PADI Diver Question

[bill22]

He's gone out since then. A bunch of time's while he was in Guam and a couple times with me last year. He's just a little upset as he'd rather not have to pay to be AOW certified now just so he can go off of a boat.

It's not a law, it's a policy. Seems like an easy fix, talk to the boat operator and show the dive log. If they don't want to recognize experience then find another boat.

Experience should be worth something. Who is likely to be more comfortable in the water... a PADI AOW with 15 dives or an OW with a 100?

One of my dive buddies in Japan only had an OW certification... but he had been diving for over 30 years and had over 2000 dives

 

[TMHeimer]

I guess the bottom line is how often he will be diving and how many different dove ops he will patronize. Seems that a fair percentage of them ask for the AOW card. Just like everything else that's regulated today, it may be best just to spend the money and do the AOW just to get the card. His experience should mean way more than any card, but that's not how it works a lot of the time.

 

[KingNept]

He won't be diving a lot anymore just every so often. I tried at my LDS to see if there was anything they could do and they said he's out of luck unless he retakes the AOW class. Looks like that's his last option and I know how much he really didn't feel like retaking a class after all these years.

 

[wadedeeper]

In order for him to get credit for any of his previous dives towards his AOW diver now, he would have to contact his original instructor or company he was working with and ask them to provide his Folder or student completion information. It is unlikely that after that long though anyone would keep them around as they normally only keep them for about 7 years by law or maybe a little longer if the shop doesn't do any spring cleaning.

Most instructors would never send in what he did complete as they hold out for the chance he'll come back. Padi instructors have to fill out a PIC on every diver and since PADI charges for each PIC (Personal Identification Card), it isn't in the shops best interest to fill one out if it doesn't need to as it'll cost them money that they could simply use for someone else. Most shops I know of end up forgetting to send in the PIC with the completion dives the diver finished because from their point of veiw 1. if they don't send it in, they save money on the PIC 2. if they do send it in and the diver returns to finish, they have to pay out of pocket for another PIC themselves 3. if the diver does come back to finish they can just use another PIC and it'll basically be a wash.

Bottom line is that if he wants AOW, have him do the classes in full. Reasons are 1. he might have forgotten much of the important info 2. all the info is still good info and can provide a refresher for him 3. Most of the information has changed over the last 30 years so it'll likely provide some good info anyways.

My father was an AOW when I was a kid and he went through again when I went through my AOW and he learned a lot that he forgot or never knew...so it can be beneficial.

Have fun and join him on his night dives and other ones.

WadeDeeper

 

[wadedeeper]

Basically, in short...PADI only has information that instructors send to them...and since it isn't in the shop's interest to send anything in...its not likely PADI would have any info on his partial completion. Run him through again from the start.

 

[KingNept]

His records might actually still exist as he was doing all of this at school so the school may have some kind of copy of his files somewhere. I know my professors keep stuff from students going back quite a long time so who knows.

I suggested to him to just retake the class but he's just stubborn. I would be too if you know this stuff backwards and forwards and still have to pay to get a little card that says you're AOW when your years of experience are more than enough proof. And I know a lot has changed in 30 years in but he's been able to pretty much recite to me both my OW and AOW training books to me plus tell me even more that's not mentioned when I was reviewing for my tests. The only thing he had any kind of difference in learning something was when he was in Guam years ago and wore a BC for the first time instead horseshoe collar.

One of the DMs at the shop said they'd go out with him any time on the boat if he wanted so hopefully when he wants to go out we can just do that to get him on without issue in not having his cert.

 

[panamkat]

If he can demonstrate the skills required to begin the Rescue Diver Course, the PADI instructor is allowed to use his prior experience as a basis for that class. Then, go ahead and take the Rescue Diver course, you'll learn some new skills, and that new card will be the one you show and since it exceeds the Advanced Diver Card, there shouldn't be a problem. Win-win. He doesn't have to repeat stuff he knows, gets to learn stuff that's valuable, the business gets the insurance that he can dive safely with them. Who knows, he may want to go on to DiveMaster!