Fatboy
Guest
Michael Schlink:
that's what I was thinking. . .
AOW cart before the horse?
- Thread starter Salty Bill
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that's what I was thinking. . .
Krisscuba
Contributor
Get more experience in the environment you intend to dive in prior to the advanced.
Either with friends, local pool, dive club or LDS refresher.
The AOW is for OW divers. the OW course is designed for you to dive safely in conditions for which you were trained with, with experienced until you gain more experience and skills, not c-cards.
I have seen shops sell AOW's as refreshers. The next thing you know they having you jumping off a boat in 100' of water with a 7 mil suit for your AOW deep dive.
There are a couple of ways to go with the AOW, agencies like SDI & SSI require a certain number of dives, usually 20 before you can take the course. Otheres like PADI will give it to you in two days the minute you finish your OW dives.
Perhaps what you really need to do is take a specialty for diving in your area, or drysuit diving, cold water etc.
Either with friends, local pool, dive club or LDS refresher.
The AOW is for OW divers. the OW course is designed for you to dive safely in conditions for which you were trained with, with experienced until you gain more experience and skills, not c-cards.
I have seen shops sell AOW's as refreshers. The next thing you know they having you jumping off a boat in 100' of water with a 7 mil suit for your AOW deep dive.
There are a couple of ways to go with the AOW, agencies like SDI & SSI require a certain number of dives, usually 20 before you can take the course. Otheres like PADI will give it to you in two days the minute you finish your OW dives.
Perhaps what you really need to do is take a specialty for diving in your area, or drysuit diving, cold water etc.
terri
Guest
A true diver.
No offense intended, but there is a difference between the diver who does the occasional dive cluster a couple times a year, and the diver who is logging 10+ dives per week in a multitude of conditions.
Opinion only, but if your not in the water on a regular basis, take every classroom course available to you. It will serve to keep your skills fresh.
I was fortunate enouph to land an instructor who made darn sure I could practice rescue skills before I was turned loose in the water. He stayed by my side throughout my nav training, deep water training, rescue, etc...
The type of instructor who will not sign off until you are qualified for whatever level of diving you are doing.
SSI training is just what was convenient for me in finding a good instructor. I am from a military family, therefore, wanted a 'detail' oriented teacher, no matter his affiliation.
I really think it all boils down to one thing...using your head. Whatever course you take in your training, stay within your boundries without risks.
I stand by my initial statement concerning experience in the water before taking on new tasks. Fat Cat, you are exactly right. Thats a lot of information to take with you when your comfort level in the water isn't firmly established.
No offense intended, but there is a difference between the diver who does the occasional dive cluster a couple times a year, and the diver who is logging 10+ dives per week in a multitude of conditions.
Opinion only, but if your not in the water on a regular basis, take every classroom course available to you. It will serve to keep your skills fresh.
I was fortunate enouph to land an instructor who made darn sure I could practice rescue skills before I was turned loose in the water. He stayed by my side throughout my nav training, deep water training, rescue, etc...
The type of instructor who will not sign off until you are qualified for whatever level of diving you are doing.
SSI training is just what was convenient for me in finding a good instructor. I am from a military family, therefore, wanted a 'detail' oriented teacher, no matter his affiliation.
I really think it all boils down to one thing...using your head. Whatever course you take in your training, stay within your boundries without risks.
I stand by my initial statement concerning experience in the water before taking on new tasks. Fat Cat, you are exactly right. Thats a lot of information to take with you when your comfort level in the water isn't firmly established.
FatCat:
terri
Guest
There are many levels of intelligence wearing a scuba tank these days. Training in and out of the water should be maximized.
