Quick AOW Review

[D_O_H]

I've seen a few posts recently asking whether it's worth taking advanced open water, and had been wondering the same thing myself, so I thought I'd post a quick review of my class, as I finally took the plunge and took the class. Lookout world, PADI says I am now an "advanced" open water diver and I have the card to prove it!

I think general consensus around here about whether AOW is worth it is (i) it depends on how good your instructor is and (ii) you're probably not going to get a lot out of the class if you are already an experienced diver. I think these two points are dead on and also would add (iii) it depends on the level of the other divers in your class.

A little about me: I've been certified for 4 years and have just over 50 dives. I am by no means a perfect diver and have much to learn, but have a firm grip on the basics - comfortable in the water, good buoyancy and trim, passable air consumption, decent navigation skills, etc. I was already comfortable with diving deep and at night.

I was expecting to pick up a few useful pieces of information, maybe learn a new skill or two and get critiqued by the instructor on my diving style after each dive. I did pick up a bit of useful information, and I did have a lot of fun, but I don't think I developed any more as a diver than I would have doing 5 dives on my own.

Things started out promisingly enough. Our first dive was to be our "deep" dive. Our instructor seemed sharp and competent. We got a detailed briefing on the boat. We were going to descend to 80', do a simple timed test to see whether we were narked (we'd do the same test on the surface later and compare how long it took to complete) and tour around a bit.

My buddy and I were the first to descend down the anchor line. We got to the bottom and waited... and waited... Finally, the rest of the class arrived with the instructor. (Apparently, a couple of them had trouble descending, equalizing, not corking uncontrollably to the surface, etc.) We waited a few more minutes for them to get situated and join our ultra-useful-in-the-real-world on your knees in a circle formation. One person did the narcosis test and... oh no one of the late arrivals is down to 1,000 psi already! Time to ascend.

Dive 1: 81 feet for 24 minutes, including a very leisurely descent, ascent and safety stop.

Lessons learned so far: being an instructor must be very stressful.

I won't go into detail about the other four dives, but they were similar. The instructor definitely did his best to make the class worthwhile, but he had to devote most of his attention to the newer divers and didn't really have much time to teach the rest of us.

So, my humble advice to anyone considering AOW is:

-If you're new to diving, you will benefit from the class, but you should wait until you have at least decent buyoancy and air consumption. Diving with an instructor or experienced buddy in a smaller group would be a more effective way to get a handle on these skills and you will get more out of the class if you don't have to focus exclusively on these things.

-If you're more experienced and have already gotten comfortable doing the things the class is designed to teach (deep, night, navigation, etc.), you might benefit from the class, but should try to get into a class with divers of similar experience. My instructor was an excellent diver, and doubtless could have taught me quite a bit were he not otherwise occupied.

-No matter what, it's a good excuse to get out and dive. Even though our actual dives were not the best, I had a great time taking the class. I got to know a few potential dive buddies and also got to know the staff at my local dive shop better.

At the end of the day, I'm glad I have the card just in case a dive shop requires it to dive at night or beyond 60'. Plus, I'm sure this AOW card is going to be an absolute chick magnet.

If anyone else has any thoughts on this, please feel free to weigh in.

 

[ScubyDoo]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Too many divers take the AOW class too soon after being certified. Many arent knowledgeable about local diving spots, or dont have boats they can dive from.....and take AOW just to get back in the water. We all know how addictive diving can be, especially in the first year.

My sister just took her AOW classroom/pool portions, and buddied with a woman who just finished her OW cert dives 2 weeks earlier!!! My sister has been diving with me for over 2 years, and has been diving in all kinds of conditions. O vis lake treasure dives, deep wreck dives in the Bahamas, Drift and Wall dives in Cozumel, etc., and she's buddied with someone whose never done a non-training OW dive!!!

I do think the PADI AOW program is a good program which can provide the extra skills needed for divers who are really active divers. I also think the term "Advanced" is subjective. Obviously there are people who earn the AOW cert., who are absolutely horrible divers. I think there are OW divers like my sis who are far more "advanced" than many AOW divers. I think PADI could better organize thier system such that the pre-requisites for taking AOW require more than they currently do. I think 25 logged dives should be a minimum..

My sister aced the class with no problem, due in no small part to the fact that she has 30+ logged dives in all kinds of conditions. She has her buoyancy under control, her confidence, she's been deep (past 60 ft.) many times, she's dove salt water, dove wrecks, reefs, etc. She's ready for AOW. Her AOW buddy on the other hand has never dove salt water, never dove without an instructor or divemaster mirroring her, never dove past 50 feet, never dove salt water, has poor buoyancy skills, etc. Which is not to say she isnt capable...She may very well be...but I think that you cant assume capability. It should be proven.

Gosh...Im starting to sound like the tech divers....All criticism all the time.
It must be bedtime...Yep! Im out!



