What really is an "Advanced Open Water" diver?

[Lorenzoid]

My DAN insurance has no depth limits.

The only time I saw a policy with depth limits, the limits of the policy were clear--130 feet. No guesswork involved.

I was recently looking at travel/medical policies, and at least one that I recall excluded coverage for scuba diving deeper than 60 feet. It also said something about the presence of an instructor--maybe it was deeper than 60 feet without an instructor present. In any case, it caught my attention. I don't care about that aspect of the policy because I have DAN insurance. But people really do need to read the fine print.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I was recently looking at travel/medical policies, and at least one that I recall excluded coverage for scuba diving deeper than 60 feet. It also said something about the presence of an instructor--maybe it was deeper than 60 feet without an instructor present. In any case, it caught my attention. I don't care about that aspect of the policy because I have DAN insurance. But people really do need to read the fine print.

I dived the Zenobia 6 years back, one of the other divers with 500+ dives took a small bend - Only after he'd had 2 runs through the chamber and an overnight stay in accommodation did he find out that the dive insurance issues by the holiday company only covered him to 18m. His computer showed 22m. He ended up with a $30k bill

I use that story to reinforce reading the small print on any type of insurance, since the time you need it isn't the time to find out you have no cover

 

[Wibble]

I dived the Zenobia 6 years back, one of the other divers with 500+ dives took a small bend - Only after he'd had 2 runs through the chamber and an overnight stay in accommodation did he find out that the dive insurance issues by the holiday company only covered him to 18m. His computer showed 22m. He ended up with a $30k bill

I use that story to reinforce reading the small print on any type of insurance, since the time you need it isn't the time to find out you have no cover

Seems the answer is Dan Silver.

 

[Searcaigh]

I wouldn't dive to 40m without taking into account some deco obligation as I wouldn't be going to that depth without a reason i.e. to photograph something in particular and that would definitely involve going past the NDL.

What seems to be missing in the AOW is gas planning. My first PADI experience on that subject was with the Self Reliant Diver course but it may be in the PADI Deep Diver course, I don't know.

 

[Wibble]

I wouldn't dive to 40m without taking into account some deco obligation as I wouldn't be going to that depth without a reason i.e. to photograph something in particular and that would definitely involve going past the NDL.

What seems to be missing in the AOW is gas planing. My first PADI experience on that subject was with the Self Reliant Diver course but it may be in the PADI Deep Diver course, I don't know.

The point of PADI is it's recreational diving and thus has to be planned within the RDP to 40m/130' (8 minutes bottom time). No gas planning required -- unless you're using Nitrox and they've got a course for that.

Maybe PADI will flog you their Tec40 course for a bit of gas planning. Hopefully it'll be delivered by an experienced technical diver, not just a professional OW instructor who's only technical dives are on the TecNN courses.
(Yes, there's some experienced technical instructors who may teach it. However I've had it "offered" to me by too many instructors who are clearly only recreational divers)

 

[Diving Dubai]

Seems the answer is Dan Silver.

Remember DAN isn't universal with its coverage T&C's.

I get DAN via Europe, so yes DAN (I'm Sport Pro now but used to be silver), But DAN brought in other regions has different T&C's because of their insurance providers/underwriters.

Thus one should never assume that DAN US or ASIA has the same T&C's as DAN EMEA..

 

[Wibble]

Remember DAN isn't universal with its coverage T&C I get DAN via Europe, so yes DAN (I'm Sport Pro now but used to be silver) But DAN brought in other regions has different T&C's because of their insurance providers/underwriters. Thus one should never assume that DAN US or ASIA has the same T&C's as DAN EMEA..

Thank you for pointing that out. V.important.

 

[Searcaigh]

Maybe PADI will flog you their Tec40 course for a bit of gas planning. Hopefully it'll be delivered by an experienced technical diver, not just a professional OW instructor who's only technical dives are on the TecNN courses.

Ha ha yes I do believe that there are some PADI instructors in my locale who are definitely not "real" tech instructors

I went IANTD and was more than tech trained anyway before I ever did my first PADI course

That being said, it would seem logical to me for people to be educated in gas consumption when doing deeper than 20-30m dives.

 

[Nitrox_DiverNY]

Great explanation!! @lowwall

 

[AdivingBel]

I was recently looking at travel/medical policies, and at least one that I recall excluded coverage for scuba diving deeper than 60 feet. It also said something about the presence of an instructor--maybe it was deeper than 60 feet without an instructor present.

I've seen that same wording referencing non-certified divers, i.e. DSDs. In the same policy it referenced 130 ft. for certified divers. Certainly not all policies are the same.