PADI AOW through specialties

[DevonDiver]

Stu... I was under a different belief. I thought that AOW manual had to be purchased, even if just for AOW dives. I can't remember where I read that, but I am sure I did.

Do you have any references, either way, as to a PADI policy on that?

 

[Scott]

From the IM

Certification Requirements
For Adventure Diver, student divers meet performance
requirements:
• Complete three Adventure Dives.
• Complete the three Knowledge Reviews for the
completed Adventure Dives.

Materials
Required
• PADI Adventures in Diving Manual or Multimedia

Bolding is mine.

There is an exception from the 2013 Instructor Manual Errata regarding specialty manuals and Adventure dives
Under Materials, Required, first bullet, add Exception:

Exception:
When the diver has PADI specialty manuals for each Adventure Dive conducted.

 

[DevonDiver]

Yep, that's how I interpret it also. When PADI list something as a 'required material', they never mean a 'loaner'...

 

[Ste Wart]

Stu... I was under a different belief. I thought that AOW manual had to be purchased, even if just for AOW dives. I can't remember where I read that, but I am sure I did.

Do you have any references, either way, as to a PADI policy on that?

It's lost in the dusty annals, I remember the query and the fact that AOW is not a core course, but I can't for the life of me remember where it was now.

Might be worth an e-mail to PADI confirm this one. But I'm fairly certain the manual is not a required material for an adventure dive.

 

[Peter Guy]

Andy - Stu -- What, pray tell, there might be some ambiguity in PADI STANDARDS? Please Joe, Say It Ain't So!

 

[TMHeimer]

Andy - Stu -- What, pray tell, there might be some ambiguity in PADI STANDARDS? Please Joe, Say It Ain't So!

Perhaps it's the same folks who make up those odd test questions with 2-3 correct answers?

 

[DevonDiver]

Andy - Stu -- What, pray tell, there might be some ambiguity in PADI STANDARDS? Please Joe, Say It Ain't So!

Standards are given for the AOW course, but not specifically for Adventure Dives. This might be seen as an accidental omission(?).

The only relevant standard listed is that students must complete the knowledge reviews. The Training Bulletin stated along the lines of "all courses, students must have their own copies of materials to retain".

Third Quarter 2012 Training Bulletin,
...as of 1 January 2013, student divers must have a personal set of current PADI materials for study and use during the course and for reference afterward, to include, at a minimum, the course manual (book, multimedia or online version) unless unavailable in a language understood by the student diver. This requirement applies to all PADI and EFR courses
supported by materials (including specialty courses).

My interpretation is that a solitary 'Adventure Dive' is still "a course". Thus the Training Bulletin directive applies - students must have a manual (to retain).

If you don't interpret an 'Adventure Dive' as being "a course", then your interpretation may lead to a decision not to require materials purchase by the student.

I feel the second interpretation is more of a loop-hole, than something PADI would wish to implement as a formal standard. PADI have shown determination to sell manuals as much as possible...

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

I just want to add that you may want to check into the details of the course to find out what you get for that $400. The AOW course requires 5 dives. If you went to Cozumel and just did 5 boat dives, depending upon the operator you could be looking at about $250. If you went to Hawai'i and did 5 boat dives, it would cost much more than that. $400 for the course could be anything from a ripoff to a bargain.

When you say 5 boat dives, are your really meaning 10 dives 2 tanks on each boat dive? , because even in Hawaii, 400$ for 5 dives would be a ripoff!

---------- Post added June 1st, 2013 at 08:09 AM ----------

If he gets his deep cert, does he really need AOW?

 

[Ste Wart]

If he gets his deep cert, does he really need AOW?

Yup.

If he wants to progress any further course-wise (further proviso: with PADI), then he will need AOW. Although they have reduced pre-reqs for Rescue, most other PADI advanced courses will be out of reach without full AOW certification.

 

[DevonDiver]

Yup.

If he wants to progress any further course-wise (further proviso: with PADI), then he will need AOW. Although they have reduced pre-reqs for Rescue, most other PADI advanced courses will be out of reach without full AOW certification.

PADI Instructor Manual lists (1) only Cavern, Ice, Search and Recovery and Semi-Closed Rebreather (Dolphin/Atlantis) as requiring Advanced Open Water certification as a prerequisite. From 28 listed specialty courses, that is a tiny majority (4/28). Plus Tec40 and Tec Sidemount and also DM.

That said, the instructor may accept "proof of certification beyond entry-level (at least two certifications total); proof of 20 or more logged dives; documented experience in deep diving and underwater navigation"(2) in lieu of PADI AOW certification.

(1) 2013 PADI Instructor Manual, General Standards and Procedures, Summary of PADI Specialty Courses - Key Standards
(2) 2013 PADI Instructor Manual, General Standards and Procedures, Training Standards.