AOW Requirements with PADI

[jringold]

I am interested in perusing the AOW certification with PAID. My understanding is that I would sign up for the AOW course and get 5 dives (Deep and Nav then 3 others of my choosing). However, I want to do it a little differently. I want to complete each specialty course one at a time and actually earn the cert for each one – hopefully that will give me a little more experience and make me a better diver. PPB really helped me a lot and I think only one dive would not have been adequate for what I gained from completing the course.

If I proceed this way, then is there a time limit from the completion of the first cert to the last? I completed PPB end of August so is the clock ticking somewhere? Also, once I compete 5 specialty courses does PADI automatically certify me as AOW or do I still have to do something under the AOW curriculum or have my instructor send something in? Finally, do I have to pay an additional fee above and beyond the cost of the 5 specialty courses to get the AOW cert?

Here is what I am thinking:

· Peak Performance Buoyancy (already completed this one)
· Boat Diver (scheduled to complete this one week of 9/28)
· Underwater Photographer (Think I will save this for last so I have the best possible buoyancy skills)
· Deep Diver (Could do week of 9/28 but don’t want to spend my entire vacation doing certs)
· Underwater Navigator (would like to do in the Keys in the next 12 months)

Also, I’m not sure I understand what the Adventure Diver cert is. Can someone explain that one?

Thanks!

 

[RJP]

No, there is no time limit on dives for AOW specialty.

No, you will not "automatically" get certified as an AOW diver. You will, at a minimum need to have your instructor fill out the paperwork and (probably) pay the fee for card processing. This would apply for Adventure Diver as well.

Adventure Diver certification is given to divers who complete THREE Adventure dives (and the corresponding Knowledge Reviews)

Advanced Open Water Diver certification is given to divers who complete FIVE Adventure dives (and the corresponding Knowledge Reviews)

Accordingly, after your third specialty you could get Adventure Diver... and then do Rescue Diver instead of waiting until you complete five specialties.

Then, when you complete all five specialties you could get a PADI Master Diver cert.

 

[parzdiver]

Adventure diver is just another way for PAID (was that a typo or on purpose) to get more money. It is AOW lite. Three dives instead of the five.

The answer to your question is "Talk to your instructor." Whoever is signing your cards is ultimately the person to say yes or no.

 

[Damselfish]

Adventure Diver is a subset of AOW, 3 dives. I don't think there's much point in it for most people.

Personally I'd do Deep or UW Nav first. Search and Recovery is another that can actually help improve dive skills. Maybe Night, though some will disagree.

IMO Boat Diver is one where you may not learn much more from doing the actual class/dives, over what you would learn from just reading what's in the book. Every boat has it's own way of doing things and varying conditions might change how they do things - you will easily pick this up as you go along through dive briefings on each boat and just doing it. I think you'd be better off spending the money on a Nitrox class.

UW Photography is tricky. If you are really interested in this it's something you want to take from a good UW photographer who is also good at teaching it. Sometimes you will find someone really good teaching the PADI class, but sometimes if you just take what some shop gives you it could be someone who actually doesn't know much more than the minimum about it themselves. If you have a chance to take a great UW photography class that you don't get a card for, that's still the one to take.

You don't have to get hung up on doing 5 complete classes. If there's only 3 classes that you really want to take soon, you could do that and 2 individual dives to finish AOW. (Assuming you can get someone to charge a reasonable rate for just the completion. )

 

[Hawkwood]

Adventure Diver is a subset of AOW, 3 dives. I don't think there's much point in it for most people.

You are correct, however sometimes, time, weather, health stuff (equalization, etc.), lack of depth for the deep dive, etc., can get in the way of completing a program. As long as the Navigation dive is done folks can walk away with something.

For PADI, Adventure Diver (with Nav) is all that is required as a prerequisite for the Rescue Class.

 

[James R]

I think you could get more for your money by doing something more useful than boat diver.

 

[boulderjohn]

Adventure diver is just another way for PAID (was that a typo or on purpose) to get more money. It is AOW lite. Three dives instead of the five.

Why is it that so many people like to repeat silly prejudices without bothering to learn the truth?

Adventure Diver has a specific benefit for specific people--it is not something most people would be interested in, but some people can benefit from it.

Young divers cannot do the deep dive for AOW, so they cannot get the AOW certification normally required for Rescue Diver. With the Adventure Diver certification, they can get the Rescue Diver training and certification. When they are older, they can do the deep dive and get the AOW for a minimal price.

There are other people who will have trouble getting the AOW immediately for similar reasons. For example here in Colorado, there is no water nearby deep enough for the AOW dive. Divers can get the Adventure Diver, do Rescue, and then upgrade to AOW at some later time when they can get into deeper water.

 

[cashew]

Also, once I compete 5 specialty courses does PADI automatically certify me as AOW or do I still have to do something under the AOW curriculum or have my instructor send something in

Instructor needs to send in something and you get an AOW card in the mail.

Finally, do I have to pay an additional fee above and beyond the cost of the 5 specialty courses to get the AOW cert?

There's a fee to get the card, but I would recommend that you talk to your LDS about getting a "package" deal because those packages should include the cost of any certification cards (and manuals, etc.). Like, it's pretty common for a LDS to offer a Master Scuba package program which will get you the AOW cert and will cover 5 of the most popular/useful specialities. For example, my LDS's package includes AOW, Deep, UW Nav, PPB, Search & Recovery, Wreck.

 

[tursiops]

Accordingly, after your third specialty you could get Adventure Diver... and then do Rescue Diver instead of waiting until you complete five specialties.

Only if one of the Adventure dives is Underwater Navigation.

---------- Post added September 15th, 2015 at 06:04 PM ----------

Why is it that so many people like to repeat silly prejudices without bothering to learn the truth?

Adventure Diver has a specific benefit for specific people--it is not something most people would be interested in, but some people can benefit from it.

Young divers cannot do the deep dive for AOW, so they cannot get the AOW certification normally required for Rescue Diver. With the Adventure Diver certification, they can get the Rescue Diver training and certification. When they are older, they can do the deep dive and get the AOW for a minimal price.

There are other people who will have trouble getting the AOW immediately for similar reasons. For example here in Colorado, there is no water nearby deep enough for the AOW dive. Divers can get the Adventure Diver, do Rescue, and then upgrade to AOW at some later time when they can get into deeper water.

In addition, you can get Adventure Diver in just one day, rather than the two days minimum required for AOW. It is like being able to get the Scuba Diver card in one day, but it takes two days for OW. These options are good sometimes for folks on travel, or who get sick before day #2.

---------- Post added September 15th, 2015 at 06:07 PM ----------

I think you could get more for your money by doing something more useful than boat diver.

The revised Boat Diver class can be quite useful for people who know nothing of boats. The old class was embarrassingly thin on content.
I wish everyone had the new boat-diver class so they don't leave their gear strewn all over the deck and benches!

 

[Bob DBF]

I would get the AOW first, you might miss out on some boat trips without the card, as that is one way some operators limit divers on their trips. Then I would take Rescue before the specialties depending on scheduling. Get the basics down first, you may find your list of desired specialties changes with increased experience.



Bob