Advanced or fundies?

[gbray]

For some time I have been wanting to take my AOW class. I have bought both the SSI and NAUI AOW books and videos and have decided not to waste my time.It all seems like a money grab to me. Up to now I have been hopeful that my log book and experience gained by seeking out divers with more experience than me to dive with will gain me access to most of the dives I want to do. I am more interested in the knowledge and skill I can develop than how many cards I can collect.

I have 75 plus dives all in fresh water with several deep dives ranging from 77 to 110 feet, several night dives and I am nitrox certified. Next week I am taking my drysuit class so I can rent a drysuit and continue diving a little longer this year (till the quarries close for the season). I have recently began diving my double lp72's with a basic hog setup.

I have a few fairly new friends (dive buddies)who are cave and wreck divers. They have about convinced me I am beyond the standard AOW (even though I have never officially taken the class) and my next helpful step should be to take the GUE fundies class.

My question is this, is there any reason I should take the AOW class or should I just save my money and apply it to the fundies class which is slightly more expensive. I have heard a lot of controversy about the AOW and nothing but good about the fundies. What do you think?

 

[elan]

the only reason I would say in my own experience was to take the AOW just for the card so I can avoid problems on the charters.

I donno about the SSI and NAUI ones but PADI AOW IMHO just does not compare anywhere near to the curriculum of the Fundies. I barely preparing myself to be taking them and cannot tell from the own experience, just looking at the program.

Yeah people would tell you that that's the instructor , not the agency, but imho the chances that you will find an instructor that would volunteer his time to bring it to the level of Fundies for the price of AOW class are very slim

 

[Gombessa]

Your experience mirrors mine to a great degree. In the end, having good mentors was much better benefit and I took fundies over a typical advanced class, which has improved my diving and fun huge degree.

The only reasons I can think of to take advanced:
1. If you can find an instructor like nwgratefuldiver to teach it.
2. To head off trouble at resort locations that will not let you go on "advanced" dives without the card (it's not common but does happen).
3. As a prerequisite to rescue class (some agencies require AOW, others do not).

In any case, I think fundies/essentials will be a huge benefit whether you take advanced or not.

 

[Cave Diver]

I'm in the "You need to take advanced so that you have the card to show to dive ops, but Fundies will likely show you the greatest improvement in your skills camp."

 

[Paladin]

Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but what are "fundies?"

 

[Cave Diver]

Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but what are "fundies?"

Do It Right Fundamentals. DIRF or Fundies for short.

For a more detailed look, check my sig line.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

+1 for Fundies...

In the Fundies class you'll learn the basic theories on diving to depths of 100' safely, but will not include an experience dive to go with it. If your not nitrox certified already it will be part of the class. I guess you could take the money you save there and buy your AOW card with it. The Fundies class on the other had will feel like something you earned. Fundies is an awesome class and I'm sure Ed Gabe would travel to you from Lexington, KY. He drove up to the Chicago area to teach our class and was extremely reasonable. If your interested I posted a class report recently in the DIR forum.

Dive safe

 

[crd_kats]

I was asking myself the same question a little over a year ago. I went ahead and took fundies and don't regret it. My diving has improved exponentially.

However, I went ahead and took AOW for the certification as well. Got tired of arguing with the charters down here in the Keys and flashing my log book.

 

[TSandM]

Fundamentals heavily impacts your personal diving skills, like PPB on steroids. It's also an introduction to the concept of team, and a big leap forward in situational awareness.

Fundies does not address navigation, night diving, diving off boats . . . There ARE topics in the diving curriculum that just aren't there. However, the level at which AOW is often taught is so basic that someone with more than a few post-OW dives is going to be bored silly. As said above, unless you have an instructor like Bob, the standard AOW class is toothless. But be aware that Fundies is not the be-all and end-all of diving knowledge, either.

 

[Ben_ca]

Fundies does not address navigation, night diving, diving off boats . . . There ARE topics in the diving curriculum that just aren't there. However, the level at which AOW is often taught is so basic that someone with more than a few post-OW dives is going to be bored silly. As said above, unless you have an instructor like Bob, the standard AOW class is toothless. But be aware that Fundies is not the be-all and end-all of diving knowledge, either.

Most GUE instructors also teach for other agencies (PADI, NAUI ect) so if the card issue is important to you just ask him to tack on an AOW to the class. It might be a little unorthodox but I'm sure they can do it.