talk to them if I were you.

 

[Walter]

There's an excellent discussion on this topic here. I suggest you read the entire thread.

You've already received some of the worst advice I've ever seen on this board: "I'd say go with the cheapest and most convenient."

Look for the course that will provide the most training. Moat AOW courses are a waste of time and money. Look for an advanced class that is actually worth taking.

I don't understand one statement you made. What does, "until I get ramped up" mean?

 

[Wendy]

Personally I don't find a computer something that you have to have. Many people dive for years without ever owning one and I'm sure you would be happy about saving a few hundred dollars.

I'd say get the basics: mask, fins, snorkel, and wetsuit. If you are only doing a couple dives a year I'd just rent the rest for awhile until you decide you are addicted to diving and need your own bc and regs.

 

[simbrooks]

I feel your pain on the decision front, we have been diving less time, but we (GF and I) are getting our number of dives and different types in as best we can to get experience (8 since mid-nov OW cert). There is always the more training, more gear, more trips decisions to make, particularly when you are newish. We have all the basics for a trip, and rent BC's regs and tanks right now, but that will change in the coming year.

I would throughly research the options in your area, that is if you plan on diving in MI in the future. If you are only going to dive at resorts then there is hardly any point in purchasing your own gear or taking AOW up where you are as you wont be diving in those environments nor using your gear more than a dozen or so days a year.

If you decide you like to dive, can get good instruction up there and if there are plenty of places to dive (really dont know the area - probably lakes and quarries at least) then it would be benificial to do your AOW up there as it will probably be a tougher environment than Maui or other resorts can be (limited viz, colder, etc compared to warm water, probably pretty good viz, animals might be a factor though!!). Where did you get certified? I imagine either not in MI or with a store that you dont want to use anymore as you are asking that question.

We also have that conunderum though of gear and/or more courses. We are definately doing the courses, the gear is rental for now, but as we dive more often i know we are going to get into purchasing some decent stuff to last a few years!

Whatever you do, do it safe and have fun.

 

[DandyDon]

Have we got you completely confused yet. I just read over all the other posts, and I can't help but chuckle a little...

You referenced a "concern (about) huge upfront investment given not much involvement yet." If you were into diving like many of us, I'd agree with the other guys who suggest owning your own gear, for the same reasons. But if you're "planning only a few dives a year," I wonder if I missed something that the other guys were thinking about? Even if you could get a better BC, Octo-reg, and Nitrox Computer than you can rent locally for around $1,000 (I'd expect to pay much more), the warranties will run out, they all have to be serviced annually, the models will age compared to the "new and improved," etc. I'd approach this, even if I had the money to spend freely up front, as a $200 a year expense or more (cost of money tied up, servicing, depreciation, etc.) for equipment I'd use "a few times a year," if I remained interested.

Once I got hooked, I knew I would stick with it long enough, and would dive often enough, to justify spending a lot more than $1,000 - even with expiring warranties, annual services, and aging models, but based your initial post, I think my response remains the same. You'll probably be happier renting until your diving changes. Just rent from a LDS you know and trust...


Otherwise - I'll readily confirm that Mike & Walter know Scuba a lot better than I do, so I might have given "some of the worst advice I've ever seen on this board," except - you asked for Maui instructors, for a Padi AOW course? I gathered that you weren't interested in local training in local waters, but if you change that - I'm sure that Mike's suggestions are good ones, for up yonder.

And I do know enough to agree with Walter's more experienced advice: "Most AOW courses are a waste of time and money. Look for an advanced class that is actually worth taking," if you can talk yourself into doing more than just extra Padi training. Like I said, I based my reply to what you said...

Anyway, have fun, whether you do the AOW, something else, or just get more experience with the card you have...

don

 

[cpp]

What does, "until I get ramped up" mean?

Sorry Walter, It is a term referencing the learning curve of going from a newbie to a much more experienced and educated person as an uphill ramp.

 

[cpp]

Assuming I were to take to take a 2 day AOW class, not for the experience but just the cert. what would be the best way to identify whether I am getting a good instructor? Does the PADI 5 star mean anything in this regard?

 

[cpp]

I would throughly research the options in your area, that is if you plan on diving in MI in the future.

[SNIP]
Where did you get certified? I imagine either not in MI or with a store that you dont want to use anymore as you are asking that question.

Whatever you do, do it safe and have fun.

I previously was not planning on doing too much cold and merky water diving. The warm water diving is much more appealing. But that looks like it will change, given that getting good education and experience requires a long term committment with one org. or person.

I took my OW class from what I found out later to be a PADI 5 star LDS in the area. The class itself was good, had fun, and I have no issue with the instructors however the issues were more with the store operator than the instruction. I may still work with them on some things but I didn't like the mode of operation.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Assuming I were to take to take a 2 day AOW class, not for the experience but just the cert. what would be the best way to identify whether I am getting a good instructor? Does the PADI 5 star mean anything in this regard?

IMO, a good instructor will tell you that AOW in 2 days is unrealistic. That being said I suppose you could get a 2 day AOW class almost any place.

If ouy're interested I could look at the specifics but off the top of my head a 5 star facility is one that...

has agreed to not teach any classes that competes with PADI.
Has certified a minimum number of divers (I think 100)
They have to have O2 on hand when conducting inwater activities.

There are a few other requirements that I'd have to look up. When I first opened my shop I wanted to be one. Then my priorities changed and I decided I wouldn't agree to some of it.

As far as I can tell there isn't anything about a 5 star facility that would help you. It's more like a better dealer level. A 5 star shop gets a bigger discount on materials and a few other perks. It has nothing to do with the quality of training or the expertise in the shop.

 

[queentrigger]

Personally I don't find a computer something that you have to have. Many people dive for years without ever owning one and I'm sure you would be happy about saving a few hundred dollars.

I'd say get the basics: mask, fins, snorkel, and wetsuit. If you are only doing a couple dives a year I'd just rent the rest for awhile until you decide you are addicted to diving and need your own bc and regs.

To the contrary, the dive computer is my most important piece of equipment. I can rent everything else. Maybe its becoz the way the world has moved