AOW as an experienced diver

[AfterDark]

Since I upgraded all my gear the past 2 years and can't go to NC this year I pulled the trigger and started a PADI AOW class Tuesday. We went over the course and expected dives. I can’t believe I’m spending money for this just so I can do a charter once in a while. As I read the Adventures in diving manual something about it was familiar but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Later it came to me …the Boy Scouts! It’s like earning merit badges. Take this, this, this and that and become a master diver! Turns out I’ve been diving longer and have more logged dives than the instructor and the Divemaster in training combined!
The Nav and Search and Recovery dives sound boring. The cove where we’re going to do the skills is a mud / sand bottom. It’s probably easier to find an object, but not much to see.
The Night and Drift dives might be fun depending where we go.
The upside is ALL the dives are from a BOAT! I like diving from a boat!

 

[bryce1993]

My AOW course was full of people who had only just completed OW.
Need I say more? Lol.
I hope it goes smoothly...

 

[ajduplessis]

You have done more than a 1000 dives and never been on a charter?

 

[Insta-Gator]

I had over 100 dives when I took the AOW course. Already had Nitrox cert.

While all education is of some value, I had to shake my head and wonder why I paid so much money for so little instruction. Seems to me the dive industry is trying to sell us a box of cookies one at a time.

Experience trumps the classroom. But if charters are setting the bar at AOW or better to get on the boat ... well

 

[DevonDiver]

It'd stretch an instructors' imagination to run an interesting and beneficial AOW course for a diver who'd already logged 1000+ dives... that said, it could be done.

What I like about the AOW course is that it is so flexible - the perfect vehicle for adaptation for the individual diver's needs and interests... and catalyst for development.

What I hate about the AOW course is that so many instructors don't engage any initiative when running the course - thus turning it into the most boring, stagnant and uninspiring training around.

 

[AfterDark]

You have done more than a 1000 dives and never been on a charter?

I have but not every one I'd like to go on. Damn slip and fall lawyers.

---------- Post added April 25th, 2012 at 06:16 AM ----------

It'd stretch an instructors' imagination to run an interesting and beneficial AOW course for a diver who'd already logged 1000+ dives... that said, it could be done.

What I like about the AOW course is that it is so flexible - the perfect vehicle for adaptation for the individual diver's needs and interests... and catalyst for development.

What I hate about the AOW course is that so many instructors don't engage any initiative when running the course - thus turning it into the most boring, stagnant and uninspiring training around.

That would almost need to be a private course.

 

[DevonDiver]

That would almost need to be a private course.

Yep... but when you've already got significant experience, that's where you'll find the value.

The same's true of many courses - as you progress in experience and/or seek a high value yield on training, then your specific needs become more refined.... and have to be addressed in an equally refined manner.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

All of my AOW courses are taught as private or semi private. No more than 2 students at a time. And even though the dives are set for experienced divers I just ramp up the task loading and skill level I expect to see them perform at accordingly. One couple had already done the UWNav course with me. So the AOW Nav dive was more of a "final exam" for them. I did not take it easy on them. Required em to use compass, natural, line and reel, and final leg was over 200yds with compass only and no other visual references at all in 10-15ft vis.

Correct that. They did have each other, the compasses, and their depth gauges for reference.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[rhwestfall]

Seems you need to find a different instructor to make it a valuable experience. As DevonD said, maybe a private training session - take a mini-vacation, and go visit Lapenta, I'd bet he could challenge you.... Otherwise, grin and bear it. You will now have the card to keep the lawyers from prohibiting some of your fun....

Have some fun with it, and be a good buddy for the newer divers.


edit - Jim types faster......

 

[miketsp]

My wife and I each had 50+ very varied dives each when we did our AOW with a very experienced tech/cave diver trained instructor.
I have an engineering background and had prior experience using sub-contracted diving teams to execute projects.
The result was a very interesting course where we concentrated on techniques, equipment and knowledge gaps.
Worth every cent.
However I'm sure it would have been a very frustrating experience if we'd had a less experienced instructor and had just been part of a larger group.