Dive requirments

[MISFIT DIVER]

No offence taken Abyss. I agree that is proably the case. I can re-assure you that there were more chats with this guy then there should have been. I am a big supporter of this sport and do not ever want to push anyone away. There are just some guys that are a danger to them self and you do not want them to be a danger to anyone else. Like I said, the other new student was fantastic. guess its just us humans all being different.

 

[scubaroyster]

When I get a student who is with poor skills or wants to be a blockhead, I stop his AOW instruction and require him to re-demonstrate his basic dive skills through a scuba review.

I let the divemaster conduct the review. This is an opportunity for the divemaster to earn a little coin. For those of you who work for free, us PADI pros do not. Charge him for the review.

When he is successful with the review, continue AOW education.

Also point out his agreements he signed when he filled out his OWD PIC application (same one at the end of his OWD training record on the back of the blue folder) and the standards for safe diving before he started AOW class.

Your blockhead is a prime candidate for AOW instruction. At least your instructor and you have an opportunity to save him before he kills himself. If he is that bad, perhaps you all might want to require him to take AOW under private class conditions so he can't jepordize another student with his forseen problems.

 

[MISFIT DIVER]

Alot of good points Royster. We did terminate his dive and he was not allowed to continue with the class. The instructor told him why he was not being able to continue and why he as terminated. His responce was"Can I still do the night dive" Just no grasp.

 

[jamiei]

Just a note about PADIs AOW course. You can take specialty courses instead of just doing the AOW. The first dive of each specialty counts as an "adventure" dive towards the AOW certification. You could easily take a few or even all five specialty courses to get your PADI AOW. I am Padi OW and plan on doing my AOW next month with PADI. I'm also working on the SSI nitrox course to get a feel of both agencies. I think I'll do the Padi AOW and skip the padi specialties and take them through SSI (4 specialties there gets an ssi AOW) and then decide wether to take ssi stress and rescue or padi rescue diver... or both. Does anyone know if each agency requires that you take their specific rescue course to move on in their training? I want to learn all I can, and from as many sources as I can. Padi and SSi are all thats anywhere near me that I know of in GA.

 

[DiverBuoy]

I've mentioned before, I think the biggest misunderstanding about PADI's advanced course is the purpose of the course. It's mislabeled to say the least. It should be called Open Water Experience or Open Water Skills Enhancement, or whatever as long as it doesn't imply Advanced. It's marketed as a "for fun" course where you can "gain diving experience and improve your skills under the direct supervision of a Certified PADI professional". Even the marketing blurb doesn't make it out to be Advanced - so why the title?

As you've recounted in your post MISFIT DIVER most of us just do knowledge reviews in the parking lot by the open water site or in the galley of the boat. Again this shows there really isn't any formal classroom session, further supporting the goal of AOW.

But all of this only comments on the title being inaccurate. The strongest argument I've seen here that the content itself is flawed is the question: How ready is a diver, with only four checkout dives, to go to 100 feet? In fact the minimum standards allow you to take a student to 61 feet and pronounce the "deep dive" done - yet that diver would be certified to go to 100 feet!

 

[MikeFerrara]

Content flaw?...What kind of gas management is tought in conjunction with the deep dive?

 

[DiverBuoy]

To the point:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=22311&s=&perpage=25&pagenumber=1&display=show

Interesting:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22923&highlight=advanced+open+water

Much heated:
http://www.scubaboard.com/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=351047&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

 

[DiverBuoy]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Content flaw?...What kind of gas management is tought in conjunction with the deep dive?

You know my thoughts on the "Advanced Course" already Mike Ferrara. My point here is that if you change the title to Open Water Experience and leave deep diving for the deep speciality, the rest of the content of the class fits fine. The problem arises when you have no classroom, no exams, complex diving without proper equipment required and call it Advanced Open Water. It's a joke.

 

[jamiei]

who's to say, just because you're only taking a padi advanced class that you aren't an advanced diver??? you just have to pay for the title. Some that take their aow shouldn't be in it cause they aren't ready and some shouldn't have to "prove" that they are an advanced diver...

 

[ktarlecky]

I am taking my advanced course this summer with NAUI. The shop has not asked my about any of my dive history. I have about 50 logged dives and and currently have YMCA OW. I have been certified for about 2 years. I feel that I have gained experience and would like to take my skills to the next level. I also would like to try deeper dives and night dives which I have avoided with my OW cert. I must agree that calling someone "advanced" after 9 dives is ridiculous. Even after 55 dives will I really be advanced?