AOW cert or not?

[CT-Rich]

Cards are made of plastic last I looked. I have to ask my self which show more competence, my 1980 basic NAUI and a log that I have made 17 dives this year or an AOW? My dive shop knows me and my basic will get me air anywhere. I would like to do a course or two, but will probably get the AOW in the end to avoid getting excluded from good dives.

But I come from a different generatation of diving. Divers today are not given the same level rigor that was imposed in the 1970s and 80s. I think that most divers that were certified in the recent system would still have something to gain from a specialty course. I can navigate fine and I can hover and I have been down to 90 fsw and can roll off the side of a boat, but if you don't know how and you were never trained, AOW will not be bad.

Just remember AOW means you have been taught the skills, but it does not mean you are compentent at doing them.

 

[NAM001]

I HAVE HAD MANY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES WITH VARIOUS CHARTERS. WHEN GOING WITH oops sorry,,, the lds on a trip the boat operators seam to care less what your training is. when going on a CRUISE SHIP excursion they look much closer at how many times and when the last dive was. even with a AOW card they looked at my log. I think it was because i had a new dive bag and bcd. Now i have more senior cards and that is all that is involved. i take my log book but it is never asked for. i only use it to get it stamped. its kinda like buying beer. if you are 50 they only go through the process of asking for id. if you are 25 they look close to you to see if you are legit. There is a cost to everything. A aow, master, tech card is a speed pass of kind in the process.

 

[Pauly854]

Personally,I do not have AOW. I have considered it a few times, but decided against it. I dive almost exclusively with my son in a local quarry, and have only been on one charter (they got a copy of our OW cards, asked for nothing else). We stay in the shallows, 20'-30', and that is about it. Oh, I'm sure that we would learn some very good things, and improve in many areas...but I have a hard time justifying the expense. First time divers right out of class could do the dives that we do, with no problems.

So I guess my question is this: What would AOW offer to someone like me? Someone who just likes to drop down to 25', look at some fishies around a sunken RV, and blow a few bubbles...all in the comfort of a shallow quarry. If we plan to do more dive travel in the future, I can see where it would be beneficial...but not so much right now. Convince me

 

[boulderjohn]

. AOW? Me kneeling on a platform unlocking a lock and playing tic-tac-toe didn't help!

It's very unfortunate that you had that experience, and I am trying hard (but without success) to think which of the AOW dives would include those activities. A different instructor would have given you a different experience.

As far as charters requiring AOW rather than a log book for certain dives is concerned, think about it from their perspective. Begin with the fact that a diver can acquire a very impressive log book without leaving the basement. Next, consider what happens if there is a dive accident and there is a question about whether or not they allowed a diver with insufficient skills to perform the dive. If they used a log book or even a checkout dive as their determiner, then the true deciding factor was their judgment. They were the ones that looked at the logbook or diver and decided that diver was ready for that dive, so they can be sued for making a bad decision. If they instead used a hard and fast rule like an AOW card, then their judgment does not come into play.

 

[stairman]

I would skip the AOW course and take cavern instead. They will look at you different and above an AOW cert, especially for wreck penetration and AOW is not a prerequisite or all cavern instructors, only a few.

 

[DevonDiver]

I would skip the AOW course and take cavern instead. They will look at you different and above an AOW cert, especially for wreck penetration and AOW is not a prerequisite or all cavern instructors, only a few.

Agencies stipulate prerequisites, not instructors.

Which agencies do you know of, that only require OW certification to enroll on cavern training?

 

[rhwestfall]

Personally,I do not have AOW. I have considered it a few times, but decided against it. I dive almost exclusively with my son in a local quarry, and have only been on one charter (they got a copy of our OW cards, asked for nothing else). We stay in the shallows, 20'-30', and that is about it. Oh, I'm sure that we would learn some very good things, and improve in many areas...but I have a hard time justifying the expense. First time divers right out of class could do the dives that we do, with no problems.

So I guess my question is this: What would AOW offer to someone like me? Someone who just likes to drop down to 25', look at some fishies around a sunken RV, and blow a few bubbles...all in the comfort of a shallow quarry. If we plan to do more dive travel in the future, I can see where it would be beneficial...but not so much right now. Convince me

Okay, answer these: How refined are your skills in regard to identifying issues before they can happen? How well trained are you in accident management? The situation you are in is exactly the reason I have completed Rescue, and am working through a Master Diver Cert. I've been certified 24 years, didn't get an AOW until something like 6 years after OW. I now have diving buddies that include my wife, and soon, my daughter. I feel the world in on my shoulders to be the best I can....

As to AOW, find an instructor that is not doing "cookie cutter" certifications, and can tailor your training/experiences to what you need to be a better diver/buddy/mentor.

More tools in the toolbox....

 

[Pauly854]

Okay, answer these: How refined are your skills in regard to identifying issues before they can happen? How well trained are you in accident management? The situation you are in is exactly the reason I have completed Rescue, and am working through a Master Diver Cert. I've been certified 24 years, didn't get an AOW until something like 6 years after OW. I now have diving buddies that include my wife, and soon, my daughter. I feel the world in on my shoulders to be the best I can....

As to AOW, find an instructor that is not doing "cookie cutter" certifications, and can tailor your training/experiences to what you need to be a better diver/buddy/mentor.

More tools in the toolbox....

Identifying problems before they can happen? I have never experienced a significant problem underwater, therefore I guess I am either very good at it, or just lucky! But seriously, the chance for a significant event is always present, even in the tame diving I do. So my son and I discuss potential problems, what we would do in certain events, and try to stay prepared. As far as "accident management", that is pretty much my bread and butter. I have been a Paramedic for 25 years, so probably handle accidents better than the average Joe...but I see your point. Work has not exactly prepared me for accidents that ARE STILL underwater...but is that something covered in AOW? Or are we talking more about Rescue Diver with that aspect? Maybe I am not clear on what AOW specifically covers. Thanks for the reply

 

[rhwestfall]

With the right instructor/program, it isn't just a "checklist" of dives. Some "extra" (important) skills and experiences can be a component. No, if you can't find that, then it (AOW) is of little use.... Try a weekend with Jim Lapenta....

A private tutor or very small group instruction is paramount, otherwise it likely is just a couple more dives...

Everyone is different, but I can say I have experience with a top notch EMT who is not at all the same individual in the water. Good on you if you are the same, and I do not mean any comment as any form of ridicule.

 

[Searcaigh]

Anyone who has down AOW and thinks it was not worth the money must have had a lousy instructor IMHO.

It has been many years since I did mine, but I did watch an instructor taking students through the paces last Thursday, and it was interesting to see how well he does the course because I am going to be using him tomorrow and the day after for the Self Reliant Diver course. If I was not happy with the way he taught then I would find another instructor.

As Devon Diver pointed out, agencies set the standards, some instructors go beyond that, and that is the type of instructor to choose.