Delay AOW?

[Penopolypants]

Also, all the LDS's I've talked to wouldn't even consider letting someone take OW in a drysuit. It would be yet another thing to pay attention to in an already task-loaded situation. It gets pretty chilly in the waters here in the Puget Sound as well and getting OW cert'ed in a 7mm wetsuit works just fine. Not saying there are no shops that will do it but personally I think it isn't a great idea to mix another variable into the situation.

I know of at least four shops in the area that do teach open water in a drysuit...I certified with one of them. I've never been diving in the Sound without a drysuit, and I'm never planning on it. It's cold!

Adding one more thing that you don't know how to do on top of not knowing anything else...well, it was just one more thing to learn, not an impossible task.

That being said, I am glad that I didn't jump straight into AOW from BOW. I took NWGratefuldiver's class, and it was really hard, in a good way. His class definitely goes above and beyond!

I had about 25 dives before I took his class that gave me time to fiddle fart around adjusting and whatnot. I still needed loads of help and advice (which I got), but I could focus on the skills outlined in the class better than I would have had I not had at least a little more experience.

Can you take a drysuit specialty course before your AOW, then get in some practice dives? Corking from any depth isn't fun or safe, but it seems to happen to most drysuit divers eventually, and learning to deal with it before you dive deep would be ideal.

What do you know about the accident where the student died? Was it student, equipment, or instructor error? Not to sound harsh, but people do die while diving. If you don't feel comfortable about the equipment or instructor, follow your instincts and don't dive with them. If the student had a heart attack after drinking all night the night before, and being seriously overweight, that's another story.

 

[HappyFunBoater]

That was good. I like the way you broke it down to diver (1) and diver (2). I made the mistake of talking as if diver 2 was the majority. So you got me there.
I would hate to see diver (1) mistakenly tell a diver(2) that there's nothing wrong with him taking AOW straight out of OW. Imagine diver (2) thinking that because he bought an AOW card, he is now ready to do a wreck at 120feet.
Sorry if I got on your nerve. Dive Safe

I admit I assumed the OP was a diver 1 based on the single paragraph of information he provided. Advice on these boards is a tricky thing.

And, yeah, I certainly agree that an AOW card has absolutely nothing to do with experience. It's just a card.

It's all good. No hard feelings.

 

[EvilSlumLord]

I know of at least four shops in the area that do teach open water in a drysuit...I certified with one of them. I've never been diving in the Sound without a drysuit, and I'm never planning on it. It's cold!

Like I said, I'm not saying there aren't any shops that would allow it but all the folks I've talked to said no when I asked (I was considering going for a drysuit vs. a wetsuit at the time), including several independent instructors. Like all things you can always find someone who will say yes (or no) to almost any question.

Honestly, I am just starting to get to the point where I am cold using a wetsuit and even then it is when I am getting out of my wetsuit in the cold air. The cold water really hasn't bothered me at all. I hit my air turnaround point long before the cold is a consideration. YMMV.

Adding one more thing that you don't know how to do on top of not knowing anything else...well, it was just one more thing to learn, not an impossible task.

Never said it was impossible but looking around at the people in my class at the time I can't picture them having something else to occupy their attention as they were going thru the OW dives. Can it be done? Sure. Will they walk away with adequate skills for the drysuit having done so? I suspect not.

 

[Carribeandiver]

how can this be? SSI requires at least 24 dives after OW cert before you can take the AOW course. All affiliations surely must require some prerequisite dives, dont they?

 

[jponline77]

Thanks again for all the comments and feedback.

The owner of the LDS noticed this thread and approached me on it (he deduced it was me). I had a really good chat with him about the AOW course and timing. He is one of the schools that teachs OW in drysuits and he feels that it is perfectly safe. It seems from responses on this board that he at least is in line with many other SB members. There are, of course, many others with different opions and it is to me to decide, in the end, what I'm comfortable with.

As for the accident, there seems to not be a great deal of information about what happened but from the coroners inquest the dive instrcutors did everything and more required of them in ensuring the safty of the diver (they even used a reel on the deep dive for extra saftey). From what I have learned I feel that this LDS does not do anything that goes outside the standard industry saftey and has a general comittment to students.

I did my dives with my wife today and it was great! We were very comfortable. Our boyancy was great. I've dropped the amount of weight that I carry and generally feeling more confident in the water. I feel I could go tomorrow to the AOW course with the confidence that I've built. However, a few more dives under my belt will do me well.

JP

 

[HappyFunBoater]

how can this be? SSI requires at least 24 dives after OW cert before you can take the AOW course. All affiliations surely must require some prerequisite dives, dont they?

Nope, and each one is different. That's part of the reason folks such as PADI get slammed on the SB for being concerned with nothing but making money.

 

[all4scuba05]

True. SDI requires 25 dives

 

[AndyA]

Greg454

I just have fun learning and this has led me to become a Divemaster. I did not plan on becoming a DM its just a heck of a lot of fun. I am 52 and in my second childhood.

AndyA
USMC