Wait to take advanced open water? Or not?

[Land Fish]

I got my AOW after getting turned down by a boat trip while I was on holiday earlier this year, and I had about 20 dives since OW back then. From logistic point of view, AOW simply made life easier when I went on a dive trip a few months ago.

I think it's really up to you and what you need in order to enjoy diving. Have fun either way

 

[Nasser]

At OW you are still trying to get a grip on a lot of issues that you have learnt. I would wait for at least 20 dives before I bother myself with deep diving, underwater navigation and those other "specialties." At OW level I would do a the next 20 dives as my OW practice dives in which I focus on:

1. Slow and controlled ascents and descents
2. Propulsion techniques and basic feel of buoyancy
3. Buddy diving. We never pay attention to it as a "skill" and that is why when people jump in the buddy system collapses and everyone goes their own way. I would try to do my next 20 dives where I am pretty much shadowing my buddy.

Once I have a handle on the above, only then I will proceed to advanced open water. Dont let the saleseman at the LDS convince you that you are ready for their next product. When you are ready for your AOW you will know it yourself. You will not have to ask anyone if you are ready or not.

^^^ This ^^^

 

[chrisch]

AOW is not a requirement for PADI Rescue or any of the other agencies. A lot of shops for some reason have it as a prerequisite but according to the parent agencies it is not.

https://www.padi.com/elearning-scuba-registration/html/Rescue.htm

"You need to be at least 12 years old, certified to beyond entry-level with proof of underwater navigation training, such as PADI Adventure Diver with the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive completed," (My bold)

So strictly speaking you are correct but the diver needs to do navigation so might as well do the AOW.

Nevertheless an interesting point of pedantry which I didn't know - thank you!

 

[tbone1004]

Alot of older guys said the OW course back then was more like the OW+Adv+ a little bit of rescue of today (and it was better back then)... so why not do ow and advanced without trying to get dives in between?
More instructor time upfront wouldn't hurt (assuming at least an ok instructor)...

my first 9 dives were ow + aow... treated it as one big class with lots of face time with the instructor... worked out pretty good for us

that is still true in some places. Our OW is very intense, but the OW dives themselves are
1. skills checklist for NAUI
2. reciprocal navigation, followed by 4 different rescue tows
3. buddy team navigation course, followed by UW rescue
4. same as 3 just switching places

I have see no need to wait to go to AOW if you are comfortable in the water, I just think AOW is there because the agencies wanted to make more money, and you do that by watering down the OW class to get more people into it because it's easier, then you get to charge basically the same amount of money as OW to take AOW and you're not actually teaching them all that much, they're just getting the in water time they should have had in OW in the first place. The problem is most instructors suck, both as educators and as divers, so are you really getting your moneys worth with AOW from any old PADI shop? The answer is a resounding no. There are exceptions to the rule, but they are very much exceptions. Best way to fix this if you actually want to be a good diver, is to get your butt whipped in Fundies or a similar course *They do exist from other instructors with other agencies, but that is the only one with guaranteed instruction quality*, and then you can realize how much a waste of money AOW would have been from reading course reviews.

 

[Neilwood]

With this often discussed topic, there are two approaches. One is just take AOW immediately. The other is wait a while. The pros and cons of getting AOW have been mentioned. Of course a big pro is dive ops letting you go deeper than 60'. My thought is do it when you are comfortable with your equipment and have decent buoyancy. There are other things you must do in AOW, such as a lot of compass stuff with the required Nav dive and lift bag stuff and search patterns should you do the Search & Recovery dive. You want to be a comfortable diver when adding these tasks. In my case, I felt pretty good after OW, perhaps because of 40 years of snorkeling. Learning to put the kit together was perhaps my biggest challenge... Then there is logistics--when is it offered, what specialty dives, and when will the next course be if you pass on this one? For me, after two post OW dives, it was the only way I would get out on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico before we left for another year (guess I could've passed on it and taken AOW back home). Worked fine for me. Depends on the diver, and it seems you are ready from what you say. Then, as suggested, after a few more dives, consider Rescue.

This is the one reason I haven't signed up for AOW yet. I am in the process of buying my kit and a lot of it will be significantly different to that which I certified in or have dived in up to now.

