when to do AOW class?

[AliKat]

Because the AOW was further instruction. I did maybe 10 dives in-between and was about to just give it up when I ran into a great instructor. I had actually talked about re-doing the OW, but he said to do the advanced.

My OW instructor was a very young, very impatient guy. I learned what I was supposed to get certified, and knew what I was doing. But I was not comfortable. The extra instruction in the AOW gave me the comfort level I needed with myself.

 

[wheezy]

Wow... lot of different ideas here. I say it depends on the diver. I know people that have been diving as long as I've been alive that still dont have their advanced cert... but they are a heck of a lot better divers than I am... so

whatever...

If you have a DESIRE to learn more.. then go for it... OW license is after all a "License To Learn" (out of my NAUI guidebook)

AOW is very important in my opinion and should be taken when you feel ready to tackle navigation, night diving, deep diving, and some more advanced rescue techniques.

To each his/her own....

 

[The Chairman]

to mean "Additional", then we would have a better picture of what this is supposed to entail. Yes you do a night, a deep, and a navigation dive, but that is a good thing! You should learn in those sessions that there is more to it than just jumping into the soup and kicking on down. If the instructor has done their homework, your interest is whetted and you just can't wait to do more training.

5 dives for OW is not enough. Many instructors balk at doing more for the same price. This is a method to keep the student under the instructor's wing for a few extra dives. It further exposes the student to a good example, and gives the poor DI some more moolah for their efforts.

I reccomend to start with the AOW immediately upon finishing OW. The next weekend if at all possible.

 

[JustJules]

I believe that, if possible, you should get a few dives done with your OW cert before moving to AOW, mostly so that you have some comfort level with the simple tasks of diving before you move on to the heavier task loading of night dives, etc. in AOW.

I do think there are notable exceptions to this. Divers with experiences like Ali's, who feel they need additional help, can get refreshed in the basics while they are taking AOW. I don't know how the instructors on this board feel about that.... essentially, they would be reteaching some of the OW course as well as teaching the AOW information/skills. It's valuable to have available, though. I know a diver who came to my LDS from a poor OW instruction environment who actually asked on the dive boat, "What's a safety stop?" That kind of diver should have additional instruction available, and I don't think many divers are as realistic as Ali in that situation in considering actually retaking their OW class to get whatever they missed due to poor instruction originally.

On the other hand, I took AOW with a diver with had literally never been back in the water since her OW cert was completed. She had taken good instruction (had been in my OW class), but simply showed a lack of familiarity with her own gear, was not comfortable in the water, and had never addressed the fact that she was worse than legally blind without her glasses. I privately took the instructor aside and told him that as a diver with only 19 dives to my credit, I did not feel comfortable buddied up with an incompetent diver like that, especially not one who would be having to try all kinds of new things during the dives.

I guess, when it boils down to it, I feel like you need to get out and practice what you learn before you take on more information. How much you need to practice it is going to vary from diver to diver, but if the only experience you ever get in the water is what you get diving with your class, you won't get enough practice to ever be comfortable with the things you've learned.

Julie

 

[wheezy]

On the money DOC.... on the money....

Got my vote to change to "Additional" -

 

[bgonderi]

I agree with those that feel that AOW should wait until the diver feels fairly comfortable diving in the conditions they have been certified under. Depending on the individual, that might be after their final OW dive, or it might be after 20 dives. My wife and I are signed up to begin AOW in a few weeks. My primary reason for signing up for this class was to gain more dive training and experience. I also see it as a good opportunity to be observed by an instructor, and have any issues pointed out before they become ingrained habits. Of course, the final reason is that it gives me an excuse to get in the water!

 

[Choke]

Being a newbie to the whole diving thing, I have no problem with people doing the 2 together if they choose to do so.

Personally I'm happy to learn at a nice relaxed pace. I mean what's the rush? I know I'll get there eventually.

 

[Wendy]

Someone asked which I'd rather buddy up with, someone that is just ow and just follows others blindly or one that went ahead and did their AOW. I just don't dive with anyone. I have to know your skill level prior to the dive. I only cave dive with DIR buddies and usually ow dives as well unless I know you very well and you. So that question really doesn't pertain to me since I wouldn't put myslef in the situation you came up with.

 

[Starfish]

After completing my OW class I felt bearly competent to get back in to the water.
I took the time to do some local diving before heading to the Florida Keys on vacation.
Once I arrived at Key West, I interviewed dive shops until I found one that:

1) did NOT advocate diving past 60 feet
2) would get me a private DM for my first day out (well worth the dollars).

After my first 2 dives off a boat, under the supervision of a DM, I remained diving with the same shop, above 60 feet, and in little to no current.

Upon returning to home, I have gotten in more pool sessions to work on my bouyancy and familiarity with new equipement (bought regs, my own wetsuit, etc.) and some quarry diving before I headed off to Cozumel.

My first day at Cozumel was a slow and easy shore dive at less then 30 feet, and my first 2 dives off a boat, in a current were supervised with a private DM. I never would have gone below 60 feet if:

1) I didn't have a DM to watch my reaction to depth and
2) hadn't worked on my own skills since OW

Only now that I have 29 dives, do I feel that I have enough control over my diving to attempt night diving and the other skills for an AOW certification.

 

[alexeames]

Seems to me that with so many different opinions here, the fact that you can do AOW whenever you feel ready is about right

Some people obviously feel ready immediately after OW.

I fully agree that anyone who dives past their training limit is a fool