How soon to take AOW after OW?

[TheHuth]

Yup, thats the place.

 

[seeker242]

This is one of the primary reasons I hear for taking the class from AOW students. It's also the one that gives me the most pause when interviewing them.

What is at 100 ft that you have to get to so fast? I do understand it to a point. That was my main motivation early on. Looking back it was not a wise one as I truly did not understand the increased risks with doing this.

I see this said A LOT but are people really going to 100' all the time as soon as they get a card, and thinking it's perfectly safe? I have 16 dives and my motivation is the same as the OP. However, just because someone has the card does not mean they are rushing into anything or being stupid.

 

[Bob DBF]

I believe that california is a taxi state when it comes to diving. Once you hit the water you are not their problem. Other states are not taxi states and they are responsible for you till you dock again.

What would make the CA boats less responsible? I don't see how say requiring an AOW certification is more responsible than requiring an OW certification. Other than that, how do they monitor your dive profile to make them more responsible.

The CA boats are not in charge of your dive profile, however they give dive briefings, check you off and on of the boat, and make assists and rescues if necessary. They require an OW certification and Nitrox certifications, if you want Nitrox, they expect divers to know their limits and act accordingly. I've had a friend DM aboard ask me to dive with a novice buddy team because they were so nervous, he didn't want them to have a bad dive, and they didn't have an "extra" DM aboard.


Bob

 

[Bob DBF]

@TheHuth For the record, none of the agencies require AOW as a prerequisite for Rescue diver anymore (if they ever did). Some shops will tell you they do but that is bad information.

Looks like PADI changed in the last year, now it does show the prerequisite of the Navigation adventure dive for junior OW divers. Earlier they required Nav and, as I remember, another adventure dive I can't recall now, if a diver did not have AOW. So AOW was not required, but some skills were, I looked this up on their site earlier last year to answer a similar question.


Bob

 

[boulderjohn]

I believe that california is a taxi state when it comes to diving. Once you hit the water you are not their problem. Other states are not taxi states and they are responsible for you till you dock again.

Then how do you explain this?

 

[TMHeimer]

I see this said A LOT but are people really going to 100' all the time as soon as they get a card, and thinking it's perfectly safe? I have 16 dives and my motivation is the same as the OP. However, just because someone has the card does not mean they are rushing into anything or being stupid.

Makes me think of an old discussion about boats requiring the AOW card for dives below 60' having to do with insurance, lawsuits, etc. I wonder what difference it really makes legally if someone has an accident at 100' who has AOW as opposed to someone else who doesn't. I know anyone can sue for any reason and each case is judged separately, but I wonder if the card makes much of a difference. Perhaps a lawyer can give some insight?

 

[TheHuth]

Bob, can you link the information you found about the requirements for Rescue Diver?

 

[Frosty]

Thehuth--Im gonna play devils advocate here. Have you considered there is another reason the folks at your LDS are pressuring you into doing your AOW?
I can think of a few non commercial reasons for this.
1)the "local" diving is mostly deeper than you are certified to be taken to
2) Local dive boats don't take OW divers.
3) They feel that where you plan to dive needs you to have more training
4) Your diving is demonstrably marginal and they really feel you NEED to be doing the AOW course.

I'm not saying any of my suggestions are correct but I'd be asking the question as to WHY they are pressuring you to take the next course

 

[TheHuth]

Unfortunately if I say no to those questions I will sound arrogant. Hardly something I can do with only 4 dives under my belt. So I'll avoid directly addressing the potential reasons you have listed. Instead I will say that the people who have made me feel pressured have never seen me dive. None of them were instructors of mine, nor spent any time with me. I felt this way at 3 different shops. Dives in this area are about half beach, half boat. So there really isnt much of a limitation per se on having the advanced open water certificate. In addition to feeling pressured to sign up for classes (more than just AOW) on the spot, I've also been pressured to buy top end gear on the spot.

But...again, I do plan to take AOW. This board seems very split on the efficacy of the AOW program. Regardless if it teaches you allot, it does a few things for me. Mostly gets 5 more dives under my belt under the care of an instructor, and puts me closer to working on rescue diver. Do I think I'll be a proficient diver after taking it? Lets just say I wont be planning to join the Navy SEALS when I'm done. Even if I was really good, I dont think I would personally feel like a competent diver until I had at least finished my Rescue Diver cert which requires 20 dives by itself before you begin.

 

[KeithG]

Mostly because it will be a pre-requisite to getting Rescue Diver. It also opens up my limits from 60 feet to 100.

Limits? There are no scuba police (most places). There are lawyers, insurance companies and richard cranium dive operators, but no scuba police. If you choose properly you can avoid all of the above (think a week of Bonaire...dive freedom)

There are regulations that apply to "classes" and limit what the instructor can do. Once in the water as a certified diver you can do pretty much anything you want. Including bounce dives to over 200 feet on a single al80 (see other thread)

If you view the need for AOW as merely a "diving ticket" then I claim you are diving in the wrong place / operator. They should be more worried about your true abilities as opposed to a tick box on a piece of paper.

If you think AOW will make you a better diver, then you will also be disappointed...