The differences mount up such as BP&W as opposed to jacket BCD, drysuit with integral boots as opposed to 7mm wetsuit + booties, Apeks RK3 fins as opposed to Aqualung Xshot (to suit the XXL foot pocket I need now for the integrated boots), weight belt as opposed to harness etc. Certainly enough differences to significantly task load me for a few dives

So I plan on a few check out dives to make sure my weighting and comfort in the gear is there before I start adding additional task loading such as navigation, S&R etc

 

[fjpatrum]

https://www.padi.com/elearning-scuba-registration/html/Rescue.htm

"You need to be at least 12 years old, certified to beyond entry-level with proof of underwater navigation training, such as PADI Adventure Diver with the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive completed," (My bold)

So strictly speaking you are correct but the diver needs to do navigation so might as well do the AOW.

Nevertheless an interesting point of pedantry which I didn't know - thank you!

If you take a navigation course, you're qualified. All the shops around me also allow you to take it if you have at least 20 dives, which used to be the requirement, as I understood it. I honestly didn't notice that it requires the navigation, but it makes sense. Navigation is heavily used in underwater search procedures.

 

[IVC]

I am taking AOW next week, after recently getting my OW on vacation and 3 more dives on a local boat. Here is my reasoning without the benefit of the hindsight that many other posters have.

AOW is a good way to get to know people at LDS, get to know other divers and find local buddies that see the buddy system the same way you do. It is also a good way to get someone to dive with you who will adhere to the safety principles, which in turn will give you a much safer learning environment to work out some details. Finally, doing a few "adventure dives" clearly doesn't make you qualified in any way, but it does expose you to different types of diving and gives you an idea whether you like it or not, so you can sign up and take additional courses to learn more about areas that interest you. It also gives you the basic information and understanding of additional risks, so even if you are not proficient in mitigating those risks, you are at least aware of them. Those are all positives to me.

To me it makes little sense to wait for AOW. If I keep diving, using compass and going deep, I'll end up having gone through the AOW curriculum by myself and without an instructor. At that time there is little add on value in getting through the AOW course, yet I wasn't with an instructor while I was learning. If I went that route, I'd just skip AOW and go directly for the specialties that interest me. So, I'll use AOW as a way to get more dives with an instructor, I'll have the ability to ask and work on any OW issues and at the end the instructor will know much more about me (my OW was on vacation with different shop) so he'll be able to recommend future training, as well as helping me connect with a correct local buddy.

On my post-OW dive I was on a large boat and the lack of adherence to safety protocols by the individual divers was somewhat troubling. Sure there is all that "they are so good they don't need buddy check," etc., but I just don't buy into it. If experienced tech divers do it, I don't see a reason I should skip it. Diving with an instructor will take care of that.

 

[TMHeimer]

IVC, you make some good points. Buddy checks is an entirely other thread. They vary as to how close to the "official" one you learn--ei. two buddies together for a long time most likely will do a very trimmed down check. Then there was the time I was the only non-pro on a boat of instructors and divemasters when nothing at all was done. I rarely see "official" buddy checks other than in OW courses. Too bad.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Unless you have really good mentors to take you diving and that you trust, take the AOW or continuing ed. ASAP. Your initial dives during certification and just afterward, are much, much more dangerous for you. It is better for you to get through this period while in some competent hands. That's my logic..

Plus the course itself is probably not that great anyway and to do many recreational charters, you may need the (advanced) certification ... so just take the course.

 

[CT-Rich]

If you want to dive, money isn't a huge issue and are interested in learning more, or getting more time with an instructor. Take the course.

We can give you a hundred reasons to wait, a thousand why you should skip it (this is the Internet) and go to Fundies, but at the end of the day if you enjoy it, get something out of it...... go for it. There is no law that says you should or shouldn't. But I have seldom heard people complain about having too much training. You might avoid some bad habits and reinforce some good ones. Diving is about having a good time on/in the water. Some people want to be DIR, GUE or cave ninjas. But you can decide as you go. As for buying your gear still, you might learn something that will help you make gear decisions you won't regret. A lot of instructor will probably borrow you gear to try out during the course for no extra charge ( they can smell the sales to students). The meat and potatoes of the LDS is building a relationship with you. Take the course, have fun.