QUOTE=Michael Schlink]I think what is often missed by new divers is also often debated in regards to how much training is needed before you are qualified diver. Many years ago diver training was more rigorous, more classroom, and for some too much. What PADI and actually most other training agencies have done is broken up the "TOTAL" training a diver should take into pieces. Unfortunatley many new divers think that they should go out and get some dives in before taking more training. This is not what was in mind when the courses were "split" up. The PADI courses OW, AOW and Rescue are designed to, and should be, taken one after another a soon as the diver can. Yes they can dive before moving into the next course but what is almost always misunderstood is that you are, as a new diver, only supposed to dive in the environment that you were trained in. Case in Point: If you took a OW diver course in the midwest and did your check out dives in a cold water quarry you are NOT trained or qualified to hop on a plane to Cozumel and get on a boat and go jump an 80ft drift dive. In fact a PADI OW diver signed a statement that says that they will only dive in the environment and level of their training! If you are going to be a responsible diver and a "good buddy" you need to take AOW and Rescue ASAP. If you do 4 OW dives and then 5 AOW dives and then spend a weekend or a few days on self and buddy rescue skills along with knowledge building under the tutalage of a qualified instructor you will be on your way to becoming a "good diver" What better way to gain experience?? Dive Safe-Dive Alot-M[/QUOTE]
QUOTE=Michael Schlink]I think what is often missed by new divers is also often debated in regards to how much training is needed before you are qualified diver. Many years ago diver training was more rigorous, more classroom, and for some too much. What PADI and actually most other training agencies have done is broken up the "TOTAL" training a diver should take into pieces. Unfortunatley many new divers think that they should go out and get some dives in before taking more training. This is not what was in mind when the courses were "split" up. The PADI courses OW, AOW and Rescue are designed to, and should be, taken one after another a soon as the diver can. Yes they can dive before moving into the next course but what is almost always misunderstood is that you are, as a new diver, only supposed to dive in the environment that you were trained in. Case in Point: If you took a OW diver course in the midwest and did your check out dives in a cold water quarry you are NOT trained or qualified to hop on a plane to Cozumel and get on a boat and go jump an 80ft drift dive. In fact a PADI OW diver signed a statement that says that they will only dive in the environment and level of their training! If you are going to be a responsible diver and a "good buddy" you need to take AOW and Rescue ASAP. If you do 4 OW dives and then 5 AOW dives and then spend a weekend or a few days on self and buddy rescue skills along with knowledge building under the tutalage of a qualified instructor you will be on your way to becoming a "good diver" What better way to gain experience?? Dive Safe-Dive Alot-M[/QUOTE]
Fat Cat I never said rush anybody. And I don't think that the AOW course is flimsy. I do think it could use a different name. The fact remains the course was designed to be taken right after OW, literally the next day. The point I was making was that diver training today has been simplified by several agencies. And I think everyone agrees that the skills and knowledge needed to start diving has been "condensed". By taking AOW right after OW you are essentially taking an "Old Style" scuba course. Did you do ditch and don's, bailouts, station breathing or blackouts in your initial training? If your basic class is less than 15 years ago probably not! There are many 'Threads" regarding how much training is too much or too little some say PADI has made it too easy and some say DIR/GUE is too much. I have been a PADI inst. a long time, and I'm not giving anyone a bad name so I'll ignore that comment, but yes I do turn out one *%$# of a good diver, Why-years of experience, 1000's of dives, in every kind of environment, a commitment to my students and their family, a commitment to mysellf to NEVER let a student "slide" by EVER and an absolute commitment to the standards set by the training agency. ANY time you want to meet me and go diving and maybe we'll learn something from EACH other let me know-I won't charge you a dime.
jbd:
I thought in an earlier post you said that Solid Buoyancy skills and control should be required before graduation from O/W class?
But I don't disagree with the above statement. Shoot, they need to use lift bags also....talk about ulitmate bouyancy control. Throw in some photography...There's some more bouyancy control skills... Do their search and recovery sweeps 3 ft. off the bottom....More buoyancy control development for ya.
Hello Guys
I'm a very new diver with only 9 dives total and for what its worth I'll probably give it about six months or about thirty or so dives before I do AOW, that way I figure that I'll be able to focus more on the new skills sithout worrying much about the old ones. I am however quite confortable diving off a boat with minimal supervision from the DM, and so I don't feel like I need more training immediatiatly
Anyway have fun diving, however you may choose to progress
Kev
I'm a very new diver with only 9 dives total and for what its worth I'll probably give it about six months or about thirty or so dives before I do AOW, that way I figure that I'll be able to focus more on the new skills sithout worrying much about the old ones. I am however quite confortable diving off a boat with minimal supervision from the DM, and so I don't feel like I need more training immediatiatly
Anyway have fun diving, however you may choose to progress
Kev
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