PADI a pain?!?

[CrackedConch]

I'm doing my AOW course with PADI this October holiday almost right after having completed my OW last month. My parents organized this with our instructor and I really wish we could dive a bit more before doing this. Am I overreacting? Should I only worry about this when considering Rescue Diver?

There is no harm in taking your Advanced Class relatively soon after your Open Water. However, you should feel comfortable in the water and be a fairly stable O/W diver before taking this course. Just remember taking this class doesn't mean you are an advanced and experienced diver, just that you've had some advanced training beyond that of an Open Water diver.

This training will help you to become a better diver. You will learn more about underwater navigation than in your O/W, you will learn about going deeper, about wrecks and their hazards, etc.

As stated before, talk to your parents if you don't think you are ready. If you do take the class now, plan to review the material again when you have about 25-30 dives under your belt.

 

[theskull]

I'm doing my AOW course with PADI this October holiday almost right after having completed my OW last month. My parents organized this with our instructor and I really wish we could dive a bit more before doing this. Am I overreacting? Should I only worry about this when considering Rescue Diver?

Right after OW is the perfect time to take AOW! The course has a misleading title. It does not require you to be an advanced diver, nor does it puport to make you one. What it DOES do is advance your skills a little beyond where they were in the OW class and advance your exposure to important topics such as navigating by compass and diving safely in a little bit deeper water.

That said, as with all dive courses, dive excursions, or individual dive plans, you must feel you have the right and responsibility to refuse to make that dive if it makes you uncomfortable to do so.

theskull

 

[Charlie99]

PADI is the agency people love to bash, just as McDonald's and Walmart are irresistable targets for some.

... so sorry! (i guess i'm part of the "masses") ha-ha!

That probably means that you'll stop at McDonald's on your way home from shopping at Walmart.

 

[Zingtea]

Right after OW is the perfect time to take AOW! The course has a misleading title. It does not require you to be an advanced diver, nor does it puport to make you one. What it DOES do is advance your skills a little beyond where they were in the OW class and advance your exposure to important topics such as navigating by compass and diving safely in a little bit deeper water.

That said, as with all dive courses, dive excursions, or individual dive plans, you must feel you have the right and responsibility to refuse to make that dive if it makes you uncomfortable to do so.

theskull

I see. I'm comfortable in the water, except maybe for the huge BCD that's slides around and the tank that hits my head all the time. I did well in the OW and in Peak Performance Buoyancy; maybe I was just frustrated that this is like "buying the certification" or something. But I've already told my parents about it, and it was futile from the start. I'm not actually scared about the diving though.
End of rant.

 

[Tom Smedley]

It's not the dislike of PADI or any other agency that guides it all. This is the same situation as the DIR folks have. It all boils down to maximum whine to least goad ratio. Someone says something negative and the howling starts.

In truth, no agency is better than the other to the consumer. Go with what suits your agenda best and hold your head high. And remember that every little remark does not have to be defended.

 

[royalediver]

I watched PADI sell course directorships, steal an non-profit(PADI was a non_profit) from the public. Theaten physical harm to indiviuals, etc...

If somewone wanted to write a book on PADI's skullduggery I would love it... and by a dozen books to pass out to my friends.

I have said to much and must be caref

 

[Hemlon]

I watched PADI sell course directorships, steal an non-profit(PADI was a non_profit) from the public. Theaten physical harm to indiviuals, etc...

If somewone wanted to write a book on PADI's skullduggery I would love it... and by a dozen books to pass out to my friends.

I have said to much and must be caref

ROFL

 

[Scuba Brian]

You should consider your AOW course as more training with a instuctor at your side along with learning how to dive in different applications. Think of it this way make 5 dives with a buddy and practice what youve learned, or take your AOW and make 5 dives with an instructor and dive in different enviornments along with practicing what youve already learned. Any dive is a learning experience, when i first leaned to dive i was more comfortable with an instructor.
Each dive in your AOW teaches you how to do and handle different things. Deep how to handle and recognize nitrogen narcosis, nav, how to use a compass and measure distance under the water, and so on.
Have a great class

As far as PADI selling Course Director spots i'd like to hear that story, the course is 6500.00 and if you make one mistake your dropped from the class. Last year 96 applicants and only 74 available spots. A CD candidate i knew was nervous and forgot to wrap his leg around the accent rope during CESA and was dismissed from the class with no chance to redo.

I also agree with the the fact a good the instructor is the key to a good diver,all certification agencies have their standards you must meet, the instructor has the choice to be stricter than the standards. I've been on several dive boats around the world and wondered who signed that guys or girl's pic. And these people had cert cards from all different agencies.

Brian Day
PADI MSDT198541

 

[fisherdvm]

I agree, AOW is a title for more supervised training. Certainly you would gain more from AOW if you done tonnes of dives, deep dives, and made lots of mistakes and risks.

However, it would be better to take AOW immediately after your OW before you start diving at night with unskilled, risky buddies, or to take a deep dive lightly because your non AOW have done it before.

I have learned that I am a more conservative diver because I've taken AOW, versus my friends who took more risk with night dives and deep dives.

If it is up to me, the content of AOW should be part of every diver's training. But time is money, and money and time will keep folks from diving.

 

[kittyjg]

Zingtea,
As the Skull stated, the AOW title is misleading. It gives you the opportunity to dive at least 5 more time with an instructor and to expose you to some additional variables (night, deep, nav. dry, etc.). If you do not feel comfortable, let your instructor know. Peak Bouyancy is a great first choice for a training after OW.
You sound like you have a BC that doesn't fit right. If it was a rental, don't let anyone rush you into taking what they think is the right size for you. Try them on and, if it doesn't fit, say so.
As for the tank, don't push your BC down as far, as long as you can still reach the valve. My BC strap only goes past the shoulders of the tank by about 2-3 inches because I don't like the valve banging me in the head.

As for PADI vs the other agencies, I liked the Microsoft analogy. It fits. The instructor is everything. Some try to get by with the minimum training and as many students they can get and others teach you everything they can to dive and survive and enjoy. This probably applies to instructors with all of the agencies - all have good and all have some not so good.