Aow=bs

[wreckchick]

I had a student who insisted the reason wetsuits are black is to keep you warm. He also believed that you stayed warm in a wetsuit because of a thin layer of water between you and the suit.

This is, of course, completely off-topic, however, this isn't entirely untrue. There is a thin layer of water between the suit and your body which your body heats up and the thickness of the suit prevents heat loss. This would be why it is imperative to have a well-fitting suit so that the warm water isn't accidentally flushed causing you to have to reheat a new layer of water.

Rachel

 

[Sas]

From Wikipedia

"Wetsuits help to preserve body heat by trapping a layer of water against the skin; this water is consequently warmed by body heat and acts as an insulator."

It also states this on a number of other websites I just read... so I am wondering in what way was your student incorrect? (Obviously the black wetsuit bit was incorrect ;p)

 

[Garrobo]

There are several of you who mentioned about my 100+ dives and TWO YEARS experience. As a matter of fact the first time I hit the water in the pool I knew that I had found a new home. Never had any MAJOR problems with buoyancy, weighting, finning technique, etc. I did use a little too much air at first but I conquered that problem quite smartly and in short order. But otherwise I took to diving like the proverbial duck did to water. My instructors and most of the dive ops who I am in contact with have stated that they were pretty much flabbergasted at the rapidity with which I learned the correct procedures of diving and the progression of my experience and that I surely had dived more in the past than I actually admitted to. One of you asked if I had taken the AOW "course" and the answer is NO. I contacted one of the posters on this forum about it and talked to an instructor who told me that the next time I got to the Keys that she would take care of it for me. When it came right down to it she told me that it was a waste of money in my case and didn't recommend that I go forward with it since it wouldn't benefit me in the least considering the type of diving I anticipated doing which is warm water reef and wreck diving. So I saved the money and will use it for an airlines ticket to South Florida or the Keys next month. Me arrogant? I suppose so.

 

[Sas]

Me arrogant? I suppose so.

Well at least you recognise your character flaws.

How about next time in future you use your AMAZING diving skills to help other people like the guy on the boat to be a better diver huh?

 

[tedtim]

Additional Open Water...

That's brilliant, and absolutely true in many cases.

Sounds great, but from a marketing perspective it makes it sound like someone who has taken OW did not receive the minimal training requried to dive. Maybe true, but a marketer's nightmare.

No matter what the name is, I think that there will be folks who would not agree with what it means or represents.

 

[Web Monkey]

:no Just came back from the Keys and was on the boat with a guy who had an AOW card. He had logged 25 dives up to then, mostly in springs and a couple of cave dives. Wore a 5mm Farmer John and 5mm shorty in Keys water. (You can figure the lead he carried.) Had trouble hooking up his regs correctly, couldn't figure out the giant stride, had a hell of a time getting his BC on and fins off and onto the boat. NO buoyancy control. Puked after both dives. Swam with his arms mostly and used up air like a steam engine. So much for the AOW rating in this particular case..

I wear a 5 mil full suit in the keys. What's the problem?

In any case, AOW is "Advanced Open Water" There's no expectation of perfection (or even an exceptional level of competence).

Terry

 

[wreckchick]

There is no person who feels a greater sense of satisfaction than the one who has had to overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. I hope that one day the diver you saw has that.

R

 

[Diver Dennis]

I think you would be getting a whole different type of response if you had tried to help the guy and he refused. But...

 

[Dive Junky]

Please, please, please don't tell me there are that many of us out there that don't know how a wetsuit works! Perhaps it isn't AOW that some of us should be taking. Basic class anyone??

 

[texdiveguy]

There are several of you who mentioned about my 100+ dives and TWO YEARS experience. As a matter of fact the first time I hit the water in the pool I knew that I had found a new home. Never had any MAJOR problems with buoyancy, weighting, finning technique, etc. I did use a little too much air at first but I conquered that problem quite smartly and in short order. But otherwise I took to diving like the proverbial duck did to water. My instructors and most of the dive ops who I am in contact with have stated that they were pretty much flabbergasted at the rapidity with which I learned the correct procedures of diving and the progression of my experience and that I surely had dived more in the past than I actually admitted to. One of you asked if I had taken the AOW "course" and the answer is NO. I contacted one of the posters on this forum about it and talked to an instructor who told me that the next time I got to the Keys that she would take care of it for me. When it came right down to it she told me that it was a waste of money in my case and didn't recommend that I go forward with it since it wouldn't benefit me in the least considering the type of diving I anticipated doing which is warm water reef and wreck diving. So I saved the money and will use it for an airlines ticket to South Florida or the Keys next month. Me arrogant? I suppose so.

I have to disagree with you regarding your general take on AOW programs as a whole. I believe that they are a good thing when well taught and not just approached as just a quick buck sale. I know of several great divers that only have O/W cards and have been diving for sometime....nothing wrong there either. But the AOW programs are just another stepping stone for one who is interested in continueing ed in this sport. It is a fact that many dive ops do in fact want that AOW as a minimum cert. level to be allowed to dive with their outfit,,,,and I think this is a good thing. I have know clue as to the story behind this diver you described in your original post, we all have issues to one degree or another and we all have dive days and outings that are not the best. Everyone has to start somewhere in scuba diving and just maybe this particular diver was just still in the basic learning curve? I know I still learn things from observing//asking and study-practice....always something new in our sport to benefit from. Hope your money you are saving gets you to south Florida for some diving....just keep an open mind if possible when it comes to furthing your education and skills in diving, I am guessing you still have room for improvement just like the rest of us.