specialities and AOW

[Conor]

I was trying to decide between doing some PADI speciality courses and doing an AOW and was wondering how they are combined.

If I complete 5 spec courses (including deep and navigation) does that mean that you are at AOW level ? what else would be required.

Alternatively if you do the AOW course do you still have to do the same number of dives to get the speciality certs ? or are the dives you done for the AOW subtracted from them ?

I want to indulge myself on an upcoming holiday and learn lots of new skills through lots of diving

Thanks in advance

Conor

 

[MikeFerrara]

Each dive from th AOW class is the first dive from that specialty. After completing one of these dives (including the knowlege review, log ect. you can receive credit for the having completed the first dive for that specialty. The AOW cert requires the completion of the deep and nav dives.

If the specialy is completed prior to doing AOW the first dive of the class can be credited toward AOW. However some specialties require AOW or the Adventure diver cert (three of the five dives)as a prerequisit.

 

[Conor]

Cool, in that case I think I know what would like to do, would the following work ?

Do 3 full specialities (Nav, PBB and multilevel), then do the first dives in Deep and night to complete the AOW followed by the remaining dives for the specialities

Do you think a school would let me do it this way ? I'll most likely be starting this on Malta.

Thanks

Conor

 

[ppo2_diver]

You should be able to do this. I haven't gotten my AOW yet, but I've got the Underwater Nav and Boat Dive certifications. I'll get two more certifications, then take the deep dive for my AOW. I'm a believer that just because someone takes the AOW, doesn't mean they are advanced. I would rather remain a "newbie" and take the specialties that I would enjoy than jumping right into AOW. I've meet a lot of people who go right to the AOW from OW without ever making one non-course related dive. Just my two cents.

 

[Conor]

I see your point, my feeling was that if I done the AOW straight away then I might never finish off those specialities and so never learn all the required skills. At the same time I know that my next time in the water I'd like to get my bouyancy sorted, and start developing my general skills, combined with some non-course related diving.

Thanks

 

[Jonathan]

I don't see any reason why you can't do it your way conor - as long as the AOW is "completed" before the Deep Course as there are certain specialities like Deep you can't do until you have completed AOW.

Any dives done on the AOW may count towards your speciality. Notice the word "may" - if you do it with the same instructor/school it porbably will but otherwise there is no guarentee.

Ultimately though the best thing is experience - get out diving!

have fun
Jonathan

 

[SubMariner]

Any dives done on the AOW may count towards your speciality. Notice the word "may" - if you do it with the same instructor/school it porbably will but otherwise there is no guarentee.

Sorry, incorrect.

As long as the dives are properly documented, the dives count towards the appropriate Specialty, regardless of who the Instructor is teaching the subsequent course.

This is why it's important to log the dives & have them properly signed off on by the supervising Instructor. For example, in the PADI logbooks there are specific log pages to fill out that show exactly which dives were completed, etc.

~SubMariner~