Aow=bs

[Belmont]

my opinion on AOW minimum 75-100 dives i know you cant verify it as anybody can modify their log but heck this is my view.

I would have quit diving if I had to wait that long before going forward in my formation.
It's not everyone who lives near easy diving.

I've logged 70 dives and done my intro cave last march.

Before that I took serious training and practise.

 

[Meng_Tze]

I find that since more and more operators ask for AOW before you can join the trip, more and more divers get AOW right after finishing OW.

 

[diver 85]

I don't think the issue is the dive number ... it's the training the he got (didn't get) in OW and his AOW classes
I and my buddy had far less dives than that and did not flounder around so

It's the number of dives, end of story..............

 

[Sas]

Poor guy, he has only done 25 dives and got sea sick, you need to give him a break Garrubo. He may be a great diver in other conditions but in my experience it is really hard to concentrate on getting your gear right when you are trying not to chuck. My first boat dive on my OW course was in really rough water and I was so sick (first and only time I have been seasick actually) I could barely stand. Took me a while to figure out how to put my octo in its holder and I got caught in the ladder when doing a giant stride as I was about to throw up through my regulator. All things I can do well when I am not incredibly ill! Two minutes under the water, I was feeling great so I am glad I listened to my instructor when he convinced me not to bail (would have been worse to stay on the boat for 40mins!). Some aren't so lucky and take a while to get over the seasickness though, like this guy. Anyway, if someone had posted about me after my screwy boat dive experience I would feel pretty bad! Did you talk to the guy about the issues he was having and offer advice? Just wondering as you haven't mentioned anything in your post.

Also, using one person as an example to have the title AOW=BS(or to make a generalisation about anything) is pushing it a bit. I mean, I think most people know AOW is a misnomer but some people who do it may learn a lot and others nothing, it isn't that much to do with the certification as it is the instructor imho. You can get AOW after 8 dives! Hardly 'Advanced'. I am only doing mine over the next few months as it will mean on charter boats I can do the 30m dives not cos I think it will make me an "advanced" diver! I think most people realise that...

 

[D_B]

It's the number of dives, end of story..............

Ok if you say so

 

[Jeff Toorish]

I think going directly from OW to AOW makes sense. It gives you more opportunity to work with an instructor to improve skills. Open water divers who do 50 or 100 dives right after OW may wind up spending a lot of time perfecting their mistakes. At least going quickly to the specialty courses that make up the AOW cert, there is more time diving with others who can help correct things.

It is a good idea to use a different instructor (or instructors) for the AOW specialties --that way you get some different perspectives.

Regarding the OP, I am a little confused about one thing --the original poster wrote that this guy had a couple of cave dives, which doesn't sound quite right.

Jeff

 

[berick]

How could he have a couple of cave dives? He obviously wasn't cave certified. Also, I think the key indicator is 25 dives and not the certification level.

Like all learning, a student will get out of an AOW course what they put into it. If someone is doing it just for the card, they'll do the minimum. If they're really trying to learn, they'll put a lot more effort into the course and get a lot more out it. I'm sure there are good examples of new AOWs with vastly improved diving skills (bouyance mainly) -- they just don't get the notice since they aren't annoying.

 

[Sas]

Like all learning, a student will get out of an AOW course what they put into it. If someone is doing it just for the card, they'll do the minimum. If they're really trying to learn, they'll put a lot more effort into the course and get a lot more out it.

I agree somewhat, but most stuff in an AOW you can get via just diving and having helpful buddies to give you advice rather than paying for the courses. Like my night diving course towards my AOW was all common sense, and it appears it will be the same for the next two I am doing for it - drift and navigation. So yea, I think the card is not really an indication of anything much, which the OP seems to think it is...

 

[berick]

I'll agree I don't think the card is worth much and it can all be learned with more diving -- enough to be comfortable in the water. However, a few more dives with supervision and "hopefully" some learning, can't be a bad thing (unless an inexperienced diver thinks they now have a skillset they don't because of the certification). Whether its worth the cost is another question.

 

[Joe-Diver]

..... was all common sense, and it appears it will be the same for the next two I am doing for it - drift and navigation......

If your Nav course is done well you should find it very rewarding if you have little exposure to compass navigation. We conduct it very thoroughly in limited visibility water, in combination with hard surface (towel over head) drills. It's one of the more difficult specialty classes.

Dive 3 is my favorite. We have 8 bottles with headings suspended at various depths throughout the area. Not only do you have to navigate to the bottle, but you have to hit the depth also....then on to the next at another depth. We encourage students to use the Nav Finder or slate for notes, because you must also draw the course after you finish. Nailing a bottle in mid water, can't see bottom or surface with vis in the 10' range, is not very easy for most.

You will "earn" Underwater Navigator from us.