The

 

[del_mo]

I've notice some dive operaters will require an AOW card to be taken on some dives. Or you can hire a guide. I suppose a thick log might overcome this requirement with some operators.

 

[AevnsGrandpa]

I've been diving for 2 years now and have about 25 dives. I would like to take the AOW class, but up to this point $$ have been the problem.

Thanks for the input from your taking the class DOH, I agree whole heartly. PADI should put a prerequist (sp?) on taking the class.

Hopefully this summer I get the class in and have my wonderful little card. The chick magnet part won;t work for me, been married too long!

Jeff

 

[Rick Inman]

In many cases, PADI AOW is a pre-tax for Rescue.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Things started out promisingly enough. Our first dive was to be our "deep" dive. Our instructor seemed sharp and competent. We got a detailed briefing on the boat. We were going to descend to 80', do a simple timed test to see whether we were narked (we'd do the same test on the surface later and compare how long it took to complete) and tour around a bit.

My buddy and I were the first to descend down the anchor line. We got to the bottom and waited... and waited... Finally, the rest of the class arrived with the instructor. (Apparently, a couple of them had trouble descending, equalizing, not corking uncontrollably to the surface, etc.) We waited a few more minutes for them to get situated and join our ultra-useful-in-the-real-world on your knees in a circle formation. One person did the narcosis test and... oh no one of the late arrivals is down to 1,000 psi already! Time to ascend.

A good illustration of how redisulouse it is to try to do deep dives without having developed some proficiency in the basics first. Some of those divers could have been right out of OW class and on their 5th lifetime dive.

Some instructors do the deep dive first to make the scheduling more convenient but it makes a lot more sense to work on skills shallow first. In tha last few years I've heard seen and heard of too many divers getting hurt on AOW deep dives...just read about another one thismorning in fact.

I'd also point out that supervision on the deep dive is required by standards so if you and your buddy were alone at depth it's a violation of training standards.

Lessons learned so far: being an instructor must be very stressful.

I won't go into detail about the other four dives, but they were similar. The instructor definitely did his best to make the class worthwhile, but he had to devote most of his attention to the newer divers and didn't really have much time to teach the rest of us.

If you ask me, instructors create these problems for themselves. I would have went home after the first cluster...I mean dive...and asked for a refund.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Thanks for the input from your taking the class DOH, I agree whole heartly. PADI should put a prerequist (sp?) on taking the class.


Jeff

the do put a prerequisit on it. the prereq is OW. PADI encourages students to go directly from OW to AOW (the sooner the better) and instructors to sell it that way.

 

[boomx5]

As usual, I agree with your comments Mike. I have an AOW card in my wallet that's been there for 3 years and still never have needed it. IMHO, the AOW class is a total waste of time and money.

 

[Dive Junky]

There are many diffrent opinions about the advanced class. The idea is to take it relatively soon after your basic class. Unfortunately the name of the class itself is deceiving. Diving in the NE Atlantic it is almost a must. Conditions are such that it is almost a necessity.
At our shop it is also a prerequisite for rescue, along with wreck, master diver and leadership classes.

I feel Mike is correct about the way your class was set up. Your deep dive really shoud have been one of your last. Not only does an instructor have a better feel for the class in general, but you as an individual diver. We always seperate our class into those needing a little more help from the "naturals".

Keep in mind also that for you who are more comfortable in the water you will always have to "suffer" in a sense with those not quite sure of themselves. Don't let that discourage you. Remember those divers I am sure appreciate your patience and mentoring as a new diver.

 

[Corigan]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Too many divers take the AOW class too soon after being certified.

Here here. I definately think you also hit the nail on the head. This weekend I was out diving with a buddy. We came up from a pretty nice night dive (got to love those hr long night dives) and noticed some other divers coming up behind us. So we got out and chatted with them. One was an instructor and one was a student. The student had just been certified. From what I gathered he had just finished his OW cert dives earlier in the day. I gave the student a standard, "Congrats, welcome to the club." Then the instructor tells me he is now working on his AOW. Of course he is, he's doing a night dive. So this student basically finished his OW, and then was doing his AOW right after it. I did notice the student atleast looking at his AOW book earlier in the day while I was waiting on my nitrox fill. I don't know how well off this student was in the water or not. I do know he was there 1 on 1 with an instructor though. The instructor also looked pretty competant as he had setup entry/exit lights like you would on a shore dive. He had gone to measures to apparently make the students AOW a decent learning experience. He did this not out of neccessity (could have found the exit docks with no lights), but to show the student an example of entry/exit lights. I still thought to myself that it was too soon to be out doing your AOW right after OW. I was also wondering what the exact regulations where about teaching AOW right after OW. I did see the student looking at an adventures to diving book, so he was definately PADI.

Matt