enough "self-rescue" in AOW?

[Marie13]

This should help -

PADI AOW - sampler platter

SDI Advanced - four course meal

In additional, you can do PADI AOW right after OW. For SDI, you need 25 dives on top of the 4 specialties. The 25 dives can include the OW and specialties dives, but you still need at least a few on top.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

So sdi added it’s own level to get their AOW card?

From SDI Advanced Scuba Diver Development Program - SDI | TDI | ERDI:


SDI Advanced Diver minimum requirements:

• Complete four SDI, TDI, or ERDI Specialty Diver courses or equivalent; only 1 course without dives, may be credited towards the SDI Advanced Diver development program, with the exception of SDI Computer Nitrox
• Proof of 25 logged dives
• After the previous requirements are met and verified by an instructor, the instructor issues the SDI Advanced Open Water Diver certification by submitting the SDI Diver Registration form to SDI Headquarters or the appropriate Regional Office, or registering the students online through member’s area of the SDI website
• Requirements for the SDI Junior Advanced include the above requirements, provided the four specialty courses they have taken are allowed by their age

From Advanced Open Water Diver | PADI:

There are two required dives – Deep and Underwater Navigation – and you choose the other three, for a total of five dives.

If you want to stick with the PADI system, I recommend taking 3 skills courses, including navigation for starters. That will put you at adventure diver, which is the prerequisite for the deep course. One more elective, and you are at AOW. Not the typical route, but a better one that is equivalent to the definition of advanced of other dive agencies. Just my 2 psi/bar.

 

[Diver below 83]

This should help -

PADI AOW - sampler platter

SDI Advanced - four course meal

In additional, you can do PADI AOW right after OW. For SDI, you need 25 dives on top of the 4 specialties. The 25 dives can include the OW and specialties dives, but you still need at least a few on top.

This makes sense. I have my sdi ow as well as nitrox and need 4 more to finish my Advanced after 25 dives.

 

[Diver below 83]

From SDI Advanced Scuba Diver Development Program - SDI | TDI | ERDI:


SDI Advanced Diver minimum requirements:

• Complete four SDI, TDI, or ERDI Specialty Diver courses or equivalent; only 1 course without dives, may be credited towards the SDI Advanced Diver development program, with the exception of SDI Computer Nitrox
• Proof of 25 logged dives
• After the previous requirements are met and verified by an instructor, the instructor issues the SDI Advanced Open Water Diver certification by submitting the SDI Diver Registration form to SDI Headquarters or the appropriate Regional Office, or registering the students online through member’s area of the SDI website
• Requirements for the SDI Junior Advanced include the above requirements, provided the four specialty courses they have taken are allowed by their age

From Advanced Open Water Diver | PADI:

There are two required dives – Deep and Underwater Navigation – and you choose the other three, for a total of five dives.

If you want to stick with the PADI system, I recommend taking 3 skills courses, including navigation for starters. That will put you at adventure diver, which is the prerequisite for the deep course. One more elective, and you are at AOW. Not the typical route, but a better one that is equivalent to the definition of advanced of other dive agencies. Just my 2 psi/bar.

I am SDI. My next step is the advanced diver once I get my 25th dive. And 4 more specials

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I am SDI. My next step is the advanced diver once I get my 25th dive. And 4 more specials

That's fine. My suggestion for anyone who wishes to stay within the PADI system.

I'd suggest focusing on skills courses, looking at the syllabus online, and talking to instructors how they teach the class, what they add, their expectations for successfully completing the course. Good luck!

 

[The Chairman]

Considering you are an “instructor” it’s sad you don’t know the levels and equivalent levels for each agency.

As an instructor, I certainly don't.

I was never much of a card collector. As a student, as an instructor and even as a dementor, I've always focused on the skills for any particular level.

 

[TMHeimer]

As an instructor, I certainly don't.

I was never much of a card collector. As a student, as an instructor and even as a dementor, I've always focused on the skills for any particular level.

Agree. As a student and former assistant, I figured I should know the stuff I had to know for what I was doing. Extra knowledge can't hurt, but I think it's better to be well versed in what you're doing now.

 

[60plus]

Interesting comment from the chairman about not being a card collector. Quite a number of divers in my local club (BSAC) are very good divers yet they have very few cards. By good I mean capable of 100m+ 3 to 4 hour dives. Some of them are planning to dive the Britanic (sister ship to Titanic) which is at 115m