Compass for PADI AOW

[MikadoWu]

Hello Again All,

My daughter has signed up for her AOW Class starting in 3 weeks. Presently she dives with a Oceanic OCi Computer, which as a compass.

Would you recommend a different Compass, or should this be fine?

Thanks.....

 

[tursiops]

I have an OC1, which I believe is the same compass. It is much harder to use, and to use well, than the simple mechanical compasses with the rotating bezels.

 

[Johanan]

Take the 59$ one. It has larger digits. The bungee mount makes it usable as you can remove the compass from the wrist and hold comfortably in front of you, then put it back.

 

[Oldbear]

I use these for my AOW students...they are great for training.

https://www.amazon.com/Palantic-Scu...&qid=1467539709&sr=8-23&keywords=dive+compass

 

[Patoux01]

If she knows how to use it, there's no problem that I'm aware of in using that one.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Compass in computer assuming it is calibrated correctly and functioning is totally fine. My only hang up with it is that they don't "react" as quickly as an analog one does but if that doesn't bother her, especially in a skills test environment, then she's good to go.

 

[MikadoWu]

Thank you all for your Opinions. She has never used a Compass before, so a big one might be nice to have for the class. Maybe we will get a dive in this week and stop by a shop in Ft Lauderdale.

 

[tursiops]

It is not just the size that makes the mechanical ones nice, it is the hand-on haptic aspect of actually moving a bezel a quarter-way around the dial to turn a right angle. In my experience, divers with no compass ,background need all the help they can get, and a minimum of complications and distractions.

 

[Oldbear]

+1 What Tursiops said...

I teach a lot of AOW classes and UW Navigation is required by my training agency. If your daughter in not 100% comfortable with her digital compass I would get her an inexpensive hand held compass...one that she can turn the bezel ring to the desired heading and then navigate it. The hand held compasses are easy to learn to use and easy to learn the principles of navigation on.

I like the one for $30 mounted on a state...my students can draw the courses they are going to navigate during the land based pre-dive planning, so they know exactly what they need to do underwater. They can also record their swim kick cycles for distance estmatimation. And if they have any question during the dive they can write it down and ask.

See my Amazon link in post #4.

 

[Diver0001]

Hello Again All,

My daughter has signed up for her AOW Class starting in 3 weeks. Presently she dives with a Oceanic OCi Computer, which as a compass.

Would you recommend a different Compass, or should this be fine?

Thanks.....

If this is what she's going to be diving with then she might as well get trained to use it.

Personally I don't like the digital compasses. YYMV

R..