Worth pursuing AOW?

[Griffo]

I'm not entirely sure what my view is on this topic. On one hand, when I lived in Melbourne, I needed certain certs to even get on the boat. But they required full certs, the "adventure dives" as part of PADI AOW didn't qualify, but a full deep / wreck / night etc cert did. So if you were local to here, i'd tell you to get the full certs and work up to AOW that way.

On the other hand, we are also travelling divers, and have often run into the "you need to have AOW to do this dive" up-front requirement from the LDS. While I have it, the wife only has OW and Fundies. Yet we've also never failed to get them to waive the requirement on the wife after they've seen her in-water. But i can see the attraction of the short-cut AOW cert to let you do certain dives without question.

 

[AfterDark]

Certainly using nitrox with an air NDL reduces risk of DCS for everyone. That is not a "belief". It's a fact. DCS has been proven to be directly related to nitrogen exposure, and nitrox reduces nitrogen exposure (compared to air on the same profile.) Whether or not that is a material benefit depends on the individual diver.

You seem to be claiming "it's not a benefit for me", based on your extensive experience. But then you make the mistake of essentially claiming that everyone is like you... so it's not a benefit for anyone.

I know an instructor that teaches even OW students with that philosophy. This instructor is very experienced in terms of years and variety of diving. But he seems completely oblivious to the idea that DCS risk varies with individual... ironically, the idea that no other person is just like him. I've listened to him advise students that his personal profiles, because they work for him, are safe for them also.

So... I'm going to disagree with you, just for the sake of any newish divers reading this post who might be tempted to take your advice at face value. I'm glad that you have always dived with air and have avoided DCS. But using nitrox to reduce nitrogen exposure (instead of using it to extend NDL), is not a "waste" for everyone. It's actually a valuable strategy for some people. That is, people that are different than you.

Staying within NDL on air, nitrox or trimix is the surest way to avoid DCS. If a diver hits 500 psi 10 minutes before their NDL, lets say what good is nitrox going to do other than on multi-dives per day for several days? You can disagree all you like. It doesn't make what I posted untrue.

 

[Foothills]

There are benefits to taking courses from your LDS that aren't always related to the course content. I found the AOW course to be very useful, as I took it after completing my OW dives in Cozumel. AOW gave me the chance to get introduced to (1) cold water gear & cold water, (2) two local dive sites, and (3) some other local divers. It was over 2 decades ago, so I can't recall if there was much in the way of "new" skills being taught, but I did learn about altitude adjustments, managing a 36 lb weight belt, and relearned buoyancy in a 2 piece 7 mm wetsuit vs a 3 mm shorty.

 

[TMHeimer]

There are benefits to taking courses from your LDS that aren't always related to the course content. I found the AOW course to be very useful, as I took it after completing my OW dives in Cozumel. AOW gave me the chance to get introduced to (1) cold water gear & cold water, (2) two local dive sites, and (3) some other local divers. It was over 2 decades ago, so I can't recall if there was much in the way of "new" skills being taught, but I did learn about altitude adjustments, managing a 36 lb weight belt, and relearned buoyancy in a 2 piece 7 mm wetsuit vs a 3 mm shorty.

Good points. Other than the altitude stuff, I would think the rest you mention could be done without a ton of guidance.

 

[American Digger In Europe]

Maybe you have a stricter definition of mastery, but by never allowing my students be on their knees and by using these methods for weighting: How I weight students in open water courses | Facebook, I have received accolades from experienced divers who went on the first post OW dives of my students and told me how great it was to not babysit them.

How do you weight your students? And do you ever allow them on their knees? I hope my tone is reflective of wanting a genuine dialog, and not a perceived as chest pounding.

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a new OW Instructor. SSI has recently "recommended" that all OWD students be taught from the dive position. I agree with you that this is better protocol.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a new OW Instructor. SSI has recently "recommended" that all OWD students be taught from the dive position. I agree with you that this is better protocol.

Please don't take my question as an attack. If I can help you teach better, I will. But I do recognize that there are always better ways, so I could learn from you. I woudln't adopt immediately what may sound good. I'd evaluate it first, and if it works better (basically gets me closer to the weight determined at the safety stop with no gas in the BCD/dry suit, then I'll drop my way like a bad habit).

I know people often pile on new folks here on ScubaBoard, but I give you my word, this is not what I'm doing here.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Ohhhh... so AOW is the secret to making money teaching scuba!!

You have to admit, using "money maker" to describe anything related to scuba instruction is pretty amusing.

Okay, money maker with practically no benefit to the customer. Does "rip off" work better for you?

 

[oh2btru]

I’ve only come across one dive op that required AoW (to go below 60') – Sandals (Jamaica). However, I will say many personal life insurance policies ask if you engage in any “risky activities” when you sign up and scuba diving below X feet (IIRC 60’) would either disqualify you for coverage or your kill your existing coverage in the event of a claim.

Only if you get new insurance or renew or upgrade. Most insurance companies have a 2 year period from the application date to review your hobbies . If you get an insurance policy and you’ve had it for five years and you decide to start scuba diving they probably will not make an exception unless you’re up for renewal. Just saying

 

[mcohen1021]

Only if you get new insurance or renew or upgrade. Most insurance companies have a 2 year period from the application date to review your hobbies . If you get an insurance policy and you’ve had it for five years and you decide to start scuba diving they probably will not make an exception unless you’re up for renewal. Just saying

Can't say for sure what they do now, just that was my previous experience when I got a term life policy when my kiddo was born.

 

[American Digger In Europe]

Please don't take my question as an attack. If I can help you teach better, I will. But I do recognize that there are always better ways, so I could learn from you. I woudln't adopt immediately what may sound good. I'd evaluate it first, and if it works better (basically gets me closer to the weight determined at the safety stop with no gas in the BCD/dry suit, then I'll drop my way like a bad habit).

I know people often pile on new folks here on ScubaBoard, but I give you my word, this is not what I'm doing here.

No worries!