AOW before Tech?
- Thread starter jtsfour
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NAUI Wowie
Contributor
No, 130 ft is 39.6 m. and you are mistaken that PADI AOW allows this limit. PADI AOW is 30 m, AOW + Deep specialty allows 40 m. Check PADI books
Wow so with Padi Deep Diver certification you can dive do recreational limits of 130 ft depth. I wonder if thats just more training revenue for Padi? Although more experience diving at depth with an instructor in itself is always helpful for us newer divers. I have heard from many in the past that padi AOW limit was 130. A lot of people are mistakenly thinking this.
As compared to what agency? NAUI is the only agency I can find listed on here Equivalent Diving Qualifications: BSAC, PADI, CMAS, NAUI, etc - SCUBA Travel that does 40m for advanced. Everyone else seems to require deep or further certs beyond advanced.
NAUI Wowie
Contributor
Interesting, and funny, my father was a Naui instructor ages ago. Thanks for the info
BSAC has 50m for Dive Leader, Advanced Diver is the next grade up.
There is a difference between training dives and fun dives. Every agency prescribes a maximum depth for a certain training dive.
The generally accepted sports diving limit, or recreational limit, is 130ft/40m.
Open Water course dives are limited to 60ft/18m, AOW course dives are limited to 30m, Deep specialty course dives are limited to max 40m.
Even technical course dives have a maximum depth limit. E.g. you might be trimix certified, when you do intro-to-cave your depth limit is defined by the course standards.
How deep somebody dives during a fun dive, is his/her own choice, and responsibility. As long as this person remembers how deep he/she was trained for. Diving to 40m depth is just as easy as diving into a cave. Getting back is when the challenges come into play.
PADI does not prohibit you to go a few feet deeper than you were trained for, nor does any other agency. That's part of gaining experience.
The generally accepted sports diving limit, or recreational limit, is 130ft/40m.
Open Water course dives are limited to 60ft/18m, AOW course dives are limited to 30m, Deep specialty course dives are limited to max 40m.
Even technical course dives have a maximum depth limit. E.g. you might be trimix certified, when you do intro-to-cave your depth limit is defined by the course standards.
How deep somebody dives during a fun dive, is his/her own choice, and responsibility. As long as this person remembers how deep he/she was trained for. Diving to 40m depth is just as easy as diving into a cave. Getting back is when the challenges come into play.
PADI does not prohibit you to go a few feet deeper than you were trained for, nor does any other agency. That's part of gaining experience.
That’s the problem with blanket statements. In the U.K.; BSAC, SSAC and the SSA all have dive grade depth limits. For example, a BSAC Sports Diver is limited to 20m during training, but once qualified can increase their depth limit to 35m in 5m increments with an instructor.
Our insurance is very clear about diving beyond certification depths.
Efka76
Contributor
Let me disagree. If you have good driving skills can you exceed speed limits? Answer is no. The same is here. There are prescribed limits in different certifications. If you exceed these limits, means that you breached your training level and DAN or other insurance company might refuse to pay your medical bills. Also, divemaster might get in trouble in case something happens to you if he leads dive to deeper levels than your certified dept.
Of course, nobody stops you diving even up to 100 m depth without any certifications
PADI is not police and everybody is responsible for own actions. However, usually there are consequences.
Efka76
Contributor
It is very clear that PADI AOW certifies to dive you up to 30 m. depth, Deep specialty - up to 40 m. depth. If you go to reputable liveaboards and will be sites deeper than 30 m. you will not be allowed to dive without Deep certification. Of course, there are liveaboard who even do not ask your card..... however, I would never dive with them.
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