Should I go into AOW right after completing OW???

[Superheat]

I am in the middle of my OW class and was just wondering if it is a good idea to go right into the AOW class right after this or should I wait? Anyone have any advice???

I would definitely go for AOW asap while perfecting your already acquired skills, the reason being that as an AOW trainee you will be exposed to deep diving, bouyancy and navigation all of which are almost a necessity if you plan to dive in the ocean off of a dive boat. I do believe that as an OW diver you are limited to a recommended 60ft (as per PADI), which is hardly deep enough for open ocean diving, especially wrecks although many reefs are within your range. This is of course assuming that this is where your interests lie. The AOW course will greatly improve your skills and is worth the investment.

 

[jbd]

100% go for it. It will keep you with an instructor and build your confidence. Absolutely, absolutely go for it!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great time, but be really, really safe!!!!

SWT

I disagree with this. If a person still needs to be with an instructor after certification than they aren't ready to be certified IMHO. As to the issue of learning bouyancy in the AOW class mentioned by another respondent--I don't teach it then. Bouyancy control should have been taught and learned in the OW course. Also the basics of using a compass should have been learned in OW.

In my advanced class I expect the client to be able to dive and to plan a safe and proper dive including gas management. If the client can't do this then they aren't ready to be AOW certified.

 

[diverbob]

To answer the orignal question, I tend to agree with most people here, and say get some experience first. If you want to take another class right after OW, I would recommend Nitrox. First of all, you are still in the habit of reading tables, and if you was still a little shaky with them, Nitrox class will help you go over them again. Secondly, if you are Nitrox certified, you can dive Nirox when you do your AOW, and get a little more bottom time when you do youe AOW dives.

 

[r37691]

If you were taught by a decent instructor, you should have all the basic skills down and be comfortable in the water with your gear, before getting your OW cert. Then moving on to AOW should be a natural progression. But, you need to honestly evaluate how comfortable you are with what you have been taught so far. AOW consists of five dives, usually navigation, search & recovery & night, one day. Then deep & a wreck dive the next day, with free time in between for your own dives. I look at as a guided introduction to new techniques & dive situations. Make the choice for yourself.
Just my opinion, Good Luck.
Bob

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would definitely go for AOW asap while perfecting your already acquired skills, the reason being that as an AOW trainee you will be exposed to deep diving, bouyancy and navigation all of which are almost a necessity if you plan to dive in the ocean off of a dive boat. I do believe that as an OW diver you are limited to a recommended 60ft (as per PADI), which is hardly deep enough for open ocean diving, especially wrecks although many reefs are within your range. This is of course assuming that this is where your interests lie. The AOW course will greatly improve your skills and is worth the investment.

I would recommend avoiding AOW right after OW for pretty much the same reasons.

You should have been introduced to buoyancy and navigation in your OW class. You should then confine yourself to relatively shallow dives while you work on becoming comfortable with those skills.

AOW, in and of itself, will not extend your safe diving range. But experience, coupled with the training, can. You should get that experience first ... in ways that do not exceed your OW training ... before moving on to the next level.

Taking AOW too soon after OW often results in rehashing OW skills rather than learning new ones ... and you come away feeling like you didn't learn anything. It's a theme you see discussed on this board over and over for just that reason. You need to give yourself a chance to work on the skills you already learned before moving to the next level ... at least if you are really interested in improving your skills, rather than simply getting a card that says you're allowed to dive under more varied conditions.

You also need to take AOW with an instructor who's teaching more than the minimum requirements for the class ... because, honestly, most agencies don't require a whole lot to be taught.

For my AOW class, I want to dive with my students first and ascertain that they have reached a minimal proficiency with the basics. If they have not, I will counsel them to gain more experience before taking the class ... otherwise they'll be spending too much time working on things they should have already covered in OW, rather than learning the new material I want to be teaching them.

Bottom line ... you'll get way more out of the AOW class if you're comfortable with the basics you learned in OW before you take it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[SquattingRadishDM]

100% agree Bob. Get comfortable with essentials like bouyancy and safe diving practises before taking on the extra pressure of having to do new skills and learn new things. AOW is not the time to practise the OW skills, if you do need practise on these take a "Scuba Review".

-Jack

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi,
This sparks strong comments. I see that lots of people disagree with me. But i'm not here to write strongly about my own feelings. I am doing my DM right now so i think i appreciate why lots of divers recommend divers to put dives under their belt.
I agree to a point that most divers should put dives under their belt to adjust the buoyancy, breathing, fear and not being at ease.
But on the other side, new divers should actually take on AOW as soon as possible. Firstly, the same instructor knows the students, weakness and can help correct the problems while giving them more confidence at the same time.
They are exposed to different types of dives which will make them more accustomed to diving in different conditions.
This forces the body and mind to readapt to the situation making them improve faster and more adaptable. Of course, it's up to the individual.
I don't expect people to be like me. But people would feel more safe diving with an instructor they are already familiar.

I'm glad i had my instructor who's a tech diver and he push me to do 2 deep dives during my AOW. I improved so much faster after that. So Skill building is important in the beginning and then the fun can be more appreaciated later on.

 

[diverbob]

There is no guarantee that you will get the same instructor for AOW as you had in OW. I know at my LDS, all the instructors have other jobs as well, and familys at home, and get away every weekend to do classes. Also, I think it is a good idea to dive with as many different people as you can. When you sign up for that big dive trip somewhere, and you tell them you are AOW, but only have 10 or 15 dives under your belt, your instructors most likely wont be making that trip with you, so you had better have a pretty good idea what your doing.