Have limits changed, or have I mis-remembered?

[Quiquay]

My kids, ages 10 and 13 years, both received their PADI OW certifications this past summer. While reviewing their class material with them, I saw that the dive limit for OW was listed as 60 feet (40' for my 10 year old). I have been certified since 1989, and my memory the OW limit was that it was 130 feet. Has 60 feet always been the limit (in which case, I was an outlaw!), or did things change sometime in the past 30 years?

Just wondering...

-Andy

 

[Aviyes]

Take a look at a recent thread that discusses exactly that: History of 18m depth limit?

The response from boulderjohn is probably the best explanation in the thread.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

Standards change over time. They add more limitations on various levels then add another training level between your current cert level and "old" limitations. Many claim its a safety factor and to an extent they are right but it's all about the money. The Scuba industry is a business and it's hard to stay in business if they don't create more classes to teach.

My dad had the same problem. His OW card from the early 80s was good for 130 feet but then diving in the new millennium he found every dive shop pushing for advanced open water and all the specialty classes.

Don't take it hard. It's just the way it is. Dive within your training, not what new standards say. If your kids are being trained today then their training will be limited to the 60'/40'

 

[Jcp2]

PADI absolute training limits for 11-12 is 40’, so they can get junior OW but not junior AOW certification. 13-14 absolute limits is 70’, so after junior OW, they can get junior AOW with the deep dive between 60-70’, not 100’. Once they are 15, then it becomes regular AOW, with limits of 100’. I think PADI deep diver certification extends training limits to 130’. I’m not so certain on the last pints.

 

[victorzamora]

Those are training limits though. They're as deep as an instructor is allowed to conduct training to for the purposes of that course.

There's no reason an OW-certified diver can't go to 130ft besides the Dive Op running the show. For years I was OW-only and did night dives, deep dives, and all sorts of other dives that are now "AOW-only" by many of the dive ops I dove with for years.

Edit to add: I just checked the thread linked above for BoulderJohn's post. Seriously, that does a fantastic job of going over the history and current-status of all this.

 

[diversteve]

short answer - it's because of their ages.

I believe their cards say jr. also but I'm not positive. As posted above, they should get new cards sent to them at 15.

I'm not PADI but have instructor friends who are. We discussed this once with another friend who was certifying her kids at the time.

 

[yle]

short answer - it's because of their ages.

I believe their cards say jr. also but I'm not positive. As posted above, they should get new cards sent to them at 15.

I'm not PADI but have instructor friends who are. We discussed this once with another friend who was certifying her kids at the time.

PADI doesn't automatically send a new card when they turn 15. But a 15 yr old with a Junior AOW card is typically treated as a regular AOW diver. The only reason to get a new card is if the "Junior" really bugs the diver.

My 15 yr old niece did her JAOW when she was 14. I've pointed out to her that she should keep her JAOW and be proud of it... it shows how long ago she did her AOW.

 

[ljpm]

I believe their cards say jr. also but I'm not positive. As posted above, they should get new cards sent to them at 15.

They WON'T have new cards sent to them at 15. They can order new cards when they turn 15 but this is PADI we are talking about; the will have to pay for the new cards. I was quoted $52 CDN for a new card for my daughter.

 

[victorzamora]

PADI doesn't automatically send a new card when they turn 15. But a 15 yr old with a Junior AOW card is typically treated as a regular AOW diver. The only reason to get a new card is if the "Junior" really bugs the diver.

My 15 yr old niece did her JAOW when she was 14. I've pointed out to her that she should keep her JAOW and be proud of it... it shows how long ago she did her AOW.

I'm actually sad I lost my JOW cert and am trying to figure out how to get it back w/o the upgrade to OW.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I think the "hard limit" tends to be when diving with a pro guide or on a boat. If you're beach diving with just you and a buddy (or off your buddy's boat), a dive shop can't enforce it.