When to do AOW?

[hmoffatt]

When do you think is a good time (in terms of experience) to do AOW?

I've got PADI OW and about 20 dives logged over the last year. I did my training in the tropics so conditions were really easy - 3mm short-sleeve wetsuit. My most recent dives were in 5mm and 7mm suits and I found the buoyancy control really tough.

I'd like to get some better training so doing AOW including the peak performance buoyancy training looks useful, and I'd plan to do it locally in cold conditions too ie thick suits.

Is this a good plan of action, or would it be better to get some more experience first?
I've done the deep adventure dive already. I reckon dry suit and wreck diving would be useful training too especially for diving here in Melbourne.

thanks
Hamish

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I generally advise my students to get comfortable with what they learned in the last class before signing up for the next class.

When you should do so really depends on your goals. If your goal is simply to get more underwater experience under supervision, then the answer is ASAP. If your goal is to learn something new, then follow my advice ... so that you're not struggling with stuff you've already covered and have the bandwidth available to concentrate on developing new skills.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[elan]

When do you think is a good time (in terms of experience) to do AOW?

I've got PADI OW and about 20 dives logged over the last year. I did my training in the tropics so conditions were really easy - 3mm short-sleeve wetsuit. My most recent dives were in 5mm and 7mm suits and I found the buoyancy control really tough.

I'd like to get some better training so doing AOW including the peak performance buoyancy training looks useful, and I'd plan to do it locally in cold conditions too ie thick suits.

Is this a good plan of action, or would it be better to get some more experience first?
I've done the deep adventure dive already. I reckon dry suit and wreck diving would be useful training too especially for diving here in Melbourne.

thanks
Hamish

Though I took Peak Performance Buoyancy class and it helped me at that time it's not any more than adjusting your weights properly for proper weighting and trim. I have actually learned more by reading the internet including this forum and asking questions.

You can take it w/o AOW. We discussed this topic here a couple of weeks ago when I posted a similar question about AOW and requirements for the charter boats.

Any training is good. If it worth the money is a personal question and depends upon the school and instructor.

For myself I actually came to a decision not to do it at least for t he next 50 dives. I have watched PADI video though. Instead of doing AOW I have selected a list of the specialties I want to do these year. Which included PPB, Nitrox, ICE, Drift and Night. Some are done some are still to go.

I would not recommend you doing Dry Suit cert as part of the AOW class. The reason is simple. If you buy a dry suit - at least here they can teach you how to use it and provide the cert card for a discounted price. I got my Dry suit cert for only 40CAD instead of 100CAD as a course. Select some other course instead. Renting dry suit at least here is not worth it economically. And to be more or less comfortable in the dry suit you need to make 3-5 dives at least which is very expensive here if you rent. It might be different in your area.

 

[DryGear]

Wait if you feel the need but there is definitely no reason not to take it now. When I did it I found the AOW kind of touches on the specialties and gives you supervised dives when you're increasing your limits slightly but did not get incredibly indepth into any one single subjet, kind of a taster to encourage you to get the individual ratings.

I was really hoping to learn a lot more about gas management and planning in the AOW but found I had to go outside of PADI courses to really get into that.

 

[Reallydg]

I've waited until now (coming up on dive #50.) The reason - I wanted to take what I've learned and put it into practice. And like everything else in life, the more I do something, the more I realize what I don't know is way more than what I do know. I now have specific things I want to learn and work on - not because of anyone else - just because I want to get better. Waiting has helped me come with actual questions and things I want to learn. But that's me. Figure out what you're trying to accomplish and then do it when you're ready.

 

[Walter]

It really depends on what class you'll be taking. If you're taking a class, like Bob's, in which there will be academics and skills, wait until you have some experience (typically 25 - 30 dives) so you'll have a reference. If you're taking a typical AOW class, wham bam, 5 quick dives with no academics, take it right away.

 

[Peter Guy]

I used to agree with NWGratefulDiver on this one but I've "modified" my thinking over the past few months, in no small part because of the training I've had over the last few months (cough, cough).

It really comes down to how comfortable you feel with the diving you are doing.

The OP seems to be saying he was comfortable diving in the tropics but now he's diving in a different environment and he's not so comfortable. IF NOT taking AOW, I think it is certainly time to hire an instructor to go out for a dive or two to help get over the current hump. And if you do that, you might end up with some "specialty" (under the PADI system) but the key is to get some professional (or expert which is not necessarily one and the same, cough, cough) help to get you comfortable in your new diving environment.

 

[TSandM]

Unfortunately, I think at the level where many AOW classes are taught, by the time you've done 50 or so dives, you're going to find a lot of the material is stuff you have already figured out on your own.

If you are having buoyancy issues, I would talk to an instructor about doing a PPB class or just some dives with him to work on this stuff.

 

[Walter]

If you are having buoyancy issues, I would talk to an instructor about doing a PPB class or just some dives with him to work on this stuff.

Or retake the OW class with a better instructor.

 

[boulderjohn]

I did my AOW right away, and it was a good call for me. I was the only one in the class, so I got 5 dives with the full attention of the instructor. He gave me a lot of pointers and help that went beyond the scope of the class. I came out of that class far ahead of where I would have been just practicing on my own for many more dives than that. When I was then working on my experience dives after the AOW, I was practicing better and more advanced skills than I would have been just going on